When looking at a big table of analysis (or data), it would make our life simpler if the selected cell’s column and row are highlighted, so that we can instantly compare and get a sense of things. Like this:
Who doesn’t like a little highlighting. So lets learn how to do highlighting today.
Step 1: Identify the area for highlighting
This is simple, unless you are AUI (analyzing under influence). Lets assume that we are dealing with a range of cells in B4:I14
Step 2: Use 2 cells to capture the selected row & column details
Outside our highlight range, lets set aside 2 cells (E17 & E18 in this case) for keeping the details of which row & column needs to be highlighted.
We can call these cells selRow & selCol.
Step 3: Unleash the VBA magic
- Right click on the sheet name & choose ‘view code’.
- Choose Worksheet & Selection Change from the drop-downs.
- Excel would add a blank
Worksheet_SelectionChange()sub - Write the below lines of code.
[selRow] = Target.Row[selCol] = Target.Column
- Done. So much simpler than using floo network or transmogrifying muggles.
Step 4: Add conditional formatting to highlight selected cell’s row & column
Now that we know which row & column should be highlighted, it is a simple matter of switching on Excel’s highlighting charm – Conditional Formatting.
Select the entire range (B4:I14) and go to conditional formatting > new rule
Select the rule type as Use a formula… and use a below rules.
=ROW(B4) = selRow- Apply formatting
- Repeat the steps & this time use the rule
=COLUMN(B4) = selCol
Step 5: Show off.
Incorporate this technique in to your dashboard or weekly report. Watch the socks knocked off your boss’. Bask in the glory. Repeat and enjoy.
Bonus Tip: Use similar technique to enhance user inputs
You can use similar idea to conditionally show messages on your worksheets. See this demo.
I am not telling you how to do this. But I know you are awesome enough to figure this out.
Download Example File
Click here to download example file & understand how to use this technique.
Do you use highlighting techniques in your reports & analysis?
I always use conditional formatting & light-weight VBA to enhance my dashboards and analysis. Especially conditional formatting is almost a magical way to make stunning reports & show off things that are important.
What about you? Do you use these techniques often? what is your experience like? Please share your tips & ideas using comments. I am all ears.
Transmogrify your boring work to awesome – Check out!
- Interactive sales chart using Excel
- Show details on demand using simple VBA
- Highlight points in scatter & line charts
- Display alert symbols in dashboards to grab attention
- Highlight top 10 values using conditional formatting
Also see introduction to conditional formatting & VBA to understand to get the basics right.
For more potent magic, please consider joining our Online VBA Classes. You are going to leave everyone spellbound.
17 Responses to “Custom Number Formats – Colors”
You are right, Chandoo. I was playing with the colour numbers last week and some of them don't appear different from each other. Others are totally different from yours.
@Duncan
Each version of Excel, post 2003, renders colors slightly differently
Different language versions may also have different default color palettes
Hello in french
excel 2010
colo1 = couleur1 = black
[couleur1]; [couleur2]; etc..
@Hui, thank you very much again for this great post.
However - under Excel 2007, Hungarian version your solution does not work with color names. I've tried both English and Hungarian names, but drops an error message "not valid formats"
Do you have any idea how to solve this issue?
thanks in advance
@Andras
Without a Hungarian version of Excel 2003 I don't think I can assist
Have you tried using the colour numbers? I couldn't get the names to work (despite using an english version of excel). but it did work with the numbers though. I left out the "u" and was easily able to produce burgundy using [color9]
Here a possible solution: find an English version of Excel, write there the formats using English names, then open the file in the Hungarian version and see the translation.
In Excel 2007 I can't get the colour names to work e.g Sea Green but the numbers do e.g color3 - colour3 does not work so I must bow to the country that has stolen my language (ha ha!)
Hey chandoo, nice Tip!
Wouldn't be easier just apply some conditional formatting for negative numbers and another for positive numbers? Or there's some cases that you can't do that?
Unfortunately the TEXT function doesn't color the cell as number formatting does.
Hi Hui,
Great post Sir, love the new way of formatting with color numbers.
I am using 2007, and it leads me to the last color number 56.
Thanks Hui.
[…] explains how to set up custom number formats with a wide array of […]
Thanks Hui - works a treat!
Thank you, very helpful.
Trying to figure out if it is possible to apply color only to a part of the cell?
E.g. I have a value formatted as Accounting with a currency symbol.
Those I find somewhat distracting though necessary. If I could make them less obtrusive by coloring them gray while the number would stay black, that would be great. Tried tinkering with the format string, but didn't get the desired result. Single color for complete cell value works, but coloring just part of it could not be achieved. Maybe somebody managed that?
Exactly what I was looking for - thank you!
colour in the Australian doesn't work - we have to go American and no problem.
I always thought is was 56 colours notice you have 57. Cool.
thanks
Analir Pisani
Customised Microsoft Office Training Specialist
Sydney - Australia
http://www.azsolutions.com.au
Thank You!