Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Conditionally Formatting for Multiple Date Comparisons.
Bev is having a problem setting up a conditional format for some cells. What she wants to do is to format the cells so that if they contain a date before today, they will use a bold red font; if they contain a date after today, they will use a bold green font. Bev cannot get both conditions to work properly.
What is probably happening here is a frustrating artifact of the way that Excel parses the conditions you enter. Follow these steps to see what I mean:
Regardless of your version, at this point there is a very good chance that all the dates in the range are formatted as bold red, even if they are a date after today. This is obviously wrong, and it occurs because of how Excel treats what you entered in the Conditional Formatting or New Formatting Rule dialog boxes.
Display the Conditional Formatting dialog box again (the same cells you started with should still be selected) and examine what you see. Notice that Excel changed what you entered into the third control for each condition. Instead of appearing as TODAY(), it appears as ="TODAY()". Excel added quotes to what you entered, treating the function name as a string, rather than the actual value for today. Remove the quote marks, but keep the equal sign, then click on OK. The formatting should now be proper; any dates prior to today will be bold red and any after today will be bold green. If the date is today's date, then it will not be formatted in any particular manner.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2780) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Conditionally Formatting for Multiple Date Comparisons.
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2018-05-31 08:13:01
Ruthie A. Ward
Hi Rose. Try the WEEKDAY function on its own or combined with IsOdd or IsEven. My examples assumes your date box is cell A1.
true only for 2 Mon, 4 Wed, or 6 Fri
long version
=OR(WEEKDAY(A1,1)=2,WEEKDAY(A1,1)=4,WEEKDAY(A1,1)=6)
shorter version
=ISEVEN(WEEKDAY(A1(),1))
To highlight the other weekdays, you can use:
true only for 1 Sun, 3 Tue, 5 Thu, 7 Sat
long version
=OR(WEEKDAY(A1(),1)=1,WEEKDAY(A1(),1)=3,WEEKDAY(A1(),1)=5,WEEKDAY(A1(),1)=7)
shorter version
=ISODD(WEEKDAY(A1(),1))
2018-01-25 08:13:39
Rose
I use excel as a task worksheet that I print each workday. I have some tasks that occur Monday, Wednesday, Friday only. Is there a way to conditionally format those cells to appear only on those days? I figure I could use black font color and gray for the days those tasks aren't due IF I can figure out how to change that! My date box fills automatically with the date. Can I link the cells I want conditionally formatted with the date box?
2015-12-04 10:33:39
Michael (Micky) Avidan
@Darren Saliva,
Pls find a File Hosting Site and upload your file and come back to present, us, the direct link for downloading your file.
--------------------------
Michael (Micky) Avidan
“Microsoft® Answers" - Wiki author & Forums Moderator
“Microsoft®” MVP – Excel (2009-2016)
ISRAEL
2015-12-04 10:18:22
Michael (Micky) Avidan
@To whom it may concern,
In such a case (TWO conditions) I, usually, do this:
I format the whole(!) range, of dates, with bold red font and from there all I need is to Conditional Format only the bold green font.
---------------------------
Michael (Micky) Avidan
“Microsoft® Answers" - Wiki author & Forums Moderator
“Microsoft®” MVP – Excel (2009-2016)
ISRAEL
2015-12-03 13:11:43
Darren Saliva
Hi, I have a problem where I have a column with different expiration dates on it and I want to the color to change for closer I get to the date. for example:
90 days from the date in cell: green
30 days from the date in cell: yellow
past the date in the cell: red
my conditional format picks the color of the most recent condition that I created no matter the date. how do I go about do this?
2015-10-28 06:58:21
Frank M
Hi,
Just wanted to thank you for your free tips. They really helped me solve the issue. You do a great job a stating them clear and to the point in a well structured manner. All what one wants !! Keep up the good work....
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: 
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