Combining filtering with conditional formatting is a powerful technique in Excel to enhance visual data analysis. Here's a breakdown:

Conditional Formatting:

* Allows you to apply specific formatting (color, font style, icons) to cells based on certain conditions.
* This can highlight important trends, outliers, or specific data points for easier identification.

Filtering:

* Enables you to narrow down your data set by displaying only rows that meet specific criteria.
* This allows you to focus on a particular subset of data and analyze it in more detail.

Combining Them:

1. Apply Conditional Formatting:
* Choose the data range you want to analyze.
* Set up your conditional formatting rules to highlight cells based on your desired criteria.
* For example, highlight cells with values above a certain threshold in red, and those below in green.

2. Filter Your Data:
* Apply filters to your data set based on specific columns or criteria.
* This will display only the relevant data subset while maintaining the conditional formatting.

Benefits:

* Targeted Analysis: Focus on filtered data with visual cues provided by conditional formatting, making it easier to spot trends within a specific category.
* Quick Identification: Conditional formatting highlights important data points within the filtered view, saving you time from scanning through every cell.
* Interactive Exploration: Combine this with filter slicers for an interactive experience. As you filter your data, the conditional formatting automatically adjusts to the new view.

Example:

* Imagine you have sales data with a conditional format highlighting high-performing regions (green) and low performers (red).
* By filtering for a specific product category, you can quickly see which regions excel and struggle within that particular product line.

Overall, combining filtering and conditional formatting creates a dynamic and visually informative way to analyze your data in Excel.