I have a table with conditional formatting set. When I add info to the bottom the table expands and so does the conditional formatting. When I insert a row into the middle of the table however, The formatting seems to expand, but it does so by creating more formatting rules. Such as:Applies to - $A$1:$A$100 turns into$A$1:$A$89 and $A$90 and $A$91:$A$101This makes for a larger, messier list of Conditional formatting rules. Is there a way to get around this to keep it cleaner? I use Office 2016, do upgraded versions not do this? Thank you!

Wyn Hopkins Wyn, it still inserts extra rules if references in rule formula are out of applied range, like in this case - formula uses S4 but range starts from S5.

Hi kevin_serenity My Excel 365 doesn't do it (I'm not convinced it used to happen with older versions either) If I insert a row then copy and paste down the row above it does happen How are you inserting the row? And are you doing any copy pasting after inserting the row Wyn MVP

Wyn Hopkins There is a Copy-Paste-Special option that allows you to merge rather than duplicate the conditional formats, but I don't think it gets invoked with Table additions

Wyn Hopkins My usual way is to right click on the row 'below' where I want to insert a new row. For example, if there is data for John Doe in row 80 and I want to add another line item for John Doe directly below that. I right click on row 81 and select 'insert' then I can copy paste values in there, or just enter them manually so John's data stays together. All my formulas in the sheet work and the cond formatting "works" as well... but as shown the cond formatting creates new rules to do this as opposed to just extending the range like I think it should to reduce the amount in there. This doesn't happen when the table expands by copying data at the bottom. I looked at some other sheets I made too and they have been doing the same thing.

SergeiBaklan It assure you this is not the case. I just went in and deleted that rule to check and when I inserted a row it did the same thing.

Conditional formatting and Tables | Microsoft Community Hub

Wyn Hopkins
MVP
Jan 21, 2021
Hi kevin_serenity

My Excel 365 doesn't do it (I'm not convinced it used to happen with older versions either)

If I insert a row then copy and paste down the row above it does happen

How are you inserting the row? And are you doing any copy pasting after inserting the row

Wyn

MVP
- SergeiBaklan
  MVP
  Jan 21, 2021
  Wyn Hopkins
  
  Wyn, it still inserts extra rules if references in rule formula are out of applied range, like in this case - formula uses S4 but range starts from S5.
  - kevin_serenity
    Copper Contributor
    Jan 21, 2021
    SergeiBaklan It assure you this is not the case. I just went in and deleted that rule to check and when I inserted a row it did the same thing.
- Deleted
  Jan 21, 2021
  Wyn Hopkins
  There is a Copy-Paste-Special option that allows you to merge rather than duplicate the conditional formats, but I don't think it gets invoked with Table additions
- kevin_serenity
  Copper Contributor
  Jan 21, 2021
  Wyn Hopkins My usual way is to right click on the row 'below' where I want to insert a new row. For example, if there is data for John Doe in row 80 and I want to add another line item for John Doe directly below that. I right click on row 81 and select 'insert' then I can copy paste values in there, or just enter them manually so John's data stays together. All my formulas in the sheet work and the cond formatting "works" as well... but as shown the cond formatting creates new rules to do this as opposed to just extending the range like I think it should to reduce the amount in there. This doesn't happen when the table expands by copying data at the bottom.
  
  I looked at some other sheets I made too and they have been doing the same thing.

Forum Discussion

Conditional formatting and Tables

Resources