If you want to show a status based on a number, for instance:
You could use an IF statement such the one below with some conditional formatting:
=IF(A1>0,"?"&"ahead",IF(A1=0,"?"&"on track","?"&"behind"))
To enter emojis in Excel, use the Windows key and full stop or period: <WIN><.>
However, there is a much easier way assuming your “trigger” values are positive OR negative OR zero, and this is to use the Custom Formatting functionality in Excel.
To access this, access the Cell Format dialogue by either clicking on the Home Ribbon and then Cells / Format or using the keyboard shortcut <ALT><O>,<E>.
Then choose the custom format at the bottom of the list and type into the “Type” box on the right.
Cell formats in Excel can be set based on if the cell is positive, negative, zero or text. A semicolon separates these four sections “;”. This Microsoft page explains this quite well:
The custom format code is:
[Green]?"ahead";[Red]?"behind";[Color45]?"on track"
The anatomy of each section is:
- colour for the cell]
- The emoji entered using <win><.>
- “the words which will replace the numerical value”
- ; separating the sections
As you can see, the colour can be a name for a small number of colours; however, you can access 56 different colours by using [colorx]. Note the US spelling of color. The complete list of colours available is shown here