MAX and conditional formatting (2002)

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Hi,

I have data in 3 cells eg A1, A2 & A3 – 4, 8, 6
I would like to conditionally format the cells so that the highest value of the 3 is highlighted in red.
I searched the forum here and tried =MAX(A1:C1)
I also tried cell value is equal to MAX($A$1:$C$1)
but neither worked.

Can someone please tell me what I am doing wrong?

Thanks

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Obviously, if the cells are A1:A3, the condition must refer to A1:A3 too, not to A1:C1.
– Select A1:A3
– Select Format | Conditional Formatting…
– Select ‘Cell Value Is’, ‘Equal To’, and enter =MAX($A$1:$A$3) in the box next to it.
– Click Format and specify the formatting you want.
– Click OK twice.

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Sorry Hans, I made a typo

My actual conditional formatting is cell value is equat to =”MAX($C$3:$E$3)” where the values are 88, 104, 11
I chose as formatting Red Bold text.
Nothing happens, not one of the cells changes colours.

Can’t understand why it won’t work.

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just found out why it wouldn’t work

for whatever reason excel was putting quotes around the formula. Once I removed these it worked.

Thanks for your help.

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Hi,
The reason Excel put quotes around the formula is because you entered it without the = sign. If you do that, Excel will treat it as text and add the = and surround it with quotation marks, and you will need to go back and edit it as you have found.
HTH

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