This article is written by Myles Arnott from Excel Audit
In the first part on our Modeling Best Practices series, we learned 5 best practices to follow. This article shows how to automatically implement the best practices using macros.
Quick Re-cap on Modeling Best Practices
Make cell content and cell purpose visually identifiable at all times
In the first article I highlighted the fact that the content and purpose of every cell should be easily identifiable to the user at all times.
At a basic level we can identify two basic cell types:
| Type | Background | Font | Protection |
| Assumption or constant | White | Blue | No |
| Output | Grey | Black | Yes |
Best Practice formatting made easy
In order to make the application of Best Practice formatting quicker and easier I have created three simple macros. These macros use Excel’s Go To Special function and then some simple formatting to the active sheet.
Demo of the macros
Please watch this 5 minute demo to understand how the macros work.
[Click here to watch the video]
Overview of best practice macros
Auto_Format: automatically formats cells depending on their type:
- Number constants (i.e. input cells) are white background, blue font & unprotected
- Non number constants (e.g. formulae) are grey background, black text & protected
Constants_Format: formats selected cells as white background, blue text & unprotected
Formula_Format: formats selected cells as grey background, black text & protected
And a couple of extras:
Simple_Audit: A Simple Audit Macro that uses the go to special function to select and highlight specific cell types. This is the macro from the Managing Spreadsheet Risk article.
Clear_format: formats all cells as white background, black text & protected
A word of warning: These macros apply formatting to your spreadsheets. This formatting cannot be undone.
File to download
Since formatting steps vary for Excel 2003 & 2007, we have 2 versions of the files. Please download the appropriate file below:
These files have the macros embedded in them. You will need to move these macros into your personal workbook. Help on this.
Once in your personal workbook you can then add these to your QAT, or Ribbon.
Conclusion
Have a play with the macros on the example workbook and then, once you are happy with how to use them, you can start applying best practice formatting at the click of a button.
Let us know how you are implementing these best practices and your suggestions using comments.
Thanks to Myles
Many thanks to Myles for compiling all the tips & sharing this with us. If you have enjoyed this article, please say thanks to Myles. You can also reach him at Excel Audit or his linkedin profile.
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!