Highlight a different cell if col1 of same row is selected

**davidm_uk** · 09-03-2013, 12:04 PM

Not sure if this is conditional formatting or something else.

I have a set of data with 4 columns and over 1500 rows. Cols B to D are locked and the sheet is protected. This is a membership list where col A contains the members surname and col C contains their membership number. If the user selects say A15 I want to highlight C15 so that they can easily see the membership number. Often the user will use search to locate the surname, and if multiple occurrences of the same surname they will just use the mouse or down arrow to select the correct row. It is basically just a lookup sheet for the user, the data in it is all derived from other worksheets.

Any suggestions?

**Fotis1991** · 09-03-2013, 12:12 PM

Assuming that your data start in row 1,highlight your range in column C and

In Conditional Formatting rules put this formula.

=$a1=$c1

Choose color>>ok.

How can you use Conditional Formating.

--In Excel 2007 and 2010, Conditional Formatting is in the Styles group on the Home tab. In Excel 2003, Conditional Formatting is on the Format menu. See here how you can work using CF.

**hemesh** · 09-03-2013, 12:14 PM

Hello Davidim! Welcome to the forum

First select the column C:C go to Home Ribbon Select Conditional formatting -- New Rule--Use a formula to determine which cell to be formatted and type =IF($A1<>0,TRUE,FALSE) then select format colour

If you are satisfied click "*" and mark thread as Solved.

**davidm_uk** · 09-03-2013, 02:30 PM

Sorry guys neither of these solutions work. I think I may not have made myself clear - in each row I want the formatting of the cell in col C to be dependent on the cell in col A IN THE SAME ROW, being selected (i.e. just selected, regardless of it's contents, be it value or formula). So I'm not testing for the contents of the cell in col A, just the status of it being selected.