Conditional Formatting with Formula

[janema]

I am trying to get the conditional formatting formula to highlight the cell if it does not equal the cell to it's left. See example below. I tried using =Y3<>X3, =$Y$3<>$X$3, =$Y3<>$X3, as well as writing out the formula in the conditional formatting box like =if(Y3<>X3), but not luck. Can anyone help me understand what I'm doing wrong?

If the value in column Y does not equal the value in column X (starting from row 3), I just want it to conditionally format, but it won't cooperate

Thank you in advance for your help and insight into this!

 

[janema]

Formula doesn't match your range
needs to be like this
View attachment 97167

That is one of the first things I tried, but it's incorrectly highlighting cells. Just doesn't want to work for me. Unless I am STILL missing something.

Results:

 

[Joe4]

That is one of the first things I tried, but it's incorrectly highlighting cells. Just doesn't want to work for me. Unless I am STILL missing something.

View attachment 97272

Results:

View attachment 97273

Yes, you still are not understanding what we are telling you!
Your formula has to match the range it is being applied to! You are still off one row.

It the image above, the part I circled and listed as number 1 has the formula:

=$X2<>$W2

But the range you are applying it to (image number 2) starts on row 3:

=$X$3:$X$250

That means that cell X3 is using the formula:
=$X2<>$W2
and cell X4 is using formula:
=$X3<>$W3
and so on.

So your formula is off one row.

When writing your formula, you want to write it as it applies to the very FIRST cell in your applies to range.
Since that cell is X3, your formula above should be:
=$X3<>$W3

Now does it make sense?

 

[AC PORTA VIA]

if your range is =$X3$X250 FORMULA needs to be =$X3<>$W3
Go to conditional (1) formatting - (2) Manage Rules- (3) Edit Rule
1

2

3
update your formula to be like below.

 

[AC PORTA VIA]

Joe4 explained this even better

 

[janema]

Yes, you still are not understanding what we are telling you!
Your formula has to match the range it is being applied to! You are still off one row.

View attachment 97277

It the image above, the part I circled and listed as number 1 has the formula:

=$X2<>$W2

But the range you are applying it to (image number 2) starts on row 3:

=$X$3:$X$250

That means that cell X3 is using the formula:
=$X2<>$W2
and cell X4 is using formula:
=$X3<>$W3
and so on.

So your formula is off one row.

When writing your formula, you want to write it as it applies to the very FIRST cell in your applies to range.
Since that cell is X3, your formula above should be:
=$X3<>$W3

Now does it make sense?

While your help is very, very much appreciated, there is not need to yell. Excel kept automatically changing that number on me, so I didn't know it changed it again there. I'm not purposely not listening.

 

[janema]

if your range is =$X3$X250 FORMULA needs to be =$X3<>$W3
Go to conditional (1) formatting - (2) Manage Rules- (3) Edit Rule
1
View attachment 97281

2
View attachment 97279

3
update your formula to be like below.
View attachment 97280

Thank you so much!

 

[Joe4]

While your help is very, very much appreciated, there is not need to yell. Excel kept automatically changing that number on me, so I didn't know it changed it again there. I'm not purposely not listening.

Who's yelling?
In the on-line world, typing in all caps is how yelling is communicated.

The beginning of my response was actually an answer to your question/comment here:

Just doesn't want to work for me. Unless I am STILL missing something.

Perhaps it would have flowed a bit better if I included that quote above my reply, so it is clear what that was in response to.

It appeared to me that you still weren't understanding what we were explaining, because the image you posted had the exact same situation/issue that we were telling you about.
Sometimes, it is easier to just clear all rule from the sheet and start over than to edit an existing one.

 

[janema]

Who's yelling?
In the on-line world, typing in all caps is how yelling is communicated.

The beginning of my response was actually an answer to your question/comment here:

Perhaps it would have flowed a bit better if I included that quote above my reply, so it is clear what that was in response to.

It appeared to me that you still weren't understanding what we were explaining, because the image you posted had the exact same situation/issue that we were telling you about.
Sometimes, it is easier to just clear all rule from the sheet and start over than to edit an existing one.

Thank you for clarifying. I guess I mistook the exclamation point as yelling. I always interpreted exclamation point as yelling and all caps as SCREAMING. haha. Anyway, yeah, I didn't realize Excel kept automatically reverting the 2 to a 3 every time I hit "apply." It was weird. I think my Excel is wonky. Thank you again for your help and explanations.

 

[Joe4]

You are welcome.

Sorry for the miscommunication.
Sometimes tone can be hard to convey and misinterpretted in writing.
I often use exclamation points to draw attention to important points (along with underlining and/or bold text, etc).