XL: Changing Text of Formula Result Based on Return Value

ID: Q133049

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0a, 5.0c
Microsoft Excel for Windows NT, version 5.0
Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a
Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Excel, a function cannot automatically format text based on the type of value it returns. However, you can create a custom number format that will return different colored text, based on whether your function returns a positive, negative, or zero value.

MORE INFORMATION

In Microsoft Excel, number formats are based on the following:

   [color1]positive# format;[color2]negative# format;[color3]zero# format

To have a function return up to three different types of text value, each with a different color, have the function return either a positive number, a negative number, or a zero value, and format the custom number format such that it displays text based on those values. For example, the following custom number format

   [red]"after";[blue]"before";[green]"same"

will display the word "after" in red if the function returns a positive number, the word "before" in blue if the function returns a negative value, and the word "same" in green if the function returns 0.

Example

1. Type the following formula into a worksheet:

      A1:  =IF(A5>DATEVALUE("2/28/95"),1,IF(A5<DATEVALUE("2/28/95"),-1,0))

2. Apply the following custom number format to the cell:

      [red]"after";[blue]"before";[green]"same"

3. In cell A5, type "6/1/95" (without the quotation marks).

   Cell A1 will display the word "after" and the word will be formatted in
   red.

4. In cell A5, type "2/28/95" (without the quotation marks).

   Cell A1 will display the word "same" and the word will be formatted in
   green.

REFERENCES

"User's Guide," version 5.0, Chapter 12, "Formatting a Worksheet"

For more information about Custom Number Formats, choose the Search button in Help and type:

   number formats, creating custom

Additional query words: 5.00 7.00

Keywords          : xlformula 
Version           : WINDOWS:5.0,5.0c,7.0,7.0a; MACINTOSH:5.0,5.0a
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbinfo

Last Reviewed: February 5, 1998