Marwadi University

Faculty of Technology
Department of Information and Communication Technology
Subject: Data Aim: Conditional Formatting in Excel
Visualization and
Dashboard (01CT0410)

Experiment No: 03 Date: Enrollment No:92301733031

Aim: Conditional Formatting in Excel

IDE: Excel

Theory:

Conditional formatting is a powerful feature in Microsoft Excel that allows users to apply formatting rules to
cells or ranges based on specified conditions. With conditional formatting, users can visually highlight
important data, identify trends, and quickly spot anomalies in their Excel spreadsheets. In this detailed guide,
we will explore the various aspects of conditional formatting in Excel, including its benefits, how to apply
conditional formatting rules, common use cases, and advanced techniques.
What is Conditional Formatting?
Conditional formatting is a feature in Excel that allows users to apply formatting styles, such as font color, fill
color, and cell borders, based on specific conditions or criteria. These conditions can include numerical values,
text strings, dates, and formula-based rules. Conditional formatting helps users to quickly interpret and analyze
data by visually emphasizing certain aspects of the data set.
Benefits of Conditional Formatting:
1. Enhanced Data Visualization: Conditional formatting enables users to visualize data trends, patterns, and
outliers more effectively, making it easier to interpret complex datasets.
2. Improved Data Analysis: By highlighting data that meets certain criteria or conditions, conditional formatting
facilitates quick analysis and identification of important information.
3. Increased Productivity: Conditional formatting automates the process of formatting cells based on
predefined rules, saving time and effort for users.
4. Customization and Flexibility: Users have the flexibility to customize conditional formatting rules according
to their specific requirements, allowing for greater control over the appearance of their Excel spreadsheets.

How to Apply Conditional Formatting:

Applying conditional formatting in Excel involves the following steps:
1. Select the Data Range: First, select the range of cells to which you want to apply conditional formatting.
2. Open the Conditional Formatting Menu: Go to the "Home" tab on the Excel ribbon, then click on the
"Conditional Formatting" button in the Styles group. This will open a dropdown menu with various conditional
formatting options.
3. Choose a Formatting Rule: Select one of the predefined formatting rules from the dropdown menu, such as
"Highlight Cells Rules" or "Top/Bottom Rules." Alternatively, you can create a custom formatting rule based on
specific criteria.
Marwadi University
Faculty of Technology
Department of Information and Communication Technology
Subject: Data Aim: Conditional Formatting in Excel
Visualization and
Dashboard (01CT0410)

Experiment No: 03 Date: Enrollment No:

4. Set the Formatting Options: Configure the formatting options for the selected rule, such as the formatting
style, color, and font settings. You can also specify the criteria or conditions that determine when the
formatting should be applied.
5. Apply the Formatting Rule: Once you have set up the formatting options and criteria, click "OK" to apply the
conditional formatting rule to the selected range of cells.

Common Use Cases for Conditional Formatting:

1. Highlighting Duplicate Values: Use conditional formatting to identify and highlight duplicate values within a
dataset, making it easier to spot inconsistencies or errors.
2. Data Bars and Color Scales: Apply data bars or color scales to visually represent the relative values of cells
within a range, allowing for quick comparison and analysis.
3. Threshold Alerts: Set up conditional formatting rules to trigger alerts or warnings when certain thresholds or
limits are exceeded, such as budget targets or sales quotas.
4. Date-Based Formatting: Apply conditional formatting to date columns to highlight upcoming deadlines,
important events, or overdue tasks.
5. Traffic Light Icons: Use conditional formatting to display traffic light icons (green, yellow, red) based on the
values of cells, indicating performance levels or status indicators.
6. Conditional Formatting with Formulas: Create custom conditional formatting rules using Excel formulas to
apply more complex formatting based on dynamic conditions.

Advanced Techniques and Tips:

1. Manage Conditional Formatting Rules: Use the "Conditional Formatting Rules Manager" to view, edit, or
delete existing conditional formatting rules in your workbook.
2. Combine Multiple Rules: Apply multiple conditional formatting rules to the same range of cells to create
layered effects or prioritize certain formatting rules over others.
3. Use Named Ranges: Define named ranges for your data to make it easier to apply and manage conditional
formatting rules across multiple worksheets or workbooks.
4. Apply Formatting to Entire Rows or Columns: Use conditional formatting formulas that reference entire rows
or columns to apply formatting dynamically as data changes.
5. Conditional Formatting with Pivot Tables: Apply conditional formatting to pivot tables to visualize trends and
patterns in summarized data.
Marwadi University
Faculty of Technology
Department of Information and Communication Technology
Subject: Data Aim: Conditional Formatting in Excel
Visualization and
Dashboard (01CT0410)

Experiment No: 03 Date: Enrollment No:

Pre Lab Exercise:

a. What is the use of a scenario manager?

