software

Is it possible to format a portion of a text string within a cell (as opposed
to the entire cell). For example, I would like to format the word 'gift' in
red font anywhere it a appears in range C2:C417 but only that word, not the
entire cell.

Not with conditional formatting.

But you could change the actual format for that word (or group of characters)...

Saved from a previous post (or two!):

If you want to change the color of just the characters, you need VBA in all
versions.

You want a macro????

Option Explicit
Option Compare Text
Sub testme()

Application.ScreenUpdating = False

Dim myWords As Variant
Dim myRng As Range
Dim foundCell As Range
Dim iCtr As Long 'word counter
Dim cCtr As Long 'character counter
Dim FirstAddress As String
Dim AllFoundCells As Range
Dim myCell As Range

'add other words here
myWords = Array(quot;widgetsquot;)

Set myRng = Selection

On Error Resume Next
Set myRng = Intersect(myRng, _
myRng.Cells.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeConstants, xlTextValues))
On Error GoTo 0

If myRng Is Nothing Then
MsgBox quot;Please choose a range that contains text constants!quot;
Exit Sub
End If

For iCtr = LBound(myWords) To UBound(myWords)
FirstAddress = quot;quot;
Set foundCell = Nothing
With myRng
Set foundCell = .Find(what:=myWords(iCtr), _
LookIn:=xlValues, lookat:=xlPart, _
after:=.Cells(.Cells.Count))

If foundCell Is Nothing Then
MsgBox myWords(iCtr) amp; quot; wasn't found!quot;
Else
Set AllFoundCells = foundCell
FirstAddress = foundCell.Address
Do
If AllFoundCells Is Nothing Then
Set AllFoundCells = foundCell
Else
Set AllFoundCells = Union(foundCell, AllFoundCells)
End If
Set foundCell = .FindNext(foundCell)

Loop While Not foundCell Is Nothing _
And foundCell.Address lt;gt; FirstAddress
End If

End With

If AllFoundCells Is Nothing Then
'do nothing
Else
For Each myCell In AllFoundCells.Cells
For cCtr = 1 To Len(myCell.Value)
If Mid(myCell.Value, cCtr, Len(myWords(iCtr))) _
= myWords(iCtr) Then
myCell.Characters(Start:=cCtr, _
Length:=Len(myWords(iCtr))) _
.Font.colorindex = 3
End If
Next cCtr
Next myCell
End If
Next iCtr
Application.ScreenUpdating = True

End Sub

This line:
myCell.Characters(Start:=cCtr, _
Length:=Len(myWords(iCtr))) _
.Font.colorindex = 3
changes the color.
If you're new to macros, you may want to read David McRitchie's intro at:
www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/getstarted.htmRobDDrums wrote:
gt;
gt; Is it possible to format a portion of a text string within a cell (as opposed
gt; to the entire cell). For example, I would like to format the word 'gift' in
gt; red font anywhere it a appears in range C2:C417 but only that word, not the
gt; entire cell.

--

Dave Peterson