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Excel Custom Formatting Symbols

This document provides 4 examples of using custom formatting in Excel instead of conditional formatting to highlight variances in data. It summarizes different ways to visually represent upward and downward deviations from a previous year by using symbols like arrows. It also tests the performance of custom formatting versus conditional formatting on 40,000 lines, finding that custom formatting is faster.

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Jesse Oliveira
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as XLSX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
70 views

Excel Custom Formatting Symbols

This document provides 4 examples of using custom formatting in Excel instead of conditional formatting to highlight variances in data. It summarizes different ways to visually represent upward and downward deviations from a previous year by using symbols like arrows. It also tests the performance of custom formatting versus conditional formatting on 40,000 lines, finding that custom formatting is faster.

Uploaded by

Jesse Oliveira
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as XLSX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Notes

Overview

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Custom Formatting - 4 Smart Ways to use Custom Formatting instead of Conditional Formatting

#1 - Up/Down Arrows for Deviations #2 - Up/Down Arrows & Percentage Deviations

Actual PY Actual PY
Jan 149 150 ▼ Jan 149 150
Feb 125 100 ▲ Feb 125 100
Mar 216 220 ▼ Mar 216 220
Apr 151 170 ▼ Apr 151 170
May 182 190 ▼ May 182 190
Jun 180 160 ▲ Jun 180 160
Jul 161 190 ▼ Jul 161 190
Aug 108 100 ▲ Aug 108 100
Sep 123 160 ▼ Sep 123 160
Oct 143 140 ▲ Oct 143 140
Nov 174 170 ▲ Nov 174 170
Dec 226 220 ▲ Dec 226 220

#3 - Any Symbols of your Choice for Deviations #4 - Up/Down Arrows for Higher Variances

Actual PY Actual PY
Jan 149 150 ☹ ⭝ 4 Jan 149 150
Feb 125 100 ☺ ⭜ 2 Feb 125 100
Mar 216 220 ☹ ⭝ 4 Mar 216 220
Apr 151 170 ☹ ⭝ 4 Apr 151 170
May 182 190 ☹ ⭝ 4 May 182 190
Jun 180 160 ☺ ⭜ 2 Jun 180 160
Jul 161 190 ☹ ⭝ 4 Jul 161 190
Aug 108 100 ☺ ⭜ 2 Aug 108 100
Sep 123 160 ☹ ⭝ 4 Sep 123 160
Oct 143 140 ☺ ⭜ 2 Oct 143 140
Nov 174 170 ☺ ⭜ 2 Nov 174 170
Dec 226 220 ☺ ⭜ 2 Dec 226 220

Color codes for custom formatting: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc296089(v=office.12).aspx


Examples of Unichar Symbols
10003 ✓
10004 ✔
10005 ✕
10006 ✖
9785 ☹
9786 ☺
11100 ⭜
11101 ⭝
Unicode Chart - click on this link for more options
Conditional Formatting

ws & Percentage Deviations

%∆
-1% ▼
25% ▲
-2% ▼
-11% ▼
-4% ▼
13% ▲
-15% ▼
8% ▲
-23% ▼
2% ▲
2% ▲
3% ▲

ws for Higher Variances Handling conditional thresholds when both are positive

% ∆ (>+5%, <-5%) Actual PY % ∆ (>=+5%, <+5%)


### Jan 149 150 ▼ -1%
▲ Feb 125 100 ▲ 25%
### Mar 216 220 ▼ -2%
▼ Apr 151 170 ▼ -11%
### May 182 190 ▼ -4%
▲ Jun 180 160 ▲ 13%
▼ Jul 161 190 ▼ -15%
▲ Aug 108 100 ▲ 8%
▼ Sep 123 160 ▼ -23%
### Oct 143 140 ▼ 2%
### Nov 174 170 ▼ 2%
### Dec 226 220 ▼ 3%

ffice.12).aspx
40000 Lines tested Custom formatting Versus Conditional Formatting

Custom formatting Conditional Formatting


1 0.01209 1 0.03656
2 0.0117 2 0.03626
3 0.01199 3 0.03402
average: 0.011927 average: 0.035613

Example with Conditional Formatting:

Actual PY
Jan 149 150
Feb 125 100 ▲
Mar 216 220
Apr 151 170 ▼
May 182 190
Jun 180 160 ▲
Jul 161 190 ▼
Aug 108 100 ▲
Sep 123 160 ▼
Oct 143 140
Nov 174 170
Dec 226 220

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