How to apply shading to alternate rows and columns in Excel? In order to apply shading to alternative rows and columns in Excel, you need to use Conditional Formatting.

Looking for a way to make your Excel spreadsheets read more clearly? Why not try freezing some of the rows and columns. Here’s how.

You can freeze a row in Excel through the "Freeze Panes" menu. This lets you scroll through a spreadsheet without that frozen data leaving the screen.

If you're using Excel 2007, you have a whole range of new formatting tools at your disposal, including the alternate row shading offered through the Format As Table options.