Question: How do I highlight dates that meet a criteria using conditional formatting?

Answer:

How to apply the conditional formatting formula in excel 2007:

1. Select the range (A1:A20)
2. Click "Home" tab on the ribbon
3. Click "Conditional formatting"
4. Click "New rule..."
5. Click "Use a formula to determine which cells to format"
6. Click "Format values where this formual is true" window.
7. Type =IF((A1<$D$2)*(A1>$D$1), TRUE, FALSE)
8. Click Format button
9. Click "Fill" tab
10. Select a color
11. Click OK!
12. Click OK!

Try changing dates in D1 and D2 and see different cells highlighted in column A.

To include the the start and the end date into the conditonal formatting formula, try this:

=IF((A1<=$D$2)*(A1>=$D$1), TRUE, FALSE)

Download excel example file
highlight-dates-in-range-using-conditional-formatting.xls
(Excel 97-2003 Workbook *.xls)

Functions in this article:

IF(logical_test;[value_if:true];[value_if_false])
Checks whether a condition is met, and returns one value if TRUE, and another value if FALSE