Conditional Format Three Columns: Change Cell Colour Based on Input from Cells E, F, and G

Creating a Conditional Format for Three Columns (E, F, G) to Change Cell Colors Based on Input Cells

In this article, we will discuss how to create a conditional format for three columns (E, F, G) in a spreadsheet to change the cell color based on the input cells. This technique can be useful in various scenarios, such as tracking progress, highlighting critical values, or visualizing data trends. We will cover the key concepts and steps required to implement this conditional format using a popular spreadsheet tool.

Prerequisites

To follow along with this article, you should have a basic understanding of spreadsheet software, such as Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. We will be using Google Sheets in this example, but the steps should be similar for other spreadsheet tools.

Key Concepts

• Conditional formatting: A feature in spreadsheet software that allows you to automatically apply formatting (such as cell color) based on specific criteria.
• Input cells: Cells that contain data that will be used to determine the formatting of other cells.
• Rule-based formatting: A type of conditional formatting that applies formatting based on a set of rules or conditions.

Implementing the Conditional Format

To create a conditional format for three columns (E, F, G) that changes the cell color based on input cells, follow these steps:

1. Select the range of cells you want to format (in this case, columns E, F, and G).
2. Click on the Format menu and select Conditional formatting.
3. In the Conditional format rules panel, select Format cells if... and then choose Custom formula is.
4. Enter the following formula in the formula field:
   =OR( $E1<>"" , $F1<>"" , $G1<>"" )
5. Choose the formatting options you want to apply (such as cell color) and click Done.

This formula checks if any of the cells in columns E, F, or G are not empty. If any of the cells are not empty, the formatting options you selected will be applied to the corresponding row.

Customizing the Conditional Format

You can customize the conditional format further by adding additional rules. For example, you could create a rule that changes the cell color based on the value of a specific cell in the row. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click on the Conditional format rules button again.
2. Select Format cells if... and then choose Custom formula is.
3. Enter the following formula in the formula field:
   =AND( $E1<>"" , $F1<>"" , $G1<>"" , $H1>=0 )
4. Choose the formatting options you want to apply (such as cell color) and click Done.

This formula checks if all of the cells in columns E, F, and G are not empty and if the value in column H is greater than or equal to 0. If both conditions are true, the formatting options you selected will be applied to the corresponding row.

• Conditional formatting is a powerful feature in spreadsheet software that allows you to automatically apply formatting based on specific criteria.
• You can use conditional formatting to change the cell color in three columns (E, F, G) based on input cells.
• By using custom formulas, you can create complex rules that change the cell color based on multiple conditions.

References

• Google Sheets: Use conditional formatting rules
• Excel Easy: Conditional Formatting

--endarticle--