Traffic lights

Conditional formatting is an Excel functionality that is often used, and allows you to emphasize certain parts of the report. Typically, conditional formatting is used within the same column, but how do we display “traffic lights“, icons that indicate a change in business, within another column? This is a very simple procedure, and if you want to find out how this is done, you have it in this “recipe”.

We will start with a simple sales overview, a table in which we monitor the sales of wine in 4 quarters as well as the value of total sales. To the right of the last column, add another column in which we will copy the values ​​or write formulas that indicate the values ​​in the column with total values. Select the desired type of conditional formatting, e.g. icons. After Excel has applied the conditional formatting rules, select Conditional Formatting/Manage Rules, then select the rule and then go to Edit Rule. By clicking on the Show Icon Only check box we will remove the numeric values, only the “traffic light” icon remains. Similar rules can be applied to other types of conditional formatting.