When you entered that specific formula
=$D2 = "string".
was D2 the active cell, and did you include the equal sign ?.
The cells that are selected are the cells that get colored, the formula
is based on the active cell, in this formula any cell on row 2 could be
the active cell, in fact with that formula you could color the entire
row if you wanted to. Note normally if you select all cells or a
column(s) a cell on the first row would actually be selected is the
colored row off by one row..

Conditional Formatting:
http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/condform.htm

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HTH,
David McRitchie, Microsoft MVP - Excel [site changed Nov. 2001]
My Excel Pages: http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/excel.htm
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"Bettergains" wrote in message ...
Hello:
What could possibly be keepping the conditional formatting from working. I
have tried a very simple format: if text in col D = "hello", backfill is
light yellow:

I have used the "format, conditional formatting" dialogue using the
"forumula is" $D2 = "string". It isn't working. Any ideas?

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