XL: Changing Text of Formula Result Based on Return Value

 Last reviewed: February 2, 1998
Article 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

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Last reviewed: February 2, 1998
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