Microsoft QuickTips

Hi, i am making a data capture sheet for my courswork, and i need to make it more attractive, so it looks like a real form that businesses would use. i have notices the "background" function on excel, (format>sheet>background) but that's applying the background image to the whole sheet, i really want to add a background colour to some selected cells only, but the only background colours excel is offering are just bold plain colours, there is no fill effects option where i can blend 2 colours like you would on word. is there anyway i can either get a nice fill effects 2 shades background on excel or limit the "background" function that it already has so it only applies the background to my selected cells? i have tried copying a 2 shaded box that i created on microsoft word onto excel, but then all the writing in the cells are hidden, i cannot get the pic to go on a back layer, it keeps covering the writing. any help would be appreciated!

Hello vex sadly there is not an option to fill effect cells on excel, as you have stated you can only use block colours. i also noticed that you only wanna colour in certain cells, again not a problem. highlight all of the cells you wish to colour right hand click on of the highlighted sections choice format cell click the patterns tab choose a colour to apply click ok personally fill effects and block colour do not look attractive. if you would like to sample some of my coursework work then i will gladly show you an example of a a grade coursework work design. sadly i will only be able to show you two pages or so. if you would like to see an example of a decent excel system email me on xxsshorty@yahoo.co.uk