David is wondering if it is possible to apply conditional formatting to PivotTables. He would like to use conditional formatting so that when a table is refreshed the conditional formatting is applied to the new data in the PivotTable.
There is nothing that we have found that stops conditional formatting from being applied to a PivotTable. After creating the PivotTable you can apply the conditional formatting and it should work just fine. The problem, however, comes when you refresh the PivotTable and the refreshing results in the PivotTable being enlarged. In that case Excel expands the PivotTable into cells not previously used by the table. These cells also have no conditional formatting applied, so Excel doesn't know that it should apply it.
You can get around this problem by making sure that you apply conditional formatting to more than just the cells presently visible in the PivotTable. You should select a larger range of cells (including those outside the current PivotTable) and apply conditional formatting to that expanded range. In this way Excel can "retain" that formatting as it expands the PivotTable during a refresh.
The obvious problem with this approach, however, is that the flexibility of the conditional formatting is seriously hampered. If you have several conditional formats applied to the PivotTable, and those formats are not the same as each other, then how can you effectively apply those formats to an expanded cell range? Unfortunately there is no good answer to this possibility.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (7002) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.
Excel Smarts for Beginners! Featuring the friendly and trusted For Dummies style, this popular guide shows beginners how to get up and running with Excel while also helping more experienced users get comfortable with the newest features. Check out Excel 2013 For Dummies today!
When you create a PivotTable based on data that contains lots of text, you may be surprised to find that your text is ...
Discover MoreExcel allows you to link to values in other workbooks, even if those values are in PivotTables. However, Excel may ...
Discover MoreIf you modify the data on which a PivotTable is based, you'll need to refresh the table so it reflects the modified data. ...
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 © 2022 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments