Incorporating Cell color fill in an "if" logical function?

Hi,

I'm trying to use conditional formatting formulas to change the fill colour
of a large table of cells. The table is automatically populated with job
numbers, of which there are many. There are only 3 job types and on the same
sheet there is a separate table with a column for "job type" and a column for
"job number". I want to use a lookup function in the large table to find the
job type and then change the cell colour to suite the job type.
I've tried using formulas for conditional formating but the formulas limit
you from using certain references. i.e. I want the format of each individual
cell in a range to change according to that individual cell's own lookup
function. But all i can do is change the format of the whole range of cells
according to one cell's lookup function.

it would be so easy if you could change a cell's formatting using code in an
"if" statement.
i.e. if(vlookup(A5,$A$1:$B$25,2)="jobtype1",A5.CellFill Colour=red)

You need to write a formula that returns either TRUE or FALSE, so something like this would work:

=VLOOKUP($A5,$AA$1:$AB$25,2,False)="jobtype1"
and set the fill to red...

You, of course, would need either two or three conditions - if you have only three conditions, the
default formatting can take care of one condition, and the CF can take care of the other two.

HTH,
Bernie
MS Excel MVP


"tyronki" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I'm trying to use conditional formatting formulas to change the fill colour
of a large table of cells. The table is automatically populated with job
numbers, of which there are many. There are only 3 job types and on the same
sheet there is a separate table with a column for "job type" and a column for
"job number". I want to use a lookup function in the large table to find the
job type and then change the cell colour to suite the job type.
I've tried using formulas for conditional formating but the formulas limit
you from using certain references. i.e. I want the format of each individual
cell in a range to change according to that individual cell's own lookup
function. But all i can do is change the format of the whole range of cells
according to one cell's lookup function.

it would be so easy if you could change a cell's formatting using code in an
"if" statement.
i.e. if(vlookup(A5,$A$1:$B$25,2)="jobtype1",A5.CellFill Colour=red)

I am trying to shade the row if a particular cell in the row has a date value
in one of three categories. What I have done is not working. Statements are
below.

="If(($B$2-NOW)=30)"
="if(($B$2-NOW)0)"
="If(($B$2-NOW)=30)"

It is not coloring a single cell.Any ideas of better logic to use?

On Sun, 30 Aug 2009 20:52:01 -0700, Josh
wrote:

I am trying to shade the row if a particular cell in the row has a date value
in one of three categories. What I have done is not working. Statements are
below.

="If(($B$2-NOW)=30)"
="if(($B$2-NOW)0)"
="If(($B$2-NOW)=30)"

It is not coloring a single cell.Any ideas of better logic to use?

You can let the internal engine do it.

FormatCFCondition1Formula is:

=$B$2-NOW()=30

Add Condition2 and 3

But you have a couple of conflicts with the = and =

Who do you want to win if the value is 30


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Sun, 30 Aug 2009 20:52:01 -0700, Josh
wrote:

I am trying to shade the row if a particular cell in the row has a date value
in one of three categories. What I have done is not working. Statements are
below.

="If(($B$2-NOW)=30)"
="if(($B$2-NOW)0)"
="If(($B$2-NOW)=30)"

It is not coloring a single cell.Any ideas of better logic to use?

I think the quotation marks around your IF statement are probably
messing you up.

=If(($B$2-NOW)=30)
=if(($B$2-NOW)0)
=If(($B$2-NOW)=30)

You will still have the logic issues that Gord pointed out.

Ken

On Aug 30, 11:52*pm, Josh wrote:
I am trying to shade the row if a particular cell in the row has a date value
in one of three categories. What I have done is not working. Statements are
below.

="If(($B$2-NOW)=30)"
="if(($B$2-NOW)0)"
="If(($B$2-NOW)=30)"

It is not coloring a single cell.Any ideas of better logic to use?

Ken

Don't need to use IF

Also NOW is a function and syntax is NOW()


Gord

On Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:11:52 -0700 (PDT), Ken wrote:

I think the quotation marks around your IF statement are probably
messing you up.

=If(($B$2-NOW)=30)
=if(($B$2-NOW)0)
=If(($B$2-NOW)=30)

You will still have the logic issues that Gord pointed out.

Ken

On Aug 30, 11:52*pm, Josh wrote:
I am trying to shade the row if a particular cell in the row has a date value
in one of three categories. What I have done is not working. Statements are
below.

