Give Me the Green Light!

Let’s face it, Excel worksheets can at times be a Bit Drab. A worksheet can serve as a Decision Tool and showing a Yes, No, or Maybe next to your agenda items can get the job done, but it’s really Ho-Hum, isn’t it? Since the introduction of Excel 2007 you have some very interesting options, however. You can use sets of Graphical Icons with your decision lists, and give your reports some Much Needed Life!

For an example, let’s suppose we have a proposed agenda for an upcoming annual corporate meeting. Possible topics have been submitted from numerous sectors, and you want to use a Semaphore for an icon when make a preliminary worksheet showing a:

• Green Light for a definite inclusion in the program
• Yellow Light for a possible inclusion
• Red Light to exclude the topic from the agenda

Here is How to Accomplish This:

1.  Select the range of cells in which you want a Semaphore to appear
2.  Click Conditional Formatting on the Home tab, choose Icon Sets and pick the set that includes the Semaphore
3.  Go back to Conditional Formatting and choose Manage Rules
4.  Click Edit Rule and put a check in the Show Icon Only box and Apply
5.  By default, a “1” will be a Red Light; “2” will be a Yellow Light, and “3” will be a Green Light

Your Decision Lists will instantly take on a New, Engaging Look and will be sure to garner the closer interest of any of the users. And, of course, the cool thing is that it is Easy (Isn’t anything when you know how…).