Excel Formulas and Functions:

A Detailed Guide PART2

Conditional Formatting allows users to apply formatting (like colors, fonts, or styles) to cells
dynamically based on specific rules or conditions. Here's a detailed breakdown of how it
works and its possibilities in Excel and Google Sheets.

1. Applying Conditional Formatting

Step-by-Step Process:

1. Select the Data Range:

○ Highlight the cells to which you want to apply conditional formatting, or select
the cell where you want to display the color or result.
2. Access Conditional Formatting:
○ In Excel: Go to the Home tab and click Conditional Formatting in the
toolbar.
○ In Google Sheets: Go to Format > Conditional Formatting.
3. Choose Rule Type:
○ Select the type of condition or rule you want to apply.
4. Set Conditions:
○ Define the specific criteria for the formatting.
5. Apply Formatting:
○ Choose the style, such as text color, background color, bold text, borders, etc.

2. Rule Types and Options

Predefined Rules

● Highlight Cells Rules:

○ Format cells based on their values.
■ Greater Than / Less Than: Highlight cells that exceed or fall below a
specified value.
■ Between: Format cells with values between two numbers.
■ Equal To: Highlight cells matching a specific value.
■ Text Contains: Apply formatting if a cell contains certain text.
■ Dates Occurring: Highlight dates that fall within a specific range (e.g.,
last week, next month).

● Top/Bottom Rules:
○ Highlight cells based on their ranking within the range.
 ■ Top 10 Items: Highlight the highest-ranking values.
■ Top 10%: Highlight the top percentage of values.
■ Bottom 10 Items/10%: Highlight the lowest-ranking values.
● Data Bars:
○ Display gradient or solid fill bars to visually represent data magnitude.
● Color Scales:
○ Apply a color gradient to cells based on their values. For example:
■ Green for the highest value.
■ Red for the lowest value.
■ Yellow for mid-range values.
● Icon Sets:
○ Add visual indicators like arrows, stars, or checkmarks based on value
ranges.

Custom Formula Rules

● Excel: Use formulas to define complex conditions.

○ Example 1: Highlight rows where Column A equals "Completed":
■ Formula: =$A1="Completed".
○ Example 2: Format cells where the sum of Columns A and B exceeds 100:
■ Formula: =A1+B1>100.

3. Managing Conditional Formatting Rules

Excel:

1. View and Edit Rules:

○ Go to Home > Conditional Formatting > Manage Rules.
2. Priority:
○ Rules are applied from top to bottom in the Manage Rules list.
○ You can rearrange rules to change their priority.
3. Stop If True:
○ If a rule is satisfied, subsequent rules for the same cell will not be applied.

Google Sheets:

1. View and Edit Rules:

○ Go to Format > Conditional Formatting to see and edit rules.
2. Order of Rules:
○ Rules are processed in the order they appear in the Conditional Format Rules
panel.

4. Conditional Formatting Best Practices

1. Test Rules on a Small Range:
○ Before applying rules to a large dataset, test them on a smaller range.
2. Use Custom Formulas for Flexibility:
○ Custom formulas offer greater control and allow complex conditions.
3. Combine Rules:
 ○ Use multiple conditions for layered formatting.
4. Optimize Performance:
○ Too many rules on a large dataset may slow down performance.

5. Working with Sheets

Hide/Unhide Sheets:

● Hide a Sheet:
○ Right-click the sheet tab > Select Hide Sheet.
● Unhide a Sheet:
○ Click the three lines in the bottom-left corner > Select the hidden sheet.

Import Data from Another Sheet:

1. Link Data:
○ Type = in the target cell, then switch to the source sheet and click a cell.
○ Example: =Sheet1!A1 links to A1 in Sheet1.
2. Pull Ranges:
○ Example: =Sheet1!A1:A10 pulls multiple cells.

6. Data Validation (Dropdown Menus)

Dropdown menus in Excel are a great way to ensure that users can only select predefined
options, minimizing data entry errors. Here's a step-by-step guide to creating and
customizing dropdown menus in Excel:

1. Where to Find the Dropdown Menu Option in Excel:

1. Select the Cell(s):

○ First, click the cell or cells where you want the dropdown menu to appear.
2. Open the Data Validation Menu:
○ Go to the Data tab in the Excel Ribbon.
○ In the Data Tools group, click Data Validation.
3. This will open the Data Validation dialog box, where you can set up your dropdown
menu.

2. Set the Validation Criteria:

● In the Data Validation window that opens:

○ Under the Criteria section, select List of items to enter a predefined list of
options.
■ In the List of items field, enter the options for your dropdown,
separating each option with a comma.
○ Example:
■ Type: Apple, Banana, Grape, Orange
 ○ This will create a dropdown menu where the user can select one of these
fruits.

3. How to Use Dropdown Criteria from a Range (Values from a Range in the Same Sheet):

Step 1: Prepare the List of Values

● First, create a list of values somewhere in your worksheet (e.g., in a column). Let’s
say the list of values is in the range B1:B4:
○ B1: Apple
○ B2: Banana
○ B3: Grape
○ B4: Orange

Step 2: Open the Data Validation Dialog

● Follow the steps above to open the Data Validation dialog box for the cell where you
want the dropdown.

