Select the cell you want this to apply to (assume it is A1), then
Format | Conditional Formatting and in the pop-up panel you should
first select Formula Is rather than Cell Contents from the drop-down.
In the next panel enter the following:

=A1<TODAY()

Then click on the Format button and then the Patterns tab (for
background colour) and select the colour you want to use. Click OK
twice to get out of this and test it by putting different dates in A1.
You can use the Format Painter to copy this format to other cells.

Hope this helps.

Pete

On Aug 7, 10:38 pm, cell formatting <cell
wrote:
Can cells be formatted conditionally to show when the current date is
exceeded? Example- If the value of cell A1 ( 08/06/07) is exceeded by the
current date of the system, then the cell will either change color, flash, or
in some way show up to be recognized?