Highlight a Whole Row Based on One Cell’s Value in Excel

Highlight Cells Rules colour one cell. To colour the whole row when column C says Late, you need one formula rule and one dollar sign in the right place.

Steps

1. Select the whole table without the heading — click A2, then Shift + click the last cell (say F200).
2. Home › Conditional Formatting › New Rule.
3. Choose Use a formula to determine which cells to format.
4. Type: =$C2="Late"
5. Click Format › Fill tab › pick a colour. OK. OK.

Every row whose column C is Late turns that colour, end to end.

Why $C2 and not C2 or $C$2

• $C — always look at column C, whichever column is being painted.
• 2 without $ — move down row by row.
• $C$2 would check only cell C2 for every row — wrong.

The row number must be the first row of your selection. Selected from row 2? Write C2. From row 5? C5.

Other conditions

Check it worked

Change a Paid row to Late. It colours instantly. Change it back — colour goes.

Common mistake

Selecting the table starting at A1 but writing C2 in the formula. Everything shifts by one row. Match the formula’s row to the first selected row.