---
title: Automatically Update Your Conditional Formatting
description: Automatically Update Your Conditional Formatting
image: https://blog.minitab.com/hubfs/B2BML%20-%20NEW%20FILE%20MANAGER%20STRUCTURE/Blog%20Images/Imported_Blog_Media/feral_horses_602278_640-3.jpg
---
English
- [English](https://blog.minitab.com/en/?hsLang=en)
- [Français](https://blog.minitab.com/fr/?hsLang=en)
- [Deutsch](https://blog.minitab.com/de/?hsLang=en)
- [Português](https://blog.minitab.com/pt/?hsLang=en)
- [Español](https://blog.minitab.com/es/?hsLang=en)
- [日本語](https://blog.minitab.com/ja/?hsLang=en)
- [한국어](https://blog.minitab.com/ko/?hsLang=en)
- [中文（简体）](https://blog.minitab.com/zh/?hsLang=en)
- [ Partners](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/company/partners/)
- [ Contact](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/company/contact-us/)
- [ Talk to Minitab](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/talk-to-minitab/)
- [ My Account](https://licensing.minitab.com/account/manage)
[](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/)
- Products
Back
[Products](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/products/)
[All Products](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/products/)
- [Minitab Solution Center](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/products/minitab-solution-center/)
- [Minitab Statistical Software](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/products/minitab/)
- [Minitab Connect](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/products/connect/)
- [Minitab Model Ops](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/products/model-ops/)
- [Minitab Education Hub](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/products/education-hub/)
- [Minitab Engage](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/products/engage/)
- [Minitab Workspace](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/products/workspace/)
- [Real-Time SPC](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/products/real-time-spc/)
- [Prolink Data Collection & SPC](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/products/prolink)
- [Simul8 Discrete Event Simulation](https://info.minitab.com/en/new-to-simul8?hsLang=en)
- [SPM](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/products/spm/)
- Solutions
Back
[Solutions](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/)
[All Solutions](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/)
- [Analytics](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/analytics/)
- [Statistics & Predictive Analytics](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/analytics/statistical-analysis-predictive-analytics/)
- [Data Science & Machine Learning](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/analytics/data-science-machine-learning/)
- [Business Analytics & Intelligence](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/analytics/business-analytics-intelligence/)
- [Statistical Process Control](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/analytics/statistical-process-control/)
- [Quality Analytics](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/analytics/quality-analytics/)
- [Live Analytics](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/analytics/live-analytics/)
- [Reliability & Life Data Analysis](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/analytics/reliability/)
- [Discrete Event Simulation](https://info.minitab.com/en/new-to-simul8?hsLang=en)
- [Process Mining](https://info.minitab.com/en/new-to-simul8?hsLang=en)
- [Key Capabilities](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/key-capabilities/)
- [Continuous Improvement](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/key-capabilities/continuous-improvement/)
- [Data Integration & Data Prep](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/key-capabilities/data-integration-data-prep/)
- [Diagramming & Mind Mapping](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/key-capabilities/diagramming-mind-mapping/)
- [Digital Twins](https://info.minitab.com/en/new-to-simul8?hsLang=en)
- [Model Deployment & ML Ops](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/key-capabilities/model-deployment-ml-ops/)
- [Innovation & Project Management](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/key-capabilities/innovation-project-management/)
- [Process Excellence: Detect, Correct & Prevent](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/key-capabilities/process-excellence/)
- [Featured Industries](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/industry/)
- [Academic](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/industry/academic/)
- [Energy & Natural Resources](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/industry/energy-resources/)
- [Government & Public Sector](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/industry/government/)
- [Healthcare](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/industry/healthcare/)
- [Insurance](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/industry/insurance/)
- [Manufacturing & Industrial](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/industry/manufacturing-industrial/)
- [Services](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/industry/service-industries/)
- [Software & Technology](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/industry/software-technology/)
- [Construction](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/industry/construction/)
- [Featured Roles](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/role/)
- [Engineering](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/role/engineering/)
- [Business Analysis](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/role/business-analysts/)
- [Information Technology](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/role/information-technology/)
