John asked if it is possible to sort or filter based on the conditional formatting in a range of cells. He has a list of values in column A and a list in column B. He created a conditional format that makes any values in column A that are also in column B appear as bold red, and he wanted to sort or filter by that result.
The short answer is that no, you cannot sort by conditional formatting results—at least not without updating to Excel 2007 or a later version of the program. Doing so is much more complex than one might think, as shown at this page on Chip Pearson's Web site:
http://www.cpearson.com/excel/CFColors.htm
The easiest answer is to simply recreate your conditional formula in column C, to the right of your two columns of data. The formula should return True or False, depending on whether the value in column A is found somewhere in column B. With the True/False value in column C, you can filter or sort based on what is there.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2384) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.
Comprehensive VBA Guide Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is the language used for writing macros in all Office programs. This complete guide shows both professionals and novices how to master VBA in order to customize the entire Office suite for their needs. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2010 today!
Conditional formatting can be used to draw attention to all sorts of data based upon the criteria you specify. Here's how ...
Discover MoreIf you want to apply a conditional format to data imported into Excel from Access, you may run into some difficulties ...
Discover MoreConditional formatting is a great feature in Excel. Here's how you can copy conditional formats from one cell to another ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2021 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments