Color Numbers Based on the Value Result in MS Excel

A subscriber recently wrote me inquiring about having the number color in Excel change when there is a certain value result.

There are two ways to color numbers in MS Excel based on certain criteria:

• Custom formatting for a number with criteria  
   
• Conditional Formatting

Your options for coloring a number in MS Excel are not limited to displaying negative number values in red. You can also color positive and/or negative numbers in any color you like. There is a limit to the colors however. There are only eight to choose from and the aren't really easy to read either.

Follow the steps below:

• To select the color, end the name of the color to the number format in brackets: [BLUE] #,# #0 ; [RED](#,# #0)
   
• A positive number is displayed in Blue; a negative number is displayed in red; and 0 is displayed in blue since there is no third section, 0 receives the format of the positive number by default.
   
• Add a condition to the formatting and have each section be displayed in a different color: [BLUE][>5000]#,# #0 ;[RED] (RED](#,# #)); #,##0

Pretty cool huh?

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