Problem using & symbol in conditional formatting with a formula

[john legge]

I have conditional formatting with a formula working for strings of text no problem. eg =$b2="Success"  but when I use in the quotes a & character it does not work for example =$b2="Success & Fail"  I assume it objects to the & in the quotes but in this case & is just another  character in the string. Can anyone help please

[#2 · Accepted solution]

Hi John,

It works if you use as vertical quotation mark symbol CHAR(34), not soft curve quotation mark (or how it called in English), CHAR(147)

[#3]

Thanks Sergei. I am sorry but where is the vertical quotation symbol on a keyboard.  I assume the soft curve is above number 2 but that is not correct in this case?

[#4]

John, you may copy your formula without "=" to the cell and check symbols like this

Another reason could be if the range to which you applied the rule starts not from B2, but from another cell

[#5]

John,

I copied and pasted the example you provided, and it works fine for me, as long as cell B2 is exactly Success & Fail

[#6]

Than

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@Sergei Baklan wrote:

Hi John,

It works if you use as vertical quotation mark symbol CHAR(34), not soft curve quotation mark (or how it called in English), CHAR(147)

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ks All good now

John

[#7]

So far so good