Excel should let me relocate cells without relocating the format..

I want to lock in a format in my Excel worksheet and still be able to re-sort
the data and move around cells to different locations without altering my
format.

For example, if I highlight only certain rows with a specific fill color,
and I sort the data, I want the data to be re-ordered, but the row fill-color
to stay in place.

Basically, I want to lock in a format, but keep the text of a cell
"un-locked."

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To some extent you could do this w/conditional formatting. If you want Row 4
to be formatted use conditional formatting and the formula would be

=Row()=4

But since CF only allows 3 conditional formats and does not accept Unions or
array constants, it's usefulness is limited. But maybe you could keep a
separate list of rows you want formatted a particular way, then for your CF
use

=ISNA(MATCH(ROW(), YourList, 0))<>TRUE

Then I think maybe you could have 3 sets of different formats.

"Meesheltx" wrote:

> I want to lock in a format in my Excel worksheet and still be able to re-sort
> the data and move around cells to different locations without altering my
> format.
>
> For example, if I highlight only certain rows with a specific fill color,
> and I sort the data, I want the data to be re-ordered, but the row fill-color
> to stay in place.
>
> Basically, I want to lock in a format, but keep the text of a cell
> "un-locked."
>
> ----------------
> This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
> suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the "I
> Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow this
> link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and then
> click "I Agree" in the message pane.
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/office/comm...lic.excel.misc

I happened across another reference (while looking for something else). A
VBA solution by J.E. McGimpsey.

http://www.mcgimpsey.com/excel/highl...iteRetainColor

"JMB" wrote:

> To some extent you could do this w/conditional formatting. If you want Row 4
> to be formatted use conditional formatting and the formula would be
>
> =Row()=4
>
> But since CF only allows 3 conditional formats and does not accept Unions or
> array constants, it's usefulness is limited. But maybe you could keep a
> separate list of rows you want formatted a particular way, then for your CF
> use
>
> =ISNA(MATCH(ROW(), YourList, 0))<>TRUE
>
> Then I think maybe you could have 3 sets of different formats.
>
> "Meesheltx" wrote:
>
> > I want to lock in a format in my Excel worksheet and still be able to re-sort
> > the data and move around cells to different locations without altering my
> > format.
> >
> > For example, if I highlight only certain rows with a specific fill color,
> > and I sort the data, I want the data to be re-ordered, but the row fill-color
> > to stay in place.
> >
> > Basically, I want to lock in a format, but keep the text of a cell
> > "un-locked."
> >
> > ----------------
> > This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
> > suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the "I
> > Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow this
> > link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and then
> > click "I Agree" in the message pane.
> >
> > http://www.microsoft.com/office/comm...lic.excel.misc