changing font via data entry into cell

[ph2003]

Hello all,

I have a speadsheet with job entries, there is a status column. When the user types "closed" into this column I want the font to change showing that the job is no longer active (closed). Is there any way you can do this with in Excel?

cheers - ph2003

[firefytr]

Yes, it's called Conditional Formatting. Find it in the Format menu.

A cautionary note on using conditional formatting, when using the Formula Is feature, it is strictly dependent upon what cell is selected when using this feature. The use of Absolute/Relative referencing is a must here. An example ..

Let's say your "Closed" will be in column D. Select the entire column (click the D at the column header). Note that one cell is a lighter color than the rest - this is the ActiveCell.
Goto Format --> Conditional Formatting.. --> Formula Is ..
=D1="Closed"
Choose your format (font in your case) for the cells with "Closed" to become when that condition is returned True.

Note that there was no $ signs used in the cell reference (D1, as opposed to $D1, $D$1, D$1). We do this because the entire column is selected and the formatting will automatically move the cell reference with each row you have selected. So if you now click D2 and go to Format --> Conditional Formatting, you will see a condition already there, but the reference will say "D2" and not "D1" like you entered.


HTH

[ph2003]

Hello again,

Have tried the suggestion and it didn’t seem to work. Formatting for the single cell was achieved, however I wanted to apply the formatting to an entire row when the key word was entered into the status column. Is there any way I can achieve this?

cheers - ph2003

[firefytr]

With your range selected, make use of absolute referencing (with the $ sign) and instead of ..

=D1="Closed"

.. use something like this ..

=$D$1="Closed"

This will essentially 'lock in' the D1 reference. If you don't do this, as your rows increase (assuming Conditional Formatting has been copied to these rows) the reference in your CF will also increase, e.g. D2, D3, D4, etc.

HTH