Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated April 17, 2021)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
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.
Save Time and Supercharge Excel! Automate virtually any routine task and save yourself hours, days, maybe even weeks. Then, learn how to make Excel do things you thought were simply impossible! Mastering advanced Excel macros has never been easier. Check out Excel 2010 VBA and Macros today!
Conditional formatting can be used to highlight cells that contain the improper type of data for your needs. This tip ...
Discover MoreIf you want to highlight cells that contain certain characters, you can use the conditional formatting features of Excel ...
Discover MoreConditional formatting is a great tool for changing how your data looks based on the data itself. Excel won't allow you ...
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 © 2024 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments