Here is how I use conditional formatting during project management in Excel

Published Feb 11, 2025

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A successful and effective project management relies on clear communication, organized tracking, and the ability to quickly identify potential roadblocks. While there is no shortage ofproject management tools out there, many prefer Excel due to its familiar setup and flexibility. One of Excel's most underrated features for project management is conditional formatting. This simple tool allows you to visually represent project data, keep tasks on track, and see which ones are falling behind.

In this post, I will walk you through how I leverage conditional formatting to manage my projects more effectively.

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Set up your project spreadsheet

Conditional formatting works by applying rules to the data in your spreadsheet. The rules won't work as intended if your data is disorganized, inconsistent, or poorly structured. You will end up with inaccurate highlighting and a confusing mess instead of a clear project overview.

Before you go over the tricks below, I recommend setting up a spreadsheet with clear columns and headings and consistent data entry. For example, instead of just Date, use Start Date, End Date, or Due Date. Instead of Status, consider Task Status or Project Phase. If your headings are unclear, you will struggle to create correct rules.

Track your task status like a pro

Visualizing task status is crucial for effective project management, and Excel'sconditional formatting provides a powerful way to achieve this. Suppose you are managing a website redesign project. You have multiple tasks and want to visually track their progress using conditional formatting.

You can use conditional formatting to format Completed tasks in green, In Progress ones in yellow, Blocked tasks in red, and Not started to-dos in light gray.

Select cells in the Status column.
Head toHome -> Conditional formatting.
ExpandHighlight Cells Rules -> Text that contains.
TypeCompleted and change the formatting style.

Similarly, create conditional formatting for other status options and manage your project tasks like a pro.

Create deadline visualization

You can visualize deadlines using conditional formatting in Excel. Suppose you manage a marketing campaign with various tasks, each with a specific deadline. Here is how you can set it up in Excel.

Select the cells in theDeadlinecolumn.
Go toHome -> Conditional Formatting.
Choose the appropriate rule type. Here, I will head toHighlight Cells Rules -> Less than.
Expand the drop-down menu and selectUse a formula to determine which cells to format.
Enter the formula or value (=TODAY() or =TODAY()+7).
Choose the formatting you want to apply.

In the example above, =TODAY() formula returns the current date, and you can format the cell background red or use bold red text. This rule highlights any deadline that is earlier than today's date and instantly flags overdue tasks.

Similarly, I will use the =TODAY()+7 formula to highlight deadlines that are within the next seven days. I format such cells with a light yellow background.

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Mark achieved milestones

Tracking project milestones is essential for timely completion. By applying simple rules, you can instantly highlight completed milestones. For instance, entire rows can be color-coded green upon milestone completion, while icon sets can provide a quick visual cue of progress in the Status column. Let me give you an example.

Select the entire range of data you want the conditional formatting to apply to. This includes all the columns for the rows you're tracking. You should not just select the Status column here. For example, if your data spans columns A through E and rows 2 through 10, select the range A2:E10.
Head toHome -> Conditional Formatting -> New Rule.
Select Classic style and pickUse a formula to determine which cells to format.
Type=$B2="Completed" and clickOk.
Set the formatting style to a green background shade.

Now, whenever you typeCompleted in any cell in column B within the range B2:B10, theentire corresponding row (from column A to E) will turn green.

Create visual progress bars within cells

This one is quite straightforward. If you often track your tasks in percentage, this one is for you. Let’s say you are managing the development of a new feature for your software. You want to visually track the completion percentage of each task. Here, you need to use Data Bars in conditional formatting.

Select the cells in the% Complete
Go toHome -> Conditional Formatting -> Data Bars.
Choose a data bar style (gradient or solid).

It offers instant visual feedback, improves communication, and unlocks better decision-making for your projects.

Identify high-priority tasks

You can effectively spot high-priority tasks in Excel using conditional formatting. There are a few approaches, depending on how you prioritize your tasks in Excel (High, Low, Medium, 1,2,3, or A,B,C). I personally prefer 1,2,3 style to get the job done in no time. I added a dedicated Priority column and numerical to showcase its priority status (1 for high, 2 for medium, and 3 for low).

Select all the cells in the priority column.
Head to ExcelHome -> Conditional Formatting.
Expand Icon sets and pick a relevant set for your Priority column (arrows pointing up for high priority, sideways for medium, down for low).

Tips and best practices for conditional formatting

Before you go overboard with conditional formatting in Excel, keep the tips below in mind.

Keep it simple, and don’t overuse conditional formatting.
Regularly review and update conditional formatting rules as your project evolves.
Keep your rules simple. Don’t complicate it with too many formulas.

Unlock project success

Conditional formatting in Excel offers a simple yet powerful way to elevate your project management. It transforms static spreadsheets into dynamic tools that provide real-time insights into project health. While this post covered some of my favorite techniques, the possibilities are virtually endless.

Make sure to experiment with different formatting rules and formulas and find what works best for you. If you are looking for some inspiration to get started, check out thesetop project management templates for Excel.