Formula for conditional formats

  • Thread starter Thread starter Harry S.
  • Start date Start date
H

Harry S.

Hi all -
I would like to use Excel's Conditional Formatting feature to flag blank cells in my spreadsheet. I've tried using both "Cell Value Is" and "Formula Is" to evaluate whether the selected cell is blank but can't seem to get it right.

Can anyone offer help on the syntax? I've tried using "Formula Is =isblank(a1)" but that doesn't seem to do it...

Thanks in advance,
Harry
 
Harry,

Try using Formula Is with a formula of

=COUNTBLANK(A1)=1

assuming that A1 is the first cell

--

HTH

Bob Phillips
... looking out across Poole Harbour to the Purbecks
(remove nothere from the email address if mailing direct)

Hi all -
I would like to use Excel's Conditional Formatting feature to flag blank cells in my spreadsheet. I've tried using both "Cell Value Is" and "Formula Is" to evaluate whether the selected cell is blank but can't seem to get it right.

Can anyone offer help on the syntax? I've tried using "Formula Is =isblank(a1)" but that doesn't seem to do it...

Thanks in advance,
Harry
 
If the cell contents is the result from a formula then isblank will return
FALSE since it only
looks at really empty cells and since the cell holds a formula it is not
empty

try

formula is

=A1=""

--

Regards,

Peo Sjoblom

(No private emails please, for everyone's
benefit keep the discussion in the newsgroup/forum)


Hi all -
I would like to use Excel's Conditional Formatting feature to flag blank
cells in my spreadsheet. I've tried using both "Cell Value Is" and "Formula
Is" to evaluate whether the selected cell is blank but can't seem to get it
right.

Can anyone offer help on the syntax? I've tried using "Formula Is
=isblank(a1)" but that doesn't seem to do it...

Thanks in advance,
Harry
 
Perfect - exactly what I was looking for!
Thanks,
Harry

Harry,

Try using Formula Is with a formula of

=COUNTBLANK(A1)=1

assuming that A1 is the first cell

--

HTH

Bob Phillips
... looking out across Poole Harbour to the Purbecks
(remove nothere from the email address if mailing direct)

Hi all -
I would like to use Excel's Conditional Formatting feature to flag blank cells in my spreadsheet. I've tried using both "Cell Value Is" and "Formula Is" to evaluate whether the selected cell is blank but can't seem to get it right.

Can anyone offer help on the syntax? I've tried using "Formula Is =isblank(a1)" but that doesn't seem to do it...

Thanks in advance,
Harry
 
Thanks for the tip Peo - The cells I'm evaluating actually are blank but your point regarding cells containing a formula is well taken. (I'll file that away for next time!)

Thanks again,
Harry



If the cell contents is the result from a formula then isblank will return
FALSE since it only
looks at really empty cells and since the cell holds a formula it is not
empty

try

formula is

=A1=""

--

Regards,

Peo Sjoblom

(No private emails please, for everyone's
benefit keep the discussion in the newsgroup/forum)


Hi all -
I would like to use Excel's Conditional Formatting feature to flag blank
cells in my spreadsheet. I've tried using both "Cell Value Is" and "Formula
Is" to evaluate whether the selected cell is blank but can't seem to get it
right.

Can anyone offer help on the syntax? I've tried using "Formula Is
=isblank(a1)" but that doesn't seem to do it...

Thanks in advance,
Harry
 
If indeed they are blank then isblank will work

--

Regards,

Peo Sjoblom

(No private emails please, for everyone's
benefit keep the discussion in the newsgroup/forum)


Thanks for the tip Peo - The cells I'm evaluating actually are blank but
your point regarding cells containing a formula is well taken. (I'll file
that away for next time!)

Thanks again,
Harry



If the cell contents is the result from a formula then isblank will return
FALSE since it only
looks at really empty cells and since the cell holds a formula it is not
empty

try

formula is

=A1=""

--

Regards,

Peo Sjoblom

(No private emails please, for everyone's
benefit keep the discussion in the newsgroup/forum)


Hi all -
I would like to use Excel's Conditional Formatting feature to flag blank
cells in my spreadsheet. I've tried using both "Cell Value Is" and
"Formula
Is" to evaluate whether the selected cell is blank but can't seem to get
it
right.

Can anyone offer help on the syntax? I've tried using "Formula Is
=isblank(a1)" but that doesn't seem to do it...

Thanks in advance,
Harry
 
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