What is conditional formatting used for in worksheets?

Conditional formatting is a powerful feature used in worksheets to enhance data visualization. It applies specific formatting to cells based on their content or certain criteria, making it easier to identify trends, patterns, or critical data points at a glance. This could involve changing the color of the text, background, or applying data bars and color scales to represent data visually.

For instance, if sales figures fall below a specific threshold, conditional formatting can automatically highlight those cells in red, alerting users to potential issues. Similarly, it can highlight the highest or lowest values in a dataset, enabling quick insights. This targeted visual approach to displaying data is why conditional formatting is especially valuable in data analysis and reporting.

The other choices provided do not align with the purpose of conditional formatting. Restricting data entry is typically managed through data validation techniques, changing column order involves manipulating the structure of the worksheet, and deleting unwanted data requires direct data management actions, none of which utilize conditional formatting.