Number & Date Formats

Excel allows you to control how numbers and dates appear.

Number Formatting

Tip: Format numbers after entering data to avoid issues with calculations.

Date & Time Formatting

Tip: Always keep date column as Date format for proper sorting, filtering, and time calculations.

Cell Formatting (Font, Alignment, Borders)

Font Formatting

• Change font type, size, and color
  

• Bold, Italic, Underline for emphasis
  

• Use consistent font across sheet
  

Alignment

• Left, Center, Right
  

• Top, Middle, Bottom
  

• Wrap Text → Display long content in one cell
  

• Merge & Center → Combine multiple cells for headings
  

Borders & Fill

• Add borders for table clarity
  

• Use cell fill color to highlight headers or important data
  

Conditional Formatting

Conditional Formatting automatically changes cell appearance based on rules.

How to Apply

1. Select cells
   

2. Home → Conditional Formatting → Choose rule
   

Common Uses

• Highlight values above/below threshold
  

• Color scales → Visualize small/large numbers
  

• Data bars → Compare values visually
  

• Icon sets → Show status (✔️, ⚠️, ❌)
  

Example:

• Highlight sales > 50,000 in green
  

• Highlight top 10 performers
  

Best Practices for Clean Data

Use consistent number & date formats
Avoid mixing text & numbers in same column
Use headers and bold them
Keep alignment uniform
Use minimal color for readability
Avoid merged cells inside tables (OK for headings only)
Freeze panes for large datasets