To use it, you create rules that determine the format of cells based on their values, such as the following monthly temperature data with cell colors tied to cell values.

You can use conditional formatting to highlight cells that contain values that meet a certain condition, or format a whole cell range and vary the exact format as the value of each cell varies.

Data bars, color scales, and icon sets are conditional formats that create visual effects in your data. These conditional formats make it easier to compare the values of a range of cells at the …

If you want to correct any of the values, you can do so in the Value columns. If you want to add any additional coloring assignments, click Insert on the right, type new values, and choose …

You can choose from the Sequential (2-color) option, which is the default color setting, or the Diverging (3-color) option. You can experiment with changing the Minimum, Midpoint and …

Conditional formatting makes it easy to highlight certain values or make particular cells easy to identify. This changes the appearance of a cell range based on a condition (or criteria). You …

You could use color to highlight which files in the library need to be reviewed. In this example, items marked "No review required" have a green background, while files requiring a review …

You can create a custom list based only on a value (text, number, and date or time). You cannot create a custom list based on a format (cell color, font color, or icon).

Customize the color schemes for your audience or make your Power Map stand out by changing the colors for one or more points or series of data.

Note: The COUNTIF function will not count cells based on cell background or font color. However, Excel supports User-Defined Functions (UDFs) using the Microsoft Visual Basic for …