automatic fill color in cell

[megangiselle]

I'd like to have specific cells change to a certain fill color when I type in
certain letters or numbers. Is there a way to set this up?
XP Pro
Thanks!

 

[Debra Dalgleish]

You can use conditional formatting to colour the cells. There are
instructions in Excel's Help, and here:

http://www.contextures.com/xlCondFormat01.html

 

[David McRitchie]

hi megangiselle,

Conditional Formatting is the best choice when it is possible to use
because it does not involve macros and it does not matter if the the
content changed as values or through a formula. But if you need more than
a choice of 3 colors (+ default) then no matter how simple or complicated
your formulas are you would not be able to use C.F. for the fill color alone and
would have to use an Event macro instead, if you want it to be automatic.
http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/event.htm#case
or a regular macro and run it yourself.

Back to Conditional Formatting, from the abiguity of your question
I expect that you will probably have to use the OR Worksheet Function
and possibly the LEFT and/or the AND worksheet function in your conditional formatting
formulas. You can get help for those in HELP if need them. Above all keep in
mind that the purpose of the C.F. formula is to return either TRUE (not zero) or
FALSE (zero).

 

[Mark]

Hi,

If you would like to send me a demo sheet, i can write it
for you. I did a similar form for a transport business a
while ago. I cannot send it to you for confidentiality
reasons but I can modify it to suit your requirements.
Basically it is a macro that ascertains the user input.

you can try my color utility at
http://www.geocities.com/excelmarksway
http://au.geocities.com/excelmarksway

-Mark
(e-mail address removed)