In excel conditional formatting basics article, we have learned the basics of excel conditional formatting. In this and the next 4 posts, we will learn some more nifty uses of excel conditional formatting.
Let us see how we can highlight top 5 or 10 values in a list using excel as shown aside:
To do this, you need to learn the excel formula – LARGE (more on large formula)
Large formula is used to fetch the nth largest value from a range of numbers. Refer to the above link for easy to understand help on large (and SMALL too)
To highlight the top 10 values,
1. Select the range of values and launch conditional formatting dialog.
2. Assuming you have cells in the range c5: c30, In the formula we need to specify a condition that would be true only if a value is more than or equal to the top 10th value in the range c5:c30 – LARGE($C$5:$C$30,10), thus our formula will be, C5>=LARGE($C$5:$C$30,10)
3. Finally specify the formatting you want to apply. When you are done, press ok.

That is all.
If you want to highlight the entire row instead of a cell, you should use $C5 instead of C5. Why so? That is your home work. Here is a little tip on using relative vs. absolute cell references in excel.
To highlight bottom 10 in a list, all you need to do is change the formula from LARGE to SMALL.
Download the example workbook and learn how to highlight top 10 values in a range.
In the next article
We will learn how you can search a spreadsheet full of data using conditional formatting. So stay tuned and if you havent already, join our newsletter.














23 Responses to “Learn Top 10 Excel Features”
What it looks like if excel without formula?? 🙂
It would be not excel it would just be fancy tables in which you could just use power point. (Chandoo) would Access be an alternative?
Awesome piece of work!!!
Great article.
Chandoo - my biggest interest in the article was the awesome word-graphic at the top - where did you go to get it done into a shape?
@Rich.. thank you. I used http://www.tagxedo.com/ to generate this word cloud. I took all the comments in the original post, pasted them in tagxedo website and set up the shape etc.
Awesome Chandoo.. You need always needs coffee to start up with. BTW , how did u created the Heart Shaped picture filled with High Repetitive text in it .. Please put it on your Next blog ...
Chandoo, good article. I’ve added a link to it from Connexion – our collection of the most useful and interesting spreadsheet-related articles from the web. See http://www.i-nth.com/resources/connexion
Hi,
Just one small question. Where the hell have been I in the past for not discovering this website sooner?
I've lost a job interview recently where even though I had the subject knowledge, I was not upto their mark in Excel.
Thank you for all the free tips, guidance and for creating this forum environment.
[PS: I've just been through the site for the 1st time, and have signed up for the newsletter. You can expect pretty stupid questions from me soon]
Hy Chandoo, you always inspire me with to explore something new in excel. This data structure table is only for excel 2007 or compatible to 2010. I recently installed latest excel version 2013 in my System and experience problems regarding operating according to previous one. I'm waiting your article relates to that excel version.
Thanks
Awesome article Mr. Chandoo and that is a awesome heart shaped pic you created. Great tips as well.
[...] Learn Top 10 Excel Features | Chandoo.org – Learn Microsoft Excel Online. [...]
Chandoo is awesome..
Thanks, i got better, And i always get 90.50 in my grade card but now i get 96.50 i improved because of the tutorials you gave, Thank You Very Much Chandoo Guy.
Hi chandoo, i am intersted in seeing the video or step by step done procedure of analysing the comments and presenting in the data percentage steps. I think this one would be first step in finding out how generally happens data calculation. Thank you.
As well i would like to know how to get that black shape art of your face which i see in chandoo. I am interested in making it for me.
Nice to see the features considered by Excel users to be most useful. It might be a good idea to also analyze StackOverflow Excel questions to see what keywords appear most often.
Here are my top 10 Excel Features (for advanced users):
http://www.analystcave.com/excel-10-top-excel-features/
Thanks a ton for this it totally helped with my homework ????
Very good effort
Thank you for this. Lots of learning in the links you've provided for this septuagenarian.
Pls send me new post
Dude, your humor ? ?
Loved your work.
Hello Sir,
I am Sanjeev Khakre and i from Indore City, India , I am your big follower and i have watch your videos and learnt a lots of excel trick or function and many more . thanks so much for all of your excellent support.
Your excel knowledge is real awesome.
Thanks
Sanjeev
Your work is excellent but pls willing to know more details about the features of microsoft excel
Chandoo Would Access be a better alternative than VB?