Conditional Formatting With Fill Colour Based On Hex In Another Cell
Introduction
Conditional formatting is a powerful feature in Excel that allows you to highlight cells based on specific conditions. In this article, we will explore how to use conditional formatting to fill cells with a specific hex color based on the value in another cell. This is particularly useful when you have a list of categories in one sheet and you want to apply a specific color to each category in another sheet.
Understanding Conditional Formatting
Conditional formatting is a feature in Excel that allows you to highlight cells based on specific conditions. You can apply conditional formatting to a range of cells, and Excel will automatically apply the formatting based on the condition you specify. There are several types of conditional formatting, including:
- Cell Value: This type of formatting allows you to highlight cells based on the value in the cell.
- Formula: This type of formatting allows you to highlight cells based on a formula.
- Icon Set: This type of formatting allows you to highlight cells based on a specific icon.
- Data Bars: This type of formatting allows you to highlight cells based on a bar chart.
- Color Scales: This type of formatting allows you to highlight cells based on a color scale.
Using Conditional Formatting with Hex Colors
To use conditional formatting with hex colors, you will need to follow these steps:
- Select the range of cells that you want to apply the conditional formatting to.
- Go to the Home tab in the Excel ribbon.
- Click on the Conditional Formatting button in the Styles group.
- Select New Rule from the drop-down menu.
- Select Use a formula to determine which cells to format from the list of options.
- Enter the formula that will determine which cells to format. For example, if you want to apply a specific color to cells that contain the value "Category 1", you would enter the formula
=A1="Category 1"
. - Click on the Format button to select the formatting options.
- Select the hex color that you want to apply to the cells.
- Click OK to apply the conditional formatting.
Using Hex Colors in Conditional Formatting Formulas
When using conditional formatting formulas, you can use hex colors to specify the color that you want to apply to the cells. To do this, you will need to use the RGB
function to convert the hex color to a decimal value. For example, if you want to apply the hex color #FF0000
to cells that contain the value "Category 1", you would enter the formula =A1="Category 1" AND RGB(255,0,0)
.
Using VLOOKUP to Get Hex Colors from Another Cell
If you have a list of categories in another sheet and you want to apply a specific color to each category in another sheet, you can use the VLOOKUP
function to get the hex color from another cell. To do this, you will need to follow these steps:
- Create a list of categories in another sheet, including the hex color for each category.
- Use the VLOOKUP function to get the hex color from another cell. For example, if you want to get the hex color for the category "Category 1", you would enter the formula
=VLOOKUP(A1,Sheet2!A:B,2,FALSE)
. - Use the hex color in the conditional formatting formula. For example, if you want to apply the hex color to cells that contain the value "Category 1", you would enter the formula
=A1="Category 1" AND VLOOKUP(A1,Sheet2!A:B,2,FALSE)
.
Example Use Case
Suppose you have a list of items in one sheet and you want to categorize them based on a list of categories in another sheet. You have a list of categories in another sheet, including the hex color for each category. You want to apply a specific color to each category in the data sheet.
Step 1: Create a list of categories
Category | Hex Color |
---|---|
Category 1 | #FF0000 |
Category 2 | #00FF00 |
Category 3 | #0000FF |
Step 2: Use VLOOKUP to get hex colors
Item | Category |
---|---|
Item 1 | Category 1 |
Item 2 | Category 2 |
Item 3 | Category 3 |
Step 3: Apply conditional formatting
- Select the range of cells that you want to apply the conditional formatting to.
- Go to the Home tab in the Excel ribbon.
- Click on the Conditional Formatting button in the Styles group.
- Select New Rule from the drop-down menu.
- Select Use a formula to determine which cells to format from the list of options.
- Enter the formula that will determine which cells to format. For example, if you want to apply a specific color to cells that contain the value "Category 1", you would enter the formula
=A1="Category 1" AND VLOOKUP(A1,Sheet2!A:B,2,FALSE)
. - Click on the Format button to select the formatting options.
- Select the hex color that you want to apply to the cells.
- Click OK to apply the conditional formatting.
Conclusion
Q: What is conditional formatting in Excel?
A: Conditional formatting is a feature in Excel that allows you to highlight cells based on specific conditions. You can apply conditional formatting to a range of cells, and Excel will automatically apply the formatting based on the condition you specify.
