Conditionally format column A if cell row contains "z" - excel

I want to highlight cells in column A (using the conditional formatting tool) if the cell's corresponding row contains the letter z anywhere within that row. I want to do this so I can sort data to the top if it is highlighted in column A.
I'm using the formula:
=COUNTIF($A1:$AA1,"*z*")
But I don't want to highlight the entire row, just the corresponding cell in column A for that row.
What is the formula to do this?

Select ColumnA then HOME > Styles - Conditional Formatting, New Rule..., Use a formula to determine which cells to format and Format values where this formula is true::
=COUNTIF($A1:$AA1,"*z*")>0
Format..., select highlighting OK, OK.
This will apply only to Column A (because of the selection).

This seemed to work for me when testing with a 3x3 cell table:
Highlight A1:A3
Conditional Formatting>New Rule>Use a formula to determine which cells to format
Formula:
=COUNTIF($B1:$C1,"z")
Then only cells in A were highlighted.

"I want to do this so I can sort data to the top if it is highlighted
in column A."
Ok, first of all, you don't need to use conditional formatting to sort. Second of all you wouldn't want to reference A1 in your formula =COUNTIF($A1:$AA1,"z") - it is a circular reference and any formula you put in column A would not return "z" anyways because you are using it for your COUNTIF formula.
The formula you want to use is:
=IF(COUNTIF($B1:$AA1,"z")>0,1,0)
If you want to look for any row that contains a z anywhere in a string you would want to do a wildcard countif:
=IF(COUNTIF($B1:$AA1,"*z")>0,1,0)
Then you can just sort on column A for all your data - high to low.
Basically you have demonstrated a basic misunderstanding of how to sort in excel(no offense). This should help you. Good Luck.

Related

Conditional Formatting for a row when there is a text disagreement between two cells

I'm working on a conditional formatting issue. I would like the whole row to highlight if the text in the same row in columns B and C disagree. So far, I've been able to write conditional formatting rules that leave the cell un-touched if there is no data and if there is a data entry that disagrees with the text in Column B, but I can't seem to get the formula to apply to the full row.
Here is what I currently have:screenshot of the document with conditional formatting rules visible
I'm working on Excel 2010. Maybe there is a way to use a logic formula?
I look forward to hearing suggestions!
You can do this with a formula. Highlight the range you would like to format, create a new conditional format, select "Use a formula..." and enter the formula as it would apply to the first cell or in this case row.
In my case, I chose the first 6 rows: $1:$6 as my range. So in this case, I would enter the formula as if I were only entering it for my first cell. The formula =$B1<>$C1 will check for inequality between B1 and C1 in the first row, B2 and C2 in the second row, and so on.

Excel: How to highlight cells if the neighboring cell value differs by 2 or more?

I have several hundred rows of data in sets of two rows. Each row has ratings from 1-5. I need to highlight the cells when they differ by more than 1.
For example if one cell has a "4" and the cell below it is "3" or "5" that is ok. If one cell has a "4" but the cell below it has a "1,"2," or "5," both of those cells need to be highlighted.
I have looked into using conditional formating but this does not help because I can only enter rules asking to highlight < or >, not specific differences of 2 or more.
Background: The data is two sets of subjective ratings of videos of an autistic patient using psychological measures. If one rater differs from the other rater in scoring by more than "1," the data needs to be highlighted so the scoring for that measure can be discussed.
The picture is how the data should look like (not actual data file): http://imgur.com/a/Uym3G
Thank you!!
Assuming you only have two raters and no gaps in Column A after the first video and before the last, please select the range to be formatted starting in C4 and try this CF formula rule:
=OR(AND(ISODD(ROW()),ABS(C4-C3)>1),AND(ISEVEN(ROW()),ABS(C4-C5)>1))
For simplicity, and because I like to always have the ability to quickly change my conditional formatting, I like to use helper columns.
In this case, you can bring a helper column that you will hide afterwards.
Assuming your data starts in A2, and row 1 is your header rows. Assuming we are putting a helper column in B:
In B2 and B3: =ABS(A2-A3)
Drag all the way down
Put cursor in A1, conditional formatting based on a formula.
Formula =$B1>=2
Applies to $A:$A
Hide your helper column
Not sure what you base your statement about conditional formatting on, because what you describe is entirely possible with conditional formatting.
In conditional formatting you don't have to slavishly click the out of the box cell highlighting rules. You can easily roll your own by using a rule with a formula. Consider the following screenshot:
Select cells A2 to A10, create a new rule that uses a formula and enter this formula:
=OR(ABS(A1-A2)>1,ABS(A2-A3)>1)
Select a format and apply the rule to more rows/columns as desired.

