Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated July 3, 2021)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Microsoft 365
Jim wrote in, asking how to automatically change the background color of cell A1 on Sheet2 to match the background color of cell A1 on Sheet1 if the background color of cell A1 on Sheet1 changes.
The answer to this question depends on whether the Sheet1!A1 cell is changing color because of conditional formatting or if the color is changing because the user is explicitly changing the color.
Believe it or not, if the color change is the result of conditional formatting, then the answer is easy—all you need to do is add a conditional formatting rule to the Sheet2!A1 cell that is essentially the same as the rule used for the Sheet1!A1 cell. The only potential difference is that your rule for Sheet2!A1 may need to include worksheet references, such as those being used in this paragraph.
If the color of Sheet1!A1 is changing because the user if making the change, then you need to resort to using a macro. Unfortunately, there is no workbook or worksheet event that can handle color changes in a cell. You can, however, create an event handler that will execute whenever the user makes Sheet2 active. (This makes sense; the user can only see what is in cell A1 in that sheet when the sheet is made active.) Here's an example event handler that can be added to the code sheet for Sheet2:
Private Sub Worksheet_Activate() Dim rSource As Range Set rSource = Worksheets("Sheet1").Range("A1") Range("A1").Interior.Color = rSource.DisplayFormat.Interior.Color End Sub
Interestingly enough, this macro will work even if the color of Sheet1!A1 is being affected by a conditional formatting rule. The secret is the use of the DisplayFormat object, which represents the format as it is displayed, rather than as it is explicitly formatted.
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (13879) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Microsoft 365.
Solve Real Business Problems Master business modeling and analysis techniques with Excel and transform data into bottom-line results. This hands-on, scenario-focused guide shows you how to use the latest Excel tools to integrate data from multiple tables. Check out Microsoft Excel 2013 Data Analysis and Business Modeling today!
Want a quick way to replace background colors in cells? It's easy to do using Find and Replace, or you can simply use the ...
Discover MoreWhen you display a time in a cell, Excel normally displays just the hours, minutes, and seconds. If you want to display ...
Discover MoreProfessional typesetting has, in many ways, spoiled us. One way this is evident is in the preference we show for making ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2024 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments