Matching Date

For the coloring part, you dont need VBA, try this...

1. highlight the range you want to apply the conditional formatting to (B3:LI122 in your sample)
2. on the home tab, styles, select CF
3. select new rule, select use formula
4. enter =B$4="TimeStamp" Format fill Grey

For the sorting, you will need VBA - not my strong side

I'm not so sure I agree. That is a lot of cells you are concerned with coloring and CF is considered volatile.

Decision Models


"Conditional Formats are volatile.

Because conditional formats need to be evaluated at each calculation any formulae used in a conditional format is effectively volatile. Actually conditional formats seem to be super-volatile: they are evaluated each time the cell that contains them is repainted on the screen, even in Manual calculation mode, although VBA functions used in conditional formats will not trigger breakpoints when executed by the repaint."

Here's a macro you can run as needed to color the columns.
To install it you can click Alt + F11 and in the window that comes up choose insert from the drop down menus and choose module.
Then paste the code into the window. Save the workbook as a .xlsm style file and then run the macro.

Option Explicit
Const cGrey = 10921638
Const cOrange = 49407
Sub ColorCells()
Dim lr As Long
Dim lc As Long
Dim wsMD As Worksheet
Dim c As Long

Set wsMD = Worksheets("Matching date")
lr = wsMD.Cells(Rows.Count, 2).End(xlUp).Row
lc = wsMD.Cells(4, Columns.Count).End(xlToLeft).Column

Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Application.Calculation = xlCalculationManual

For c = 2 To lc
    With wsMD
            If .Cells(4, c).Value = "Timestamp" Then
               .Range(.Cells(3, c), .Cells(lr, c)).Interior.Color = cGrey
            ElseIf .Cells(4, c).Value = "Trade Close" Then
               .Range(.Cells(3, c), .Cells(lr, c)).Interior.Color = cOrange
            End If
    End With
Next c

Application.ScreenUpdating = True
Application.Calculation = xlCalculationAutomatic

End Sub

skywriter, I agree that excessive use of CD can start to slow your file down. If the data range is far larger than the sample, then VBA would be the go. However, you have included both into 1 macro, so that would be a better option

Originally Posted by FDibbins

skywriter, I agree that excessive use of CD can start to slow your file down. If the data range is far larger than the sample, then VBA would be the go. However, you have included both into 1 macro, so that would be a better option

Sorry I don't understand the reply.
I have included both "what" into 1 macro?

Originally Posted by skywriter

Sorry I don't understand the reply.
I have included both "what" into 1 macro?

Sorry, I thought your macro did the CF and the sorting for them