asked on

Copying Conditional Formatting in Excel 2010

Supposedly, you can copy conditional formatting from row to row when using a formula as your conditional format, but I can't seem to get it to work without modifying my rules in every single row. I keep reading that you should be able to make some of your references relative and then copy down, but it's not working for me. I have a sample attached.

What I want to do is if the first cell in the row is blank, I want it to use a fill color to fill in Columns A through E. If the first cell is NOT blank, then I want it to use a different fill color in Columns A through E. So I want to set this formula in Row 1, and then copy it down several rows without having to modify the rules in each row. But whenever I modify my conditional formatting to be relative for either the formula or the "Applies to" part, then the conditional formatting doesn't work right.

Please let me know what I'm doing wrong. Thanks.
CONDITIONAL-FORMATTING-ISSUE.xlsx

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

NBVC

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

esu4236

ASKER

Okay I did that, but now how do I copy this conditional formatting to my other rows? Because when I copied the conditional formatting using the Format Painter, it changed the "Applies to" to the cells that I had selected to copy into. So my "Applies to" changed from $A$1:$E$3 to $A$4:$A$17. It did not change relative to the row ($A$4:$E$4 and so on). I tried using Paste Special, Formatting, but that didn't work either.

Getting closer.

esu4236

ASKER

I uploaded the edited file so you can see what it did when I copied the conditional formatting down.
CONDITIONAL-FORMATTING-ISSUE.xlsx

esu4236

ASKER

Oh, I think I got it. I had to highlight the cells in columns B through E when copying the conditional formatting. I think it's working right now. I'm going to test a little more just to make sure.

esu4236

ASKER

Thanks for your help and such quick response. It's working like a charm!! Thanks again!!!