Improve the Conditional Formatting Manager
So that we can easily manage conditional formatting. While we're at it, the way conditional formatting is treated when cutting / copying and pasting etc could be reconsidered.
[Following examples added by Dan [MS] for clarity on 10/20/2015]
* name rules
* add a comment to rules
* more easily see what rules apply to what range
* see which rules can be consolidated b/c they are similar
* etc.

Thanks for the suggestion Levi! We’ll be taking a look at this along with some other asks around conditional formatting. It’s a big help to see the things with the most votes, particularly within areas like formatting. So please keep the votes coming for things you want us to do sooner!
Thanks,
John [MS XL]
55 comments
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Cameron_CSA commented
Addition functionality
- Resize the pop-p window,
- select multiple for deletion
- Not require to press F2 when editing/entering formulas to stop random ranges coming up.
- Copy an existing rule
- Enable alignment as part of the format options
- Honour alignment settings before conditional formatting is applied when a cell is included in multiple CF's rangesUsing Excel 2016 through a 365 subscription at work and the conditional formatting rules do not stack up as in previous versions. Where possible I use ALT + CTRL + V, paste special when in conditionally formatted regions.
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Anonymous commented
I don't know how many times I've mangled up my sheets due to the archaic and the inabilityt o customize the CF Manager. No ability to change the default paste method (the extra work through of selecting the merge conditional formatting is a chore, as well as easily forgotten, over the hundreds of cut and pastes done regularly.) The inability to resize the window? How difficult is that to add? Seeing 5 rules at a time is also archaic. Please listen to these votes, these changes would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
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Anonymous commented
Like R Rutte said, let me resize the manager window and change the column widths within please, this has been bugging me for so long now. Also, something that would be really handy for me is a rule type that says: Make this cell the same colour as REFERENCE (where REFERENCE would be $A1, $A$1 etc).
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Anonymous commented
I find that Excel 2016 freezes just when I'm using it for my checking account reconciliation. It's so frustrating to be waiting for the statement to download from the bank only to have it freeze and you have to start all over again. It freezes if I'm pasting from another page in the workbook. I've taken to saving after every transaction I record but that can sometimes take forever if the program decides it wants to play it that way. I'm considering finding a different program to use and I've used Excel for years.
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Anonymous commented
Paste and Copy r: Backup FC, cleanner for FC range
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Kenneth Barber commented
I have another one to add. If you apply conditional formatting to all cells, it will show the notation 1:1048576, which is all rows. I feel like "all cells" should have its own notation so then it still applies to all cells even if you delete a row.
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R. Rutte commented
These improvement would be really helpful.
To add: Allow resizing of the conditional formatting window to see more rules. (reduce the scrolling effort) -
AliGW commented
Improve the Find & Replace dialog to allow changes within conditional formatting rules, either over a defined range or a whole worksheet. Editing conditional formatting is, at best, tedious.
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@Apourv - for Excel Online, please add a request (or vote) in the Excel Online forum. This request is about improving the CF Manager in Desktop Windows.
Thanks,
Dan [MS] -
Apourv commented
Add conditional formatting in excel online. Google Sheets have conditional formatting.
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Anonymous commented
improve the priority management.. e.g. have the ability to give a rule a priority (1/2/3...) rather than have to keep moving them up or down the list
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Anonymous commented
would be good if one could name a rule or add a comment... sometimes its difficult to remember what the rule is for
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jeffrey Weir commented
Great idea. Using the current CF manager is like trying to build a ship in a bottle.
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Bill Bekenn commented
Copy & Paste could do with the ability to change the default to "Formulas" or Values" (and I personally think that the standard default should be "Formulas" as that is what I use most, probably too much to ask). This would help to fix the problem with Conditional Formatting getting mangled by Copy & Paste. I will add this as a separate idea.
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Levi Bailey commented
For clarity I do realise that there already a Conditional Formatting Manager and am meaning to suggest for it to be replaced or greatly improved. I would like it to be easier to manage conditional formatting.
It would be better if we could easily:
(a) Visualise and change the ranges that each formula relates to.
(b) See which rules are similar to one-another and consolidate where appropriate.