Online Help | Web App

Conditional formatting

Introduced in 2023.2

This article describes how to enhance the visual representation of your data grids by applying custom formatting conditions. Conditions can involve background colors, or you can opt for a more detailed approach by altering text attributes like font style, font color, and size.

To implement these formatting enhancements, you define conditional formatting rules. Each rule consists of three components:

  • Scope definition: Applicable to columns or rows.

  • Condition that triggers the formatting

  • Set of formatting properties which can include background color and text attributes.

Conditional formatting rules that you create will be listed on the Conditional Formatting tab in the Customize View pane. When a record in the data grid meets the criteria specified in a rule, it will be highlighted according to the formatting instructions defined in that rule. If a record satisfies the conditions of multiple rules, it will adhere to the formatting specified in the first (topmost) rule in the list.

Creating a rule

To create a rule:

  1. Open the data view where you want to add conditional formatting and click the gear button in the upper-right corner to open the Customize View pane.

  2. Switch to the Conditional Formatting tab.

  3. Click +New. This action creates a default conditional formatting rule with the following properties: it is enabled, it has a name in the format of Rule [number], and it is applicable to the leftmost column in your grid.

  4. Click inside the newly created rule to open its properties.

  5. Provide a meaningful name for your rule. The rest of the properties are divided into three sections: Apply to, Format conditions, and Formatting Style. Each category is described in detail below.

Apply to

In this section, you determine the scope for the conditional formatting: Column or Row. If you select Column, choose the required column name from the drop-down list that appears below.

Format conditions

This section allows you to define the condition that triggers the formatting. To start creating a new condition, click + Add condition.

You have two modes to choose from:

  • Design mode: This mode uses the graphical Filter Builder, which is the default option.

  • Advanced expression: Recommended for advanced SQL users, this mode allows you to directly input your SQL WHERE clause (excluding the word "WHERE").

Design mode

To create a condition in this mode, choose the field to compare, the comparison operator and value to compare with (if applicable to the chosen operator). For details, see Using operators in the Filter Builder.

If the comparison operator is either like or not like, in the value you can use the wildcards: "_" representing any single character or "%" representing any sequence of characters.

To add another condition, choose the operator to combine the conditions and then create the next condition. Tthe default operator is AND, but you can also choose OR, NOT AND, or NOT OR.

Advanced expression

If you are an advanced SQL user, directly type in your SQL WHERE clause (without the word WHERE). Your SQL WHERE clause can include the following placeholders: <Current User>, <Current User Organization>, and <Current User Location>. Before the filter is applied, the placeholders will be automatically replaced with the respective data from the Full Name, Organization, and Location fields of the current user’s Person record.

Formatting style

Use this section to configure the background color for records that meet the rule condition. Additionally, you can specify font formatting options for these records.

NOTE: When you are in the process of formatting a column or row style, a preview of your formatting choices is displayed in the lower left rectangle of the Formatting style pane.

To quickly and efficiently format your data grid, you can click on the Presets option and select a predefined cell format. Among the presets, you will discover three coloring options:

  • The whole cell is filled with the selected color. This option will completely color the entire cell using the chosen color.

  • The selected color is added only as a rectangular background for the text in the cell, creating something similar to a label. With this choice, the color will act as a rectangular background behind the text in the cell, resembling a label.

  • The selected color is added as a strip on the left side of the cell, leaving the rest of the cell unaffected by the color change.

If you decide to create a custom highlighting for a column, these three options will be also available.

Other style choices for style formatting are:

  • Font style: Enhance the text appearance by selecting options like Bold, Oblique, Strikeout, or Underline.

  • Font color: Choose the desired color from the drop-down list. Alternatively, click on the ellipsis button and select one of standard colors or define a custom one using the Color window.

  • Background color: Select your preferred color from the drop-down list. Alternatively, click on the ellipsis button and select one of standard colors or define a custom one using the Color window.

  • When setting up a rule for a column, you have three Set color mode options to choose from for applying color formatting to the cell. These options are explained in detail above.

You can also click No Style to discard all formatting.

Saving a rule

Once you have completed the formatting process and are satisfied with the changes you've made to the column or row style, click Done. It means that you have finalized your formatting adjustments and are ready to apply or save those changes as needed.

After clicking Done, you can then proceed to click one of the following options, depending on your specific scenario:

  • Apply: Applies the formatting immediately without saving it as a rule.

  • Save as: Saves the formatting as a new rule, allowing you to reuse it in the future.

  • Save: This option is available only if you are modifying an existing rule. It saves the changes to that rule.

If you decide to discard all the formatting changes you made, click Cancel.

Other actions

To enable or disable a rule:

  • On the Conditional Formatting tab, toggle the corresponding switch.

To modify a rule:

  1. On the Conditional Formatting tab, click inside the rule to open its properties.

  2. Modify the rule as needed and click Save.

To copy a rule:

  1. On the Conditional Formatting tab, select the rule and click Copy to create its duplicate.

  2. Click inside the duplicate to open its properties.

  3. Modify the rule as needed and click Save.

To change the priority of a rule:

  • The Conditional Formatting tab displays rules in order of priority: if a record satisfies the condition of more than one rule, the first (uppermost) rule in the list is applied. To change a rule priority, use the handle to drag it to the desired position.

To remove a rule:

  • On the Conditional Formatting tab, click the corresponding X button.

To discard all formatting:

  • Click Reset next to the Customize View pane name.