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tamiluchi
 
Posts: n/a
Default conditional cell format based on cell in same row, previous column

Hi,
I have a spreadsheet that calculates employee leave based on input usage and
accrual.
Each employee has 3 rows (3 types of leave)
for employee John Doe:
Row 2: type P
Row 3: type M
Row 4: type X

Each month has 3 columns:
for March:
Column C: available
Column D: taken
Column E: accrued

The next month's available is column F (C2-D2+E2) and so on throughout the
year.

In addition to the 3 row alternate shading to separate the employees, I need
the font in any cell in any month's 'Taken' column to turn red when the
'Taken' amount is greater than the 'Available' amount for each of the 3 leave
types for each employee. How do I accomplish that?

I hope I'm being clear. I've tried a dozen things and I can't get anything
to work other than manually entering conditional formatting for every cell in
every 'taken' column. No way do I have time for that.

I know to use the conditional formatting for when such-and-such cell value
is greater than such-and-such cell. But how do I apply it to the entire
spreadsheet? When I try to drag the formatting down from the first cell,
every cell changes when it's greater than the value of that first 'available'
cell, not the 'available' cell in the same row.

I guess I just don't know the right language for the greater than blank to
say the cell in the same row, previous column.

Please, someone, help me. My deadline for this is 3pm today and I've been
working on it on and off for more than a week.

Thanks in advance,
Tammie