Here's how to use conditional formatting with data bars for visual representation of data values in Excel:

1. Select the Data Range:

- Choose the cells containing the data values you want to visualize with data bars.

2. Apply Conditional Formatting:

- Go to the "Home" tab on the Excel ribbon.
- In the "Styles" group, click the dropdown arrow under "Conditional Formatting."

3. Choose Data Bars:

- Several options will appear within the Conditional Formatting menu.
- Hover over "Data Bars" to see a preview of the formatting.
- Select either "Gradient fill" or "Solid fill" depending on your preference for color shading.

4. Refine the Data Bar Formatting (Optional):

- Clicking on "Data Bars" will directly apply the default formatting. However, you can customize it further:
- Right-click on any cell within the selected range and choose "Format Cells."
- Go to the "Fill" tab.
- Here you can adjust the color gradient or solid fill color for the data bars.
- You can also modify the border color of the data bars under the "Border" tab.

How it Works:

- Once applied, each cell will display a data bar.
- The length of the data bar corresponds to the relative value within the selected data range.
- Longer bars represent higher values, while shorter bars represent lower values.

Tips:

- Data bars are most effective for comparing values within a single column or row.
- Consider using contrasting colors for the data bars to enhance readability.
- You can format additional rules for conditional formatting to highlight exceptional values (highest or lowest) alongside data bars.

By using data bars, you can gain a quick visual understanding of how your data values compare to each other, helping you identify trends and outliers within your spreadsheet.