Conditional Formatting with Formula using Relative References

I looked around for an answer to this and found a similar thread, but it did not quite answer my question so here goes.
I have two columns, each with 262,000 rows of data. I am trying to highlight data in one of the columns based off of two conditions. I think I have the formula right for the conditional formatting, but the problem is that it will not apply to the entire column as I want it to. For example:
=AND(K6<=1638, L6=0)
That's the formula I have. I want that formatting to copy and paste all the way down column K, iterating each time. For example, the cell below should have formatting that says the following: =AND(K7=1638, L7=0) but I cannot get it to this. It just keeps looking at the values in cells K6 and L6.
Is format painter not the way to get this formatting applied to each cell?
Have you tried using conditional formatting as below?
I simplified the formula in the example but should work for your case as well.
It seems to me more practical for large ranges than Format Painter.
The formula =A2 > 4 has the cell A2 hardcoded, yet it magically works when applied to cells A6, A7, etc.. Excel uses this formula in relation to the first cell in the range, so if you wanted to highlight cells in column A that are greater than column B, and your range started in A2, your formula would be = A2 > B2.
I suggest select Column K and HOME > Styles - Conditional Formatting, New Rule..., Use a formula to determine which cells to format and Format values where this formula is true::
=AND(K1<=1638,L1=0)
Format..., select choice of formatting OK, OK.
When the rule is shown in the Conditional Formatting Rules Manager it is as applicable to the top left hand cell of the Applies to range. CF in effect raters through the range adjusting cell references automatically just as they adapt elsewhere (ie when going down Column K, K1 scrolls forward to K2 etc, whereas K$1 would stay as K$1).
You can do the conditional formatting you need by utilising OFFSET() and ROW() functions, so that your
=AND(K6<=1638, L6=0)
becomes something like:
=AND(OFFSET(K6,ROW()-6,0)<=1638, OFFSET(L6,ROW()-6,0)=0)
replace -6 with the row offset value you need.
So, for example, if you enter this formula into some cell in row 6, it will look into K6 and L6 respectively because ROW()-6 evaluates to 0 – so no offset is applied.
Then in row 7 the SAME formula will look into K7 and L7 because ROW()-6 evaluates to 1 which means offset one row below K6 and L6.

Highlight cells based on 10-15 values and post alternatives

I have a 1600-2000 rows of data in a spreadsheet that changes daily. I would like to highlight any row that contains such as 000000000000053851 in the R column. I had tried conditional formatting using this formula:
=OR($R1="000000000000549543",$R1="000000000000267294,$R1="000000000000053851")
but it seems to highlight a few rows that are blank in column R also.
Using the same numbers highlighted in column R, I would like to have an alternate number and possibly other data pasted into the corresponding row in column S. Each number has a unique alternate number and data to go along with it. This is how I picture a line may look with the highlighting and alternate data next to it:
I intend to record a macro using a few of the different steps that are likely required to do this. Any way, whether conditional formatting or an array formula, would be great to help with this.
For the sample provided, a CF rule of:
=LEFT(R1,12)="000000000000"
applied to ColumnR will format the sample and if you wish the cell immediately to the right. It will not highlight blank cells.
HOME > Styles - Conditional Formatting, New Rule..., Use a formula to determine which cells to format and Format values where this formula is true:, enter formula from above and Format... with Fill red, OK, OK.
If you want the cell to the right to be formatted also, select ColumnsR:S instead of just ColumnR and change R1 in the formula to $R1.
For the cell to the right you provide few details but VLOOKUP in conjunction with a two-column table should suit. Column on the left being the ColumnR value, with the right-hand column for the same row the ColumnS value required. This table could be placed almost anywhere.
This could all be done with Record Macro.

Conditional formatting based on reference cell value for each cell in row

I would like to color cells in each row based on the value of a cell in the same row and then do the next one.
How do you set the formula to be able to color the cell if not equal to a reference cell on the same row?
So I just want to change the color of a different cell than reference cell which will have a different value for each row.
In Excel you will need to create a formatting rule, within the modal select the option that you want to use a formula to decide what cells to format:
Within the edit box you can type the formula that is used. The formula in the example will check whether the value of the 1 cell in the column is not empty. If this is true, the cell will be formatted as specified in the format preview.
Mainly using the ROW and COLUMN functions in Excel you can get access to the current Row and Column of the Cell for which the formula is executed.
Given the input:
Select Cells B2:G6 and click on Conditional Formatting
Your prompt will look different on Windows, but the important part is "Use a formula to determine which cells to format" The formula is =B2<>$A2 Please note the lack of $ because it needs to be flexible (except for the reference cell column which in my case is A)
Final result is:
Conditional formatting foes not need to operate on the cell you are formatting. Using a mixture of $ and non-$ formatted formulas, you can set highlighting accordingly.
Note to make sure this works correctly, highlight the area to be formatted first, and note where you start. e.g. If I wanted this to apply to A2:A50, then I would highlight A2 first, and make the formula reference row 2.
Also, note that you will have to type in the formula. Any clicking of cells will automatically put in $ signs to fix the comparison to that specific location, which is not the behavior we desire
e.g. To format A2:K50, when the H value in that column is 7
Highlight A2:K50
Conditional Formatting -> New Rule -> Use a formula
formula would be =($H2=7) <- this will fix the column to be H, and vary the row accordingly
Format as desired
e.g.2. To format based on previous cell
Highlight A2:A50
Conditional Formatting -> New Rule -> Use a formula
formula would be =(A2<>A1) <- this will check the row above each time
Format as desired

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