Conditional formatting using values in two columns

[SandraW]

Using Excel 2013
I have two columns in my spreadsheet (E,F) that contain H,M or L. I want to highlight both columns depending on the combination of values. . At the moment, I am trying to highlight both columns as Amber if either of the columns contains "H".
The first two columns in the table below show the value in my sheet.
Column 3 shows the result using the formula =($E2="H")+($F2="H")>0 :X=Highlighted
I get the same results for =OR(($E2="H"),($F2="H"))
If I paste the formulae into the spreadsheet I get "True" and "False" as expected - so I haven't got anything strange in columns E and F

Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong and/or suggest a way to get the highlighting I want? I'm rapidly losing my mind.
[TABLE="width: 500"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD]H
[/TD]
[TD]H
[/TD]
[TD]X
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]H
[/TD]
[TD]M
[/TD]
[TD]X
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]H
[/TD]
[TD]L
[/TD]
[TD]X
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]M
[/TD]
[TD]H
[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]M
[/TD]
[TD]M
[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]M
[/TD]
[TD]L
[/TD]
[TD]X
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]L
[/TD]
[TD]H
[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]L
[/TD]
[TD]M
[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]L
[/TD]
[TD]L
[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

 

[Caribeiro77]

Welcome, try:

=AND($E2="H",$F2="H")

 

[Osvaldo Palmeiro]

Hi.
Try:
1. select the range with data, e.g., E2:F10
2. into the CF dialog box / Use a formula... / paste =OR($E2="H",$F2="H")
3. format as desired

 

[SandraW]

Hi Claudio,
=AND($E2="H",$F2="H") does work (I'm using it to highlight the high priority rows) - but I'm looking for an OR formula

 

[SandraW]

Hi Osvaldo,
knowing the quirkiness of Excel, I deleted the brackets around the conditions as you suggested, but unfortunately it made no difference - "M, L" is still highlighting as though it were true, and "L,H" as though it were false.

 

[SandraW]

Doh! - finally realised that I am using E2, F2 in my formula rather than E1, F1, even though I am applying this to the whole column - that means that the formula is highlighting each row according to the values in the next row. Apologies to everyone.