Q: How do I use conditional formatting with hex colors?
A: To use conditional formatting with hex colors, you will need to follow these steps:
- Select the range of cells that you want to apply the conditional formatting to.
- Go to the Home tab in the Excel ribbon.
- Click on the Conditional Formatting button in the Styles group.
- Select New Rule from the drop-down menu.
- Select Use a formula to determine which cells to format from the list of options.
- Enter the formula that will determine which cells to format. For example, if you want to apply a specific color to cells that contain the value "Category 1", you would enter the formula
=A1="Category 1" AND RGB(255,0,0)
. - Click on the Format button to select the formatting options.
- Select the hex color that you want to apply to the cells.
- Click OK to apply the conditional formatting.
Q: How do I use VLOOKUP to get hex colors from another cell?
A: To use VLOOKUP to get hex colors from another cell, you will need to follow these steps:
- Create a list of categories in another sheet, including the hex color for each category.
- Use the VLOOKUP function to get the hex color from another cell. For example, if you want to get the hex color for the category "Category 1", you would enter the formula
=VLOOKUP(A1,Sheet2!A:B,2,FALSE)
. - Use the hex color in the conditional formatting formula. For example, if you want to apply the hex color to cells that contain the value "Category 1", you would enter the formula
=A1="Category 1" AND VLOOKUP(A1,Sheet2!A:B,2,FALSE)
.
Q: Can I use conditional formatting with hex colors in a pivot table?
A: Yes, you can use conditional formatting with hex colors in a pivot table. To do this, you will need to follow these steps:
- Create a pivot table in your Excel worksheet.
- Select the range of cells that you want to apply the conditional formatting to.
- Go to the Home tab in the Excel ribbon.
- Click on the Conditional Formatting button in the Styles group.
- Select New Rule from the drop-down menu.
- Select Use a formula to determine which cells to format from the list of options.
- Enter the formula that will determine which cells to format. For example, if you want to apply a specific color to cells that contain the value "Category 1", you would enter the formula
=A1="Category 1" AND RGB(255,0,0)
. - Click on the Format button to select the formatting options.
- Select the hex color that you want to apply to the cells.
- Click OK to apply the conditional formatting.
Q: Can I use conditional formatting with hex colors in a chart?
A: Yes, you can use conditional formatting with hex colors in a chart. To do this, you will need to follow these steps:
- Create a chart in your Excel worksheet.
- Select the range of cells that you want to apply the conditional formatting to.
- Go to the Home tab in the Excel ribbon.
- Click on the Conditional Formatting button in the Styles group.
- Select New Rule from the drop-down menu.
- Select Use a formula to determine which cells to format from the list of options.
- Enter the formula that will determine which cells to format. For example, if you want to apply a specific color to cells that contain the value "Category 1", you would enter the formula
=A1="Category 1" AND RGB(255,0,0)
. - Click on the Format button to select the formatting options.
- Select the hex color that you want to apply to the cells.
- Click OK to apply the conditional formatting.
Q: Can I use conditional formatting with hex colors in a table?
A: Yes, you can use conditional formatting with hex colors in a table. To do this, you will need to follow these steps:
- Create a table in your Excel worksheet.
- Select the range of cells that you want to apply the conditional formatting to.
- Go to the Home tab in the Excel ribbon.
- Click on the Conditional Formatting button in the Styles group.
- Select New Rule from the drop-down menu.
- Select Use a formula to determine which cells to format from the list of options.
- Enter the formula that will determine which cells to format. For example, if you want to apply a specific color to cells that contain the value "Category 1", you would enter the formula
=A1="Category 1" AND RGB(255,0,0)
. - Click on the Format button to select the formatting options.
- Select the hex color that you want to apply to the cells.
- Click OK to apply the conditional formatting.
Conclusion
Conditional formatting with hex colors is a powerful feature in Excel that allows you to highlight cells based on specific conditions. By using conditional formatting with hex colors, you can apply a specific color to each category in another sheet. This is particularly useful when you have a list of categories in one sheet and you want to apply a specific color to each category in another sheet. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can use conditional formatting with hex colors to categorize your data and make it easier to analyze.