I have much the same questions as Gord Dibben and Shane Devenshire asked, but
I'm going to give you a possible code solution anyhow.
This code assumes that your lists are all in the same column as defined by
'dropDownsAddresses' and that they are at the right end of the list of
columns that you want shaded. The list of Case Is = tests should include all
possible choices in the dropdowns. If you want different colors, you can
record macros while setting cell shading and examine the code to determine
the .ColorIndex value needed, or check out this page:
http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/colors.htm
To put the code in the correct location, choose the sheet that will have the
lists on it and right-click on its name tab and choose [View Code] from the
popup list that appears. Copy the code and paste it into the module that
appears and then edit it as required.
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
Const dropDownsAddresses = "D2
10" ' change as needed
Dim rangeToShade As Range
If Application.Intersect(Target, Range(dropDownsAddresses)) _
Is Nothing Then
Exit Sub ' not a cell in our drop downs addresses area
End If
If Target.Cells.Count > 1 Then
Exit Sub ' changed more than 1 cell as mass [Del]
End If
Set rangeToShade = Range("A" & Target.Row & ":" & _
Target.Address)
'this tests against the possible words without
'regard to UPPER/lower case use, but the words
'must be spelled in ALL UPPERCASE here.
Select Case UCase(Trim(Target))
Case Is = "ONE"
rangeToShade.Interior.ColorIndex = 3 ' red
Case Is = "TWO"
rangeToShade.Interior.ColorIndex = 6 ' yellow
Case Is = "THREE"
rangeToShade.Interior.ColorIndex = 4 ' green
Case Is = "FOUR"
rangeToShade.Interior.ColorIndex = 5 ' blue
Case Is = "FIVE"
rangeToShade.Interior.ColorIndex = 46 ' orange
Case Is = "SIX"
rangeToShade.Interior.ColorIndex = 13 ' violet
Case Else
'not a word in our list
rangeToShade.Interior.ColorIndex = xlNone
End Select
End Sub