Scenario Manager in Excel allows you to create and analyze different sets of input values to observe their
impact on the output.It helps in comparing multiple scenarios, making it useful for decision-making,
forecasting, and budgeting.You can easily switch between scenarios to analyze possible outcomes.​

b. What is the use of Data tables option in WhatIF analysis?

Data Tables allow you to analyze how changing one or two input variables affects the result of a formula.
It helps perform sensitivity analysis by displaying multiple possible outcomes in a structured format.
Useful for examining various scenarios and identifying trends.

c. What is the use of Goal Seek?

Goal Seek helps determine the input value required to achieve a desired output.​
It works by adjusting one variable in a formula to meet a specific target.Useful for solving backward calculations
where the desired result is known but the input is unknown.​
Tasks:
For the given dataset:
NAME REGION RESULT RESULT TEST DATE AGE Fruits
(1,0)

Name 1 North Negative 0 28-03-2024 18 Apple

Name 2 East Negative 0 28-03-2024 86 Banana

Name 3 South Positive 1 23-03-2024 20 Orange

Name 4 South Negative 0 28-03-2024 100 Mango

Name 5 South Negative 0 26-03-2024 90 Pineapple

Name 6 East Positive 1 24-03-2024 68 Apple

Name 7 South Negative 0 29-03-2024 71 Apple

Name 8 North Negative 0 30-03-2024 24 Mango

Name 9 North Negative 0 28-03-2024 86 Orange

Name 10 North Negative 0 28-03-2024 56 Orange

Name 11 North Negative 0 03-04-2024 76 Mango

Name 12 South Negative 0 15-03-2024 70 Apple

Name 13 North Positive 1 17-03-2024 35 Apple

Name 14 North Negative 0 28-03-2024 53 Orange

 Marwadi University
Faculty of Technology
Department of Information and Communication Technology
Subject: Data Aim: Conditional Formatting in Excel
Visualization and
Dashboard (01CT0410)

Experiment No: 03 Date: Enrollment No:92301733031

Perform the following tasks:

1. Format cell according to its value: Format all entries from the South region
2. Explore preset rules (and some alternative formats): Format top 3 ages // ages above average

3. Implement icons and colour scales: Format age with a colour scale // result with icon
4. Format cell according to another cell's value: Format name if age above 85

5. Format dates in (or outside of) a date range: Format test older than 7 days

Observation and Result Analysis:

Write the final observation and process corresponding to each task

1. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________

3. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________

4. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________

5. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________

Post Lab Exercise:

You are working as an analyst at a retail company, and you have been tasked with analyzing sales data for
different product categories across multiple regions. Your manager has provided you with a dataset containing
sales figures for the past year, organized by product category (e.g., electronics, clothing, furniture) and region
(e.g., North America, Europe, Asia).

Your objective is to use conditional formatting in Excel to visually highlight key insights and trends in the sales
data, with a focus on identifying top-performing product categories and regions.

Marwadi University
Faculty of Technology
Department of Information and Communication Technology
Subject: Data Aim: Conditional Formatting in Excel
Visualization and
Dashboard (01CT0410)

Experiment No: 03 Date: Enrollment No:

Questions:

1. Using conditional formatting, create a heat map to visualize the sales performance of different product
categories across regions. Which product categories appear to have the highest sales figures, and in
which regions?
2. Apply conditional formatting to identify outliers in the sales data. Are there any product categories or
regions with unusually low or high sales figures compared to the rest of the dataset? 3. Create a conditional
formatting rule to highlight cells with sales figures that exceed a certain threshold (e.g., $10,000). How
many cells meet this condition, and which product categories and regions do they belong to?
4. Use conditional formatting to highlight cells with negative sales figures, indicating a loss. How many such
cells are there, and which product categories and regions are affected?
5. Apply color scales to visualize the distribution of sales figures within each product category. Do you
observe any patterns or trends in the sales data based on the color scales?
6. Implement conditional formatting rules to identify cells with consecutive months of declining sales. How
many instances of declining sales are there, and which product categories and regions are affected the
most?
7. Create a conditional formatting rule to highlight cells with significant month-over-month increases in
sales (e.g., exceeding 20%). How many such instances are there, and which product categories and
regions show the most growth?
8. Combine conditional formatting rules to create a multi-layered visualization of the sales data,
incorporating color scales, data bars, and icon sets. How does this comprehensive visualization enhance
your understanding of the sales performance across different categories and regions?
9. Apply conditional formatting to highlight cells containing sales figures that fall within specific percentile
ranges (e.g., top 10%, bottom 25%). Which product categories and regions fall into these percentile
ranges, and what insights can be gleaned from this analysis?
10. Finally, based on your analysis using conditional formatting, provide recommendations to the
management team regarding potential areas for improvement or further exploration, such as focusing
on high-growth product categories or implementing targeted marketing strategies in underperforming
regions.