## Excel: Banding alternate rows, even with conditions

Excel tables have a nice little feature that lets you band alternate rows to help visually read the data.

However, to use this, you have to convert the data to a Table.  Since this is not always practical, there is an alternative using Conditional Formatting.

The formatting rule is:

`=MOD(ROW(),2)=0`

This applies the formatting you choose only to those rows that when divided by 2 have no remainder, i.e., even numbered rows.  This is especially useful in preventing the shading from go all haywire when the user deletes a row.

But what about conditional formatting on larges swaths of cells that hampers banding?

Easy enough. You can combine formulas to make the conditions still work with banding.

The formulas are as follows:

```=AND(C11="Sales",MOD(ROW(),2)=0)

=C11="Sales"

=MOD(ROW(),2)=0```

Quick tip: The banding with condition formula needs to be above the condition-only formula, with the standard banding formula at the bottom of the conditions list.

This gives you conditional shading that is continuous with the underlying banding across the full data set.