Cell format to cause an action

[excel_cello]

Hello everyone.


I have what I think might be an unusual question. I searched the interweb for this scenario with no success.

I've made a home budget sheet with a chart that itemizes each monthly debt and expense. One column for the name of the expense and one for the fixed amount. I pretty much copy every new month into a new tab with the dollar amounts for each item. Then what I do is change the font color on the dollar amounts to a light grey. As each bill "kicks in" my bank account, I change the grey font to black bold. This highlights whats paid but I can still see the grey unpaid values. This gives me an idea of whats to come.

My question is this. I have a cell below that sums the total dollar amount. The problem is that the sum never changes. Just because the font is grey that doesn't keep it from getting added. Is there a way that the grey font values is not added until I change it to black?

I know very basic excel and that a condition can change format, but this is kind of the reverse I guess. The format is making an mathematical action.

Thanks for the help

 

[BrianMH]

No you can't sum by any formatting conditions (at least not without VBA). What you could do is add a helper column and put an x in anything that has billed instead of changing the format. You could even have it format to grey when you put the x in.

It's best to keep to the KISS principle.

 

[excel_cello]

Thanks Brian, I had a feeling I was asking to much of the program.