How do I apply conditional formatting to a single cell?

Randy Lewis

Hello,

How do I apply conditional formatting to a specific cell?

For the example below, when I click on the "B/C" check box, I only want to highlight the B/C within that row and not that column.

Wasn't sure of the best way to do this.

Kelly Moore

Hey @Randy Lewis

Good question. Conditional formatting can be applied to the cell level. When you select the column you want the formatting applied to, the formatting is based on the criteria you selected. Only specific cells within that column will meet your criteria - only those particular cells will have the conditional criteria applied. If you have chosen the Entire Row option, then the formatting is applied to the entire row when the criteria is met.

The information below may be useful to you.

https://help.smartsheet.com/learning-track/get-started/conditional-formatting

Let me know if this didn't make sense.

Randy Lewis

Hello KDM,

Thanks for the quick response! I'm currently utilizing Conditional Formatting and, ironically, I already know how to do it but I was wondering if there is a faster way of achieving my goal. The only way I know how would be to create a conditional format for every row and every column that meets the condition.

The problem is, I would have to create roughly 100 conditions so I was wondering if there was a faster way or if someone would do something completely different.

Below is the original conditions list before I reached out. It gave me what I wanted but it's just very time consuming to have to create that many conditions.

Any thoughts?

Thanks again!

Kelly Moore

Hey Randy

Sorry about misunderstanding your question. When I have complex conditions that I wish to format, I’m a big fan of helper columns. If every one of your 100 conditions are independent, well, that’s a tough one. I can usually combine my conditions so that I have less to manage.

I’m certain the community will have suggestions

Hannah Mills

Hello.

I am also having this issue. I am wanting to have different criteria for different rows, however if my first rule is met, it is changing the other cells in different columns/same row. I am wanting my rules to be independent for each column/cell in that column.

Sal.R

Hi there - I see this is an old post. Was anyone able to figure this out. I too dont want to have to create an infinite number of conditions. Thanks

CAS the CSA

How about when you have 104 columns with 1's or 0's and you want to write one conditional format for a range that formats at a cell level. If 1 then green, if 0 then red. I don't want to write 208 conditional format rules to accomplish this.