I don't have Excel on this machine I am using at the moment so I can't test this myself, and I only use XP 2002 anyway, but I am sure this is possible.

I'm guessing you know what Conditional Formatting is, and where to find it in Excel, so I won't attempt to tell you that.

Conditional Formatting allows the selected cell to be color formatted when certain conditions are met, and those conditions do not have to relate to that selected cell itself.

For example, I have a spreadsheet that I use to monitor share price movement. On my main page I have a group of cells that normally do not display anything, (white font on white background cells). However, if the shares I am monitoring drop below a certain %age of a fixed amount these cells display a Red warning, (black font on red background) to tell me that something is happening. I have another cell or group of cells that calculate the %age drop and it is those that the conditioned cells look at.

It took me a while to do it, but I got it right in the end.

So, not just "I think" it would work, it will work.

Mark