- [Supply Chain](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/role/supply-chain/)
- [Customer Service & Contact Center](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/role/customer-service-contact-center/)
- [Human Resources](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/role/human-resources/)
- [Marketing](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/role/marketing/)
- [Research and Development](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/solutions/role/research-and-development/)
- Resources & Services
Back
[Resources & Services](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/resources-services/)
[All Resources & Services](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/resources-services/)
- [Resources](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/resources-services/resources/)
- [Case Studies](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/resources-services/resources/case-studies/)
- [eBooks & White Papers](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/resources-services/resources/ebooks-and-white-papers/)
- [Blog](https://blog.minitab.com/blog/?hsLang=en)
- [Data Sets](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/resources-services/resources/data-set/)
- [Webinars & Events](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/resources-services/resources/events/)
- [Education Hub](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/resources-services/resources/education-hub/)
- [Services](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/resources-services/services/)
- [Training](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/resources-services/services/training/)
- [Deployment](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/resources-services/services/deployment/)
- [Consulting](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/resources-services/services/statistical-consulting/)
- [Self-Paced Learning](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/resources-services/services/self-paced-learning/)
- [Continuing Education](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/resources-services/services/continuing-education/)
- Support
Back
[Support](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/support/)
[Technical Support](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/support/)
- [Subscriptions & Activation](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/support/subscriptions-and-activation/)
- [Minitab Quick Start](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/support/quick-start/)
- [Training](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/resources-services/services/training/)
- [Installation Support](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/support/installation/)
- [Support Videos](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/support/videos/)
- [Support Documentation](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/support/documents/)
- [Software Updates](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/support/software-updates/)
- [Product Downloads](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/support/downloads/)
- [Support Policy](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/support/policy/)
- Company
Back
[Company](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/company/)
[Company](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/company/)
- [About Us](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/company/our-company/)
- [Leadership Team](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/company/leadership-team/)
- [Partners](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/company/partners/)
- [Careers](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/company/careers/)
- [Contact](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/company/contact-us/)
- [News](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/company/press-releases/)
[Try/Buy](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/try-buy/)
- [Statistics](https://blog.minitab.com/en/blog/tag/statistics)
- [Data Analysis](https://blog.minitab.com/en/blog/tag/data-analysis)
-
- [Quality Improvement](https://blog.minitab.com/en/blog/tag/quality-improvement)
- [Subscribe](https://info.minitab.com/blog/subscribe?hsLang=en)
## Notice
You are now leaving minitab.com.
Click Continue to proceed to:
Continue
Go Back
# Automatically Update Your Conditional Formatting
[Cody Steele](https://blog.minitab.com/en/blog/author/cody-steele) | 5/13/2015
Topics: [Data Analysis](https://blog.minitab.com/en/blog/tag/data-analysis)
- [Share](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.minitab.com/en/blog/statistics-and-quality-improvement/automatically-update-your-conditional-formatting)
- [Share](https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://blog.minitab.com/en/blog/statistics-and-quality-improvement/automatically-update-your-conditional-formatting)
If you’ve checked out [What’s New in Minitab 17](http://www.minitab.com/en-us/products/minitab/whats-new/), you’ve had the chance to see that Conditional Formatting leads the list. If you’ve been reading the Minitab blog, you’ve had the chance to see demonstrations with [Marvel’s Avengers](https://blog.minitab.com/blog/quality-data-analysis-and-statistics/looking-at-the-avengers-with-conditional-formatting?hsLang=en) and the [Human Development Index](https://blog.minitab.com/blog/statistics-and-quality-improvement/3-new-things-you-can-do-by-right-clicking-in-minitab-172?hsLang=en). But you might not have had a chance to see that you can highlight large standardized residuals from a regression model and that the highlighted cells will update when your model updates.
To demonstrate, we’re going to look at data from a study where researchers sterilized males in herds of wild horses to evaluate the effectiveness of sterilization in reducing birth rates.
