Group Formatting

Group Formatting lets you to customize the appearance of the Groups column in a worksheet. Adjust how group headers, content, and total rows appear to improve readability or highlight key details.

Use group formatting when you want to make the Group section stand out from other columns

When to use group formatting

• Highlighting the group: Use distinct colors or font styles to make the group column stand out.
• Formatting group totals: Apply custom styles to the totals at the group level for emphasis.
• Enhancing hierarchical clarity: Improve the readability and structure of hierarchical data by differentiating group sections.

Formatting groups

Formatting a group level

You can format a specific group level to control how it appears in the worksheet content.

To format a group level

1. Do one of the following to open the group formatting dialog:
   • Right-click the field in the Groups section. Select Group Formatting, then Edit.
   • Click a field in the group column on the worksheet and select the Column Formatting icon from the action menu.
2. Apply formatting as needed.
3. Click Apply to confirm.

Formatting all group levels

You can use the Group All format to apply formatting to the header, all content levels, and the total row simultaneously.

To format all group levels

1. Do one of the following to open the group formatting dialog:
   • Click the three dots next to Group. Select All Groups Formatting, then Edit.
   • Right-click the Groups column header on the worksheet. Select All Groups Formatting, then Edit.
2. Apply formatting as needed.
3. Click Apply to confirm.

Formatting groups options

Under the Content tab, apply...

Formatting Option	Description
Cell	Format text style, color, alignment, and background color for each cell.
Border	Set border style, color, and width around each cell.
Preview	See a real-time preview of your formatting choices.

Copy a format

After you apply a format, you can reuse it by copying and pasting onto other fields. The Copy option becomes available once a format is set. You can copy formats between fields in the Groups and Columns sections—including across worksheets, as well as worksheets embedded in dashboards or reports. However, the master column header of a report will not apply the formatting of the selected worksheet.

To copy and paste a format

1. Select the field you want to copy from:
   • To copy group content formatting of a specific column, right-click the field in the Groups section.
   • To copy formatting of all columns, select the three dots next to the Groups section.
2. Select All Groups Formatting or Group Formatting, then Copy.
   A confirmation message appears.
3. Navigate to the target field and right-click it.
4. Select the appropriate formatting option—All Groups Formatting or Groups Formatting— then choose Paste.
   A message confirms that the formatting has been applied.

Reset a format

Use the Reset option to remove all groups formatting and restore the field to its default appearance. This is helpful when you want to clear custom styles, return to default formatting before applying new ones, or ensure consistent formatting across your worksheet.

To reset a format

1. Right-click the field in the Groups section or select the three dots next to the Groups section.
2. Select All Groups Formatting or Groups Formatting, then Reset.

Group formatting priority

When more than one formatting rule is set for the same column, groups formatting priority determines which style takes precedence. This ensures that your most important formatting is applied when conflicts arise between different formatting sources.

Groups formatting is handled separately for three areas: Group header, Group grid content, and Group Total Row. Each area follows its own priority order.

Group header

Priority	Source	Applies To
Highest	Group All option in the Groups section under the Header tab.	All group headers
Lowest	Column Header setting in Worksheet Properties.	All groups and columns.

Group grid content

Priority	Source	Applies To
Highest	Conditional Formatting	Group cells matching the conditions
Next	Content tab settings for a specific Group.	That specific group only.
Next	Group All option in the Groups section under the Content tab.	All group levels.
Lowest	Grid Content settings in Worksheet Properties.
All cells and per group level

Group Total Row

Priority	Source	Applies To
Highest	Group All option in the Groups section under the Total Row tab.	All group total rows.
Lowest	Total Row in Worksheet Properties.	All groups and columns