Conditional formatting with dates in Excel - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is conditional formatting in Excel?

Conditional formatting lets you change how cells look based on their values or other rules. For example, you can color dates that are past today in red.

beginner

How do you highlight dates that are before today using conditional formatting?

Use a formula rule with =A1<TODAY() where A1 is the first cell in your range. This colors all dates before today.

intermediate

What formula highlights dates within the next 7 days?

Use =AND(A1>=TODAY(), A1<=TODAY()+7). This checks if the date is today or up to 7 days ahead.

beginner

Why use TODAY() in date conditional formatting?

TODAY() gives the current date. It updates automatically every day, so your formatting stays correct without changes.

intermediate

How to apply conditional formatting to a whole column of dates?

Select the whole column, create a new rule with a formula like =A1<TODAY(), and make sure the formula uses the first cell of the column. Excel applies it to each cell correctly.

Which formula highlights dates that are exactly today?

A =A1<=TODAY()

B =A1<TODAY()

C =A1>TODAY()

D =A1=TODAY()

The formula =A1=TODAY() checks if the date in A1 is exactly today.

What does the formula =A1>TODAY()+7 highlight?

A Dates before today

B Dates within the next 7 days

C Dates more than 7 days in the future

D Dates exactly 7 days from today

It highlights dates that are more than 7 days after today.

How do you start creating a conditional formatting rule for dates?

A Type a formula directly in the cell

B Select cells, then choose Conditional Formatting > New Rule > Use a formula

C Use the Sort feature

D Change the cell format to Date

You create conditional formatting rules by selecting cells and choosing Conditional Formatting > New Rule > Use a formula.

Which function gives the current date in Excel?

A TODAY()

B DATE()

C NOW()

D CURRENTDATE()

TODAY() returns the current date without time.

What happens if you use relative cell references incorrectly in conditional formatting formulas?

A Formatting may apply to wrong cells

B Excel shows an error message

C Formula automatically fixes itself

D Nothing happens

Incorrect relative references can cause formatting to apply incorrectly across the range.

Explain how to use conditional formatting to highlight dates that are overdue (before today).

Think about how to compare each date to today's date.

Describe the role of the TODAY() function in date-based conditional formatting.

TODAY() keeps your formatting dynamic.

Practice

1. What does conditional formatting with the formula =A1<TODAY() do in Excel?

easy

A. Highlights cells with dates equal to today

B. Highlights cells with dates before today

C. Highlights cells with dates after today

D. Highlights cells with empty dates

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the formula =A1<TODAY()

   This formula checks if the date in cell A1 is less than today's date.

2. Step 2: Interpret the condition

   If the date is before today, the condition is TRUE and the formatting applies.

3. Final Answer:

   Highlights cells with dates before today -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Dates < TODAY() = Highlight past dates [OK]

Hint: Less than TODAY() means dates before today [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing less than with greater than
• Thinking it highlights today's date
• Using TODAY without parentheses

2. Which of these is the correct formula to highlight cells with dates equal to today in conditional formatting?

easy

A. =A1=TODAY()

B. =A1=TODAY

C. =A1==TODAY()

D. =A1=NOW()

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify correct function syntax

   TODAY() is a function and requires parentheses to work properly.

2. Step 2: Compare options

   =A1=TODAY() uses =A1=TODAY(), which correctly compares the cell date to today's date.

3. Final Answer:

   =A1=TODAY() -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Use TODAY() with parentheses for correct date comparison [OK]

Hint: TODAY() always needs parentheses [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Omitting parentheses after TODAY
• Using double equals (==) which is invalid in Excel
• Using NOW() which includes time, not just date

3. Given the conditional formatting formula =AND(A1>=TODAY(), A1<=TODAY()+7), what dates will be highlighted?

medium

A. Dates from today up to 7 days ahead

B. Dates exactly 7 days ago

C. Dates in the past week

D. Dates after 7 days from today

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze the formula conditions

   The formula checks if the date in A1 is greater than or equal to today and less than or equal to today plus 7 days.

2. Step 2: Understand the date range

   This means it highlights dates starting from today up to 7 days in the future.

3. Final Answer:

   Dates from today up to 7 days ahead -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   AND(A1≥TODAY(), A1≤TODAY()+7) = Next 7 days [OK]

Hint: Use AND to set date range between today and 7 days ahead [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking it highlights past dates
• Ignoring the AND condition
• Confusing TODAY()+7 as 7 days ago

4. You want to highlight dates older than 30 days using conditional formatting. Which formula has an error?

medium

A. =A1<TODAY()-30

B. =A1<=TODAY()-30

C. =A1<TODAY()-30()

D. =A1>TODAY()-30

Solution

1. Step 1: Check each formula's syntax

   Options A, B, and C use correct syntax with TODAY() function and arithmetic.

2. Step 2: Identify the error in =A1<TODAY()-30()

   =A1<TODAY()-30() uses TODAY()-30() which is invalid because 30() is not a function and parentheses after 30 cause error.

3. Final Answer:

   =A1<TODAY()-30() -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Numbers like 30 should not have parentheses [OK]

Hint: Numbers don't get parentheses; only functions do [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Adding parentheses after numbers
• Using greater than instead of less than for older dates
• Omitting parentheses after TODAY

5. You want to highlight all dates in column A that are weekends (Saturday or Sunday) using conditional formatting. Which formula should you use?

hard

A. =WEEKDAY(A1)=6

B. =AND(WEEKDAY(A1)=7, WEEKDAY(A1)=1)

C. =OR(WEEKDAY(A1)=6, WEEKDAY(A1)=5)

D. =OR(WEEKDAY(A1)=7, WEEKDAY(A1)=1)

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand WEEKDAY function

   WEEKDAY returns 1 for Sunday and 7 for Saturday by default.

2. Step 2: Choose correct logical test

   We want to highlight if the date is Saturday OR Sunday, so use OR with conditions WEEKDAY=7 or WEEKDAY=1.

3. Final Answer:

   =OR(WEEKDAY(A1)=7, WEEKDAY(A1)=1) -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Use OR for weekend days 1 (Sun) and 7 (Sat) [OK]

Hint: Use OR with WEEKDAY=1 or 7 for weekends [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using AND instead of OR
• Wrong weekday numbers for weekend
• Checking only one weekend day