# Classification ### What is classification-based conditional formatting? {% hint style="success" %} Classification in Plan is a conditional formatting feature that allows you to categorize data based on value ranges. It helps visually segment data and analyze performance in spreadsheets or tabular reports. Real-world reporting involves highlighting outliers and identifying key trends. With Plan, you can categorize data using text, icons, or ratings, making it easy to interpret complex data at a glance. {% endhint %} ### Configuring classification-based formatting Plan provides data classification based on text, icons, and ratings. Refer to [create rule](/planning-sheets/how-tos/adding-business-logic-and-formulae/5.-conditional-formatting/create-rule-basic-settings.md) to get started. Once the rule is created and you can see the **Conditional Formatting** side panel, follow the steps. Choose **Classification** in the **Format by** dropdown. Click on the **Display** dropdown. You can see the three types of classifications already mentioned. Let's look at them one by one.

#### 1. Text Many times, it may become essential to categorize performance. A common technique used by enterprises to categorize inventory, vendors, or materials is [ABC analysis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABC_analysis). Plan delivers this capability right out of the box. 1.1. Select **ABC** from the **Display** dropdown. Let's go with the default settings. Click Apply.

1.2. The rows are classified, and the text is displayed on the left of the data.

1.3. You can also have the classifications appear in a separate column if required. Check the **Show as new column** checkbox.

1.4. You can choose to enable a background for the text. The **Enable background** option is only available for text classification, not icons or ratings.

Adding a background color for text classifcation

1.5. You can also choose to display only the classification text by selecting ***Only Text*** from the **Text position** dropdown. This image shows a different type of text classification with longer performance indicators like LOW/VERY LOW/HIGH, etc.

Display only the classification without the actual measure value

1.6. When you choose the *Only Text* option, you can choose to apply the color to the font, background, or both.

Apply classification colors to the cell background

1.7. You can display the percentage contribution to the left or right of the text using the **Percentage text** dropdown.

Display percentage contribution along with the classification

1.8. You can define custom ranges as shown below. Click the **Add Range** button to create an additional range of values.

1.9. Ranges can also be defined using numeric values. Click on the **Value** option. The values get populated automatically based on the defined percentages, but they can be further edited. You can delete specific ranges or all changes using the icons highlighted in the image.

#### 2. Icon set Icon-based formatting provides the same properties as text-based formatting. Refer to [Text](#1.-text) for more details. We'll look at a simple example for icon sets. In the **Display** dropdown, choose the **Five arrows** option. Click Apply. Note that we have applied formatting based on PY revenue. Hence, we can quickly gauge the performance of the previous year's revenue.

Icon based classification of tabular data

#### 3. Rating You can also use star-based ratings as seen in e-commerce sites in the product feedback section. **STEP 1:** Select the **3 stars** option from the **Display** dropdown and click Apply.

**STEP 2:** You can see the 1-3 rating icons on the left of the data. By default, the number of ranges has been set to 5.

**STEP 3:** You can move the ratings to a separate column by clicking on the **Show as new column** checkbox.

#### **3.1. Invert rating** Check the **Invert rating** checkbox in cases where higher values need to show lower ratings.

As seen in text and icon-based formatting, you can choose to display only the classification or change the position. In this example, we have chosen the **Only rating** option.

#### **3.2. Number of range**s You can customize the number of icons that appear in your scale. The number of ranges has been set to 5 in this case.

The rating text can be shown on the left or right. Select the position and color as shown below.

#### **3.3. Enable custom** In Plan, you have the option to configure value ranges for each rating. Click on the **Enable Custom** checkbox. For every half rating, you'll be able to define percentage or value ranges in the **From** and **To** fields, as shown in the image below.

#### **FAQs** **Q1: Can I customize the ranges and display options for classification?**\ Yes. Plan allows you to set custom value ranges, choose how classifications are displayed (text, icons, ratings), and decide whether to show classification in a new column or inline. You can also adjust colors and positions to match your reporting needs. **Q2: How does classification handle dynamic data changes?**\ Classification in Plan is dynamic. When your underlying data changes, the classification automatically updates based on your defined ranges and rules. This ensures that trends and outliers are always accurately highlighted in your reports. **Q3: Does applying classification affect report performance?**\ Applying classification does not impact report performance. It does not affect data refresh, calculations, or visual rendering. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.fabricplan.com/planning-sheets/how-tos/adding-business-logic-and-formulae/5.-conditional-formatting/create-rule-basic-settings/classification.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.