Hi,

It depends on your criterian for color-coding cells.

Scenario 1:

If every cell were to get color-coded when its content reaches a negative
value,

(1) Select those cells (if those cells or non-contiguous, keep the CTL key
pressed while selecting them),
(2) Click 'Format' in the toolbar-- 'Conditional Formatting...'
(3) In the Conditional Formatting window click the triangle on the
right-hand side of 'between', select 'less than', and enter 0 in the right
side bar,
(4) Click 'Format' near the white strip saying 'No Format Set', select
'Patterns', pick the color you want for color-coding the cells, click 'OK',
and 'OK' again.

OR

Scenario 2:

If you want an entire row, or a set of rows/cells (even non-contigues)
color-coded when the value in a particular cell (e.g., A12) turns negative,

(1) As in Scenario 1,
(2) As in Scenario 1,
(3) In the Conditional Formatting window, click the triangle on the
right-hand side of 'Cell Value Is' and select "Formula Is', and in the
right-hand side whilte strip enter the equal (=) sign, click on the deciding
cell (e.g., A12), and enter <0 ( the equation would now read as =$A$12<0,
(4) As in Scenario 1

Hope this helps.

Regards,
B.R.Ramachandran


"Pat Mineard" wrote:

what is the formula that is used if any to color code a cell or many cells
that the amount reaches minus within a spreadsheet, such as total is -$5.69
in a roww and you may have others that may go in the minus
How can you color code that cell and others if the amount reaches a minus?
I would really appriciate any help because I am working on a expenditure
report

Thank you

Pat Mineard