Four SMART Ways to use Custom Formatting instead of Conditional Formatting in Excel - Part 1

Learn why custom formatting can be a superior choice over conditional formatting, especially when dealing with large datasets.

Custom formatting is really easy to use once you understand the rule behind it. In this video, I show you a simple way of showing variances using symbols - up/down arrows or any symbol of your choice - with Excel's custom formatting.

🔍 What's Inside:
▪️ Understanding Custom vs. Conditional Formatting: We begin by defining these two key Excel features and their applications.
▪️ Speed and Efficiency: Discover how custom formatting can be up to three times faster than conditional formatting with a practical test on a 40,000-line dataset.
▪️ Step-by-Step Guide: We walk you through four versatile ways to use custom formatting instead of conditional formatting, focusing on the first two methods in this video.
▪️ Sneak Peek: Stay tuned for the next video where we'll reveal how to use custom symbols for deviations and add thresholds to your deviations using custom formatting.
▪️ Simple Logic Explained: Learn the basic rules behind custom formatting, including how to format positive, negative, and zero values, as well as text.

00:00 Why Use Excel Custom Formatting over Conditional Formatting
04:02 Basics of Excel Custom Formatting
08:05 Up/Down Arrows for Deviations with Excel Custom Formatting
12:32 Up/Down Arrows and Percentage Deviations with Excel Custom Formatting

We normally use custom formatting to show numbers with thousand separator, as percentage or even to show green for positive and red for negative values. Basically to format the numbers in our reports. But we hardly ever use custom formatting to show deviations with symbols. Or to disguise our numbers to look like symbols instead. The trick is super simple.

Why would you want to use custom instead of conditional formatting?
1. Your files will process faster.
2. It's super easy to setup!

This video belongs to a 2 part series. This is part 1 of 2. In the next video, I will show you how you can add thresholds to your deviations using custom formatting.

🚩Let’s connect on social:

Note: This description contains affiliate links, which means at no additional cost to you, we will receive a small commission if you make a purchase using the links. This helps support the channel and allows us to continue to make videos like this. Thank you for your support!

#excel

[yasirfarooq]

I have been teaching Excel for many years but when I saw your videos I really impressed your teaching style. The way you instruct is really awesome.

[sachinrv]

Wow Lelia,
I always used to wonder the logic of the custom formatting. With this tutorial you have made it so easy to understand. You are very correct, this custom formatting is awesome, less time consuming and less complicated compared to conditional formatting. Time and again to say, I am a great fan of the way you explain complex excel concepts... GREAT JOB DEAR...

[munendra]

Thank you Leila for not only training us in a lucid and a fun manner but also keep trying to update us with the latest tricks and Techniques.I am in real continuously being benifited to be the part of your course @ Udemy.

[michaeldonnelly]

THANK YOU for being the person to finally De-Mystify the Custom Format options in Excel. For years I have been a little intimidated by how this actually works, but YOU explained it perfectly and in a very useful & time efficient manner. Great job!

[TheAngryEagle]

Wow. I've been curious about custom formatting for a while, AND I've recently been banging my way through conditional formatting. You've literally just saved me hours of work, and opened up a whole new function of Excel that I didn't know existed!

[lpanebr]

This blew my mind. I've been using a combination of conditional formatting and the TEXT function and concatenating strings and all this time I could have simply used custom format!! OMG. Thank you so much. You're awesome.

[tristangeoffroy]

This is so a pleasure to learn from you: first you find topic that is real painful, and with a nice voice, nice pace, and great pedagogy you walk us through.
Thank you very much for this gift.
This is typically something we need in a hurry and don’t know how and why ;-)

[RenaissanceBoss]

You are a genius. Words cannot express my gratitude. Much appreciated.

[vramarathnam]

Thank You Leila. You are researching every aspect of MS Excel. Hats off to you.

[bbmittal]

The way you speak and clearly say each point and brilliant.
=If(Now()>0, "Leila is best", "Earth has stopped rotating")

[anthonyphan]

It is simple but very useful in any important presentation. From those small and simple it is helping lectures to influence audiences. Thanks a lot!

[schatrg]

Explaining the basic rules of custom formatting along with the color coding is simply outstanding!

[maiquealexandre]

You have the best didactic of all excel teachers !! Tks for sharing these excellent tricks, Leila !

[IntraFinesse]

I have been using Excel for years and somehow never came across this channel, it's simply amazing.

[chrismcl]

I can’t believe I’m sitting here at home on my own time watching a video about Excel that makes me excited to get to work and see what I can do with Custom Formatting - thank you for a clear explanation, I had never really investigated the power of this tool in the past and can’t wait to see what I can do with it!

[Rafsmokedyou]

I just started a new job as a financial manager and your video are a tremendous help. There are lots of teachers out there but your the best hands down. Thank you!

[chloelin]

You have explained so well Leila! Thank you so much! My excel skill is quite basic and I will continue to watch all the videos that you made and learned them all! Looking forward to seeing more videos from you! You are such a great teacher.

[ricardoantunes]

Finally a great explanation about custom formatting! Many thanks for posting helpful tutorials!!

[abejacob]

I have used excel for 25yrs and you are showing me simple things like the use of the * in custom formatting that I was never aware of.
Bravo!

[TijlVandersteene]

Thank you Leila for these grand tutorials. You are a treasure.