="If(($B$2-NOW)=30)"
="if(($B$2-NOW)0)"
="If(($B$2-NOW)=30)"

It is not coloring a single cell.Any ideas of better logic to use?

Hi, thanks a million Bernie.

My conditional formatting applies to a number of columns too- different
dates.. Your formula applies the format to the whole row. So what if I only
wanted to apply the formatting to the cell in that row which wasn't empty.
(it will contain the same job number which was used as the lookup value- i.e.
A5)
I'm running into a similar problem where the cells I want to reference in
the conditional formatting formula are the cells that the format actually
applies to.
e.g: I wish I could do this in my formula:

=AND(VLOOKUP($A5,$AA$1:$AB$25,2,False)="jobtype1", NOT(ISBLANK("cells in row
9 to which formula applies")))


my spreadsheet looks much like ms project with jobs on the left, dates along
the top and coloured cells where the dates and jobs correspond.

Cheers for the help,
Tyron

"Bernie Deitrick" wrote:

You need to write a formula that returns either TRUE or FALSE, so something like this would work:

=VLOOKUP($A5,$AA$1:$AB$25,2,False)="jobtype1"
and set the fill to red...

You, of course, would need either two or three conditions - if you have only three conditions, the
default formatting can take care of one condition, and the CF can take care of the other two.

HTH,
Bernie
MS Excel MVP


"tyronki" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I'm trying to use conditional formatting formulas to change the fill colour
of a large table of cells. The table is automatically populated with job
numbers, of which there are many. There are only 3 job types and on the same
sheet there is a separate table with a column for "job type" and a column for
"job number". I want to use a lookup function in the large table to find the
job type and then change the cell colour to suite the job type.
I've tried using formulas for conditional formating but the formulas limit
you from using certain references. i.e. I want the format of each individual
cell in a range to change according to that individual cell's own lookup
function. But all i can do is change the format of the whole range of cells
according to one cell's lookup function.

it would be so easy if you could change a cell's formatting using code in an
"if" statement.
i.e. if(vlookup(A5,$A$1:$B$25,2)="jobtype1",A5.CellFill Colour=red)

and just a throwaway.. if you want to evaluate column B of each row
individually, get rid of the $2 and instead use $B2. Otherwise, when you
copy the format down the rest of your rows, you'll still be evaluating B2...

"Gord Dibben" wrote:

FormatCFCondition1Formula is:

=$B$2-NOW()=30

Add Condition2 and 3

But you have a couple of conflicts with the = and =

Who do you want to win if the value is 30


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Sun, 30 Aug 2009 20:52:01 -0700, Josh
wrote:

I am trying to shade the row if a particular cell in the row has a date value
in one of three categories. What I have done is not working. Statements are
below.

="If(($B$2-NOW)=30)"
="if(($B$2-NOW)0)"
="If(($B$2-NOW)=30)"

It is not coloring a single cell.Any ideas of better logic to use?

So is it now true in Excel 2007, that I have to apply conditional formatting
to each cell individually (in this case). In 2003, I was able to drag the
cell formatting down a long list of items where the formulas were relative so
the row number changed as I went from cell to cell. Excel 2007 seems to want
to lock everyting to a specific cell e.g., $m$4. If this is the case, it is
terrible. Perhaps I have missed something. I certainly hope so.

"T. Valko" wrote:

I am using vista and excel 2007.

Try this...

Assume the cell in question is A1
Select cell A1
Goto Home tabStylesConditional FormattingManage Rules
Click New RuleUse a formula to determine.....
Enter this formula in the box: =A1="I"
Click the Format button
Select the desired style(s)
OKOKApply

Now, click New Rule and repeat the process for each of the conditions.

This was much easier in previous versions of Excel!


--
Biff
Microsoft Excel MVP


"Shawn" wrote in message
...
I have a similar question to this thread...

I have a cell that contains an if statement that returns either I, II, III
or IV depending on criteria. Can I also make the cell turn a different
colour
for each of these results? e.g. (Red for I, Orange for II, etc.) I used to
know how to do this in the old excel, but now I am using vista and excel
2007.

Thanks.

Shawn

"Miguel Zapico" wrote:

You can use Format-conditional formating, select "Formula is", and
insert
the condition that evaluates to true/false in the text box.

Hope this helps,
Miguel.

"George_Sky" wrote:

I want to identify a specific cell by highlighting it with a cell fill
color
when an "if" statement returns a "ture" response. How do I do this?