Conditional Formatting - to highlight overwritten formulas

Just out of curiosity, why not create the named range HasNoFormula and then
use...

=NOT(GET.CELL(48,$A2))

in the Refers to field instead? That way, the OP could use a more
straightforward looking =HasNoFormula in the conditional formatting dialog.

--
Rick (MVP - Excel)



"Teethless mama" wrote in message
...
Assuming your formula in A2:A10

Create a define name range call HasFormula, in the Refers to:
=GET.CELL(48,$A2)

Select A2:A10
Conditional Formatting: =NOT(HasFormula)
format any color you like



"JohnG" wrote:

A number of people can access and update a spreadsheet that I designed
for
them. The sheet contains a column with lookup formulas. I need to be
able to
quickly scan down the column and see cells where the formulas have been
overwritten with values/text. Is there a way to set this up with
conditional
formatting.
My first thought was to use the TYPE function but it does not appear to
be
able to identify when the contents of a cell is derived from a formula as
opposed to a simple text string or number.
--
JohnG

That's a different request, and might be better handled by Data Validation
than Conditional Formatting.
If you can't define what may be put in the cell, just leave Any Value
selected in Data Validation, and use an Input Message as your warning when
they select the cell.

HTH
Steve D.



"JohnG" wrote in message
...
Thanks again Max. There are valid reasons for contributors to overwrite
these formulae where they have better information than the default result
from the lookup formula. My wish is to just have one extra prompt that
reminds them they need to be very sure of what they are doing when they
overwrite the formula
--
JohnG


"Max" wrote:

well, I'd suggest that you just protect all the formula cells then, do
not
allow any overwriting. You could always ask users who "dispute" the
formula
returns to indicate their own values in an adjacent col in their
submissions
to you, for example.
--
Max
Singapore
---
"JohnG" wrote:
Thanks Max - I am looking for an automatic solution as I also want the
less
experienced contributors to the spreadsheet to realise that they have
overwritten the default formula. I also prefer not to use VBA or
macros in
the solution as someone less experienced will need to maintain the
spreadsheet when I move on

On May 18, 10:24*pm, JohnG wrote:
A number of people can access and update a spreadsheet that I designed for
them. *The sheet contains a column with lookup formulas. I need to be able to
quickly scan down the column and see cells where the formulas have been
overwritten with values/text. Is there a way to set this up with conditional
formatting.
My first thought was to use the TYPE function but it does not appear to be
able to identify when the contents of a cell is derived from a formula as
opposed to a simple text string or number.
--
JohnG

Hi John, I had the same situation last week: A template with a default
formula, but due to business reasons the user can overwrite it.
Initially I tried to use conditional format, so if cell has not
formula = other color. However, I found that many users overwrite the
formula with just another formula! So be careful with this approach…
What I did to solve it is I added the conditional format as Formula IS
NOT EQUAL TO, then put there the original formula, and turned blue if
not the result of my formula.
Regards,
C

Savvy users may also use a simple link formula to replace your existing
formula (that makes it indistinguishable from overwriting formulas with a
constant), careless users may also damage formulas in cells they are not
supposed to touch, the list goes on ....