For Minitab to identify data rows with large residuals, you first need a regression model that can have large residuals. Do this first:
1. Choose **Stat > Regression > Regression > Fit Regression Model**.
2. In **Responses**, enter *Foals*.
3. In **Continuous predictors**, enter *Adults ‘Sterile\_Males’*.
4. Click **OK**.
When you click OK, a white checkmark in a green box appears next to the C3 above the response column. The checkmark indicates that the column is the response variable for a [model](http://support.minitab.com/en-us/minitab/17/topic-library/modeling-statistics/using-fitted-models/basics/stored-model-overview/). Minitab keeps track of the model to allow appropriate analyses—like highlighting the observations with large residuals:
1. Click any cell in the response column with the number of foals.
2. Right-click in the worksheet and choose **Conditional Formatting > Statistical > Large Residual**.
3. Click **OK**.
Minitab shades the herd with 37 foals. According to the model, that herd has a *lot* of foals, even taking into account the number of adults.
But wait, there’s more! If you look at the regression equation that fits the data best, you see that the size of the herd explains most of the variation in the number of foals. The number of sterile males is not statistically significant.
Coefficients
Term Coef SE Coef T-Value P-Value VIF
Constant -2.60 3.19 -0.81 0.421
Adults 0.1593 0.0187 8.53 0.000 2.61
Sterile\_Males 0.114 0.314 0.36 0.719 2.61
If you change your model to include the square term for the number of sterile males, then the variable is statistically significant.
Coefficients
Term Coef SE Coef T-Value P-Value VIF
Constant 8.27 3.91 2.12 0.042
Adults 0.1003 0.0220 4.55 0.000 5.07
Sterile\_Males -3.381 0.947 -3.57 0.001 33.08
Sterile\_Males\*Sterile\_Males 0.2795 0.0727 3.85 0.001 20.33
More interesting for today’s demonstration though, is what happens in the worksheet. Even though you didn’t change any formatting rules for the response variable, two rows are now highlighted.
With the new model, 39 foals in a herd is also higher than we would expect. Minitab keeps the conditional formatting up-to-date for you!
Making your data easier to use is a compelling advantage in Minitab 17.2. Conditional formatting makes it easier to find important observations in your data that you want to highlight.
Of course, you can do more than identify unusual observations in a regression analysis. If you’re ready for more, check out the [Conditional formatting overview](http://support.minitab.com/minitab/17/topic-library/minitab-environment/data-and-data-manipulation/conditional-formatting/conditional-formatting-overview/) and the accompanying examples.
## You Might Also Like
[New Minitab Updates Unite Data Collection, Preparation, and Predictive Analytics](https://blog.minitab.com/en/blog/new-minitab-updates-unite-data-collection-preparation-and-predictive-analytics?hsLang=en)
[Data Preparation](https://blog.minitab.com/en/blog/tag/data-preparation) | 5 Minute Read
[Artemis II Heat Shield: How Do You Decide in Uncertain Conditions?](https://blog.minitab.com/en/blog/artemis-ii-heat-shield-how-do-you-decide-under-uncertainty?hsLang=en)
[Data Analysis](https://blog.minitab.com/en/blog/tag/data-analysis) | 4 Minute Read
[6 Trends Shaping Business Decisions in 2026](https://blog.minitab.com/en/blog/6-trends-shaping-business-decisions-in-2026?hsLang=en)
[Oee](https://blog.minitab.com/en/blog/tag/oee) | 8 Minute Read
---
- [Careers](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/company/careers/)
- [Trust Center](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/trust-center/)
- [Suppliers](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/suppliers/)
- [Site Map](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/site-map/)
- [](https://www.linkedin.com/company/minitab/)
- [](https://www.facebook.com/Minitab/)
- [](https://www.youtube.com/user/MinitabInc)
- [](https://www.instagram.com/minitab/)
---
© 2025 Minitab, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
- [Terms of Use](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/legal/terms-of-use/)
- [Privacy Policy](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/legal/privacy-policy/)
- [Legal](https://www.minitab.com/en-us/legal/)
- Cookies Settings