Step 3: Set the Validation Criteria

● Under the Criteria you have “dropdown” already selected, click there and change to
“drop-down (from a range)”. Below will appear a new row(source field) where you will
introduce references.
● In the Source field, enter the range that contains your list of values. For example,
=B1:B4.

4. How to Use Dropdown Criteria from a Range in Another Sheet (Values

from Another Sheet):
Step 1: Prepare the List of Values in Another Sheet

● Let’s say you have a list in another sheet called Sheet2 in the range A1:A4:
○ Sheet2, A1: Apple
○ Sheet2, A2: Banana
○ Sheet2, A3: Grape
○ Sheet2, A4: Orange

Step 2: Open the Data Validation Dialog

● Follow the same steps to open the Data Validation dialog box for the cell where you
want the dropdown.

Step 3: Set the Validation Criteria

● Under the Criteria you have “dropdown” already selected, click there and change to
“drop-down (from a range)”. Below will appear a new row(source field) where you will
introduce references.
● In the Source field, you can refer to a range on another sheet like this:
○ =Sheet2!A1:A4
● This tells Excel to use the list from Sheet2 (cells A1 to A4) for the dropdown. You can
write manually the location of the range, or you can click on another sheet, then click
on the source field and then select the cells which need to be included in the drop-
down menu.
 Step 4: Click OK on the Select a data range tab

● After entering the reference to the other sheet, click OK. Now, the dropdown menu in
your selected cell from Sheet1 will pull values from the range on Sheet2.
● Click DONE.

5. Main sheet and a background sheet

Step 1: Create the Background Sheet

1. Open Google Sheets: Open your Google Sheets document, or create a new one.
2. Create the Background Sheet:
○ Add a new sheet where the raw data will be stored. To do this, click the "+"
icon at the bottom left of your screen to add a new sheet.
○ Rename the sheet to something like "Background Data" (Right-click on the
tab at the bottom and select "Rename").
3. Enter Relevant Data:
○ In the "Background Data" sheet, enter all your raw data (e.g., inventory data,
employee details, financial records, etc.) that you want to use in your main
sheet.
○ This data can be stored in rows and columns, but it will remain hidden from
users who will only interact with the main sheet.

Step 2: Create the Main Sheet

1. Create a New Sheet for Main Data:
○ Add another sheet to serve as your main sheet where the data from the
background sheet will be displayed.
○ Rename this sheet to something like "Main Sheet."
2. Display Data from the Background Sheet:
○ In the main sheet, you can reference data from the background sheet using
functions such as IMPORTRANGE, VLOOKUP, INDEX, MATCH, etc.
3. Example: If you want to display data from cell A1 of the "Background Data" sheet in
the "Main Sheet":

In cell A1 of the "Main Sheet," type the formula:

excel
Copy code
='Background Data'!A1

○ This will display the value of cell A1 from the background sheet.
4. Repeat for Other Relevant Data:
○ Use the same approach to display additional data as needed in the "Main
Sheet."

Step 3: Protect the Main Sheet

1. Protect the Main Sheet to Prevent Edits:
 ○ Click on the tab for the "Main Sheet" at the bottom of your Google Sheets
document.
○ Right-click on the tab and select Protect sheet.
2. Set Permissions:
○ A dialog box will appear. You can set permissions to specify who can edit the
sheet.
○ You can either:
■ Restrict editing: Only allow specific users to edit the sheet.
■ Leave it open for viewing: Allow everyone to view the sheet but
prevent them from making any edits.
3. Protect Individual Ranges (Optional):
○ If you need to protect only specific cells or ranges in the main sheet while
leaving others open for editing:
■ Highlight the range you want to protect (e.g., cells with formulas that
should not be changed).
■ Right-click and select Protect range.
■ In the dialog box, select Set permissions and restrict access as
needed.

Step 4: Hide the Background Sheet (Optional)

1. Hide the Background Sheet:
○ To prevent users from seeing the background sheet, you can hide it.
○ Right-click on the "Background Data" sheet tab and select Hide sheet.
2. Unhide the Sheet (if needed):
○ If you need to view or edit the background data, you can unhide the sheet by
clicking on the “View” menu, selecting Hidden sheets, and choosing the
"Background Data" sheet.

Step 5: Share the Google Sheet (Optional)

1. Share the Document:
○ To share the Google Sheet with others, click the Share button at the top right
of the screen.
○ You can set the permissions to either:
■ Viewer: For people who will only view the data.
■ Editor: For people who can modify the sheet (but ensure they only
have access to the relevant parts if you protect the ranges).
2. Share with Specific Permissions:
○ If you restricted editing in the main sheet, make sure to specify who can edit
or view certain sheets or ranges based on their role.

Step 6: Finalize and Test

1. Test the Setup:
○ Test by sharing the sheet with a colleague or testing in a different browser or
incognito window to ensure the protection settings and references work
correctly.
2. Make Adjustments if Needed:
○ If anything is not working as expected, adjust the permissions or formulas as
necessary.

Conclusion:
This method ensures that sensitive data is stored on a background sheet while the main
sheet is protected. You can control who has access to modify or view the data, ensuring that
your Google Sheets remains secure while still displaying dynamic data from the background
sheet on the main sheet.