Prevent Conditional Formatting on Blank Cells

**HangMan** · 02-17-2013, 03:19 PM

I want to highlight identical entries between two columns, using conditional formatting on the first column, but if the entry in both columns is blank, I don't want the cell highlighted. I tried using

=NOT(ISBLANK(A1))=NOT(ISBLANK(C1))

but this doesn't prevent blank matches from being highlighted, is there any wayto do this? I've attached a quick sample. In the sample I wouldn't want cell A6 to be highlighted because both A6 and C6 are blank.

Many thanks

**dredwolf** · 02-17-2013, 03:22 PM

I would change it to:
=AND(A1<>"",A1=C1)

Hope this helps

**jeffreybrown** · 02-17-2013, 03:23 PM

Just a quick question, for row 9, A9 = "SNAIL" and C9 = "ZEBRA", but it is highlighted.

I want to highlight identical entries between two columns

Do you only want to highlight duplicates?

**HangMan** · 02-17-2013, 03:29 PM

dredwolf,

Many thanks, that worked perfectly...

**dredwolf** · 02-17-2013, 03:30 PM

You are welcome

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**HangMan** · 02-17-2013, 03:30 PM

Hi Jeff,

Yes, it should only be the duplciates that are highlighted. I think the fact that Snail and Zebra are highlighted, just highlights that my formula doesn't work!

Many thanks