Highlight cell backgrounds

In Microsoft Project 2010, you can highlight cells in a sheet view to display a different background color or pattern. You can highlight specific cells or you can highlight cells that meet certain criteria, such as milestone or external tasks.

Highlight individual cells

1. In a sheet view, click the cells that you want to highlight.

   • To select multiple cells that are not next to each other in the list, hold CTRL and click each cell that you want to highlight.

   • To select multiple cells that appear consecutively in the list, click the first cell that you want to select, hold SHIFT, and then click the last cell in the list that you want to select.

2. On the Task tab, in the Font group, click the down arrow on Background Color. Select a Theme color, a Standard Color, or click More Colors for additional options.

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Highlight categories of cells

1. On the Format tab, in the Format group, click Text Styles.

2. In the Text Styles dialog, select the category of cells that you want to highlight from the Item to Change list.

   Options that include a background color and background pattern are:

   • Critical Tasks     Select this option to highlight the cells for tasks with the Critical field set to Yes.

   • External Tasks     Select this option to highlight the cells for tasks that are tracked in another project.

   • Highlighted Tasks     Select this option to highlight the cells for tasks that meet a highlight filter's criteria. These cells have a color fill, by default.

   • Marked Tasks     Select this option to highlight the cells for tasks with the Marked field set to Yes.

   • Noncritical Tasks     Select this option to highlight the cells for tasks with the Critical field set to No.

   • Milestone Tasks     Select this option to highlight the cells for tasks with the Milestone field set to Yes.

   • Summary Tasks     Select this option to highlight the cells for summary tasks.

   • Changed Cells     Select this option to highlight cells that have changed as a result of changing specific data. These cells have a color fill, by default.

3. You can change the font options for the selected category of cells, including selecting a new background color from the Background Color list or a background pattern from the Background Pattern list.

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