Rules

Rules are the core formatting and visualization system in Grunt.

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What rules do

Rules let you define behavior instead of formatting each value manually. Examples from the legacy support guidance:

• Change the font, border, fill, or size of selected content
• Show icons or graphics based on values
• Turn values into bars, gauges, or other visual elements
• Reuse the same formatting logic across multiple rows, columns, or objects

This is why rules save time when your data changes.

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Add a rule

1. Select the part of the object you want to change.
2. Right-click and choose Add rule, or press Ctrl + Enter.
3. Choose the rule from the dialog.
4. Enable the properties you want to control.

Most properties start in a default state and do nothing until you activate them.

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Understand the rule dialog

The legacy articles split the rule dialog into two main areas:

• Property section at the top, where you turn individual settings on or off
• Target section at the bottom, where you define where the rule applies

If a rule supports different content types, you can often target:

• The cell itself
• Text inside the object
• Graphics created by rules

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Understand the rule stack

Every rule appears in the rule stack on the edge of the PowerPoint window.

• Rules are applied from the bottom up.
• A rule higher in the stack wins if two rules control the same setting on the same target.
• You can drag rules up or down to change precedence.

If nothing changes after you edit a rule, another rule higher in the stack may be overriding it.

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Rule families

Use these pages to find every legacy rule now migrated into Mintlify:

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All legacy rules covered

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Target the right areas

Good targeting is what makes rules reusable. Use these targeting patterns:

• Select the target area before adding the rule when the target is obvious.
• Use include and exclude lists when the target should stay dynamic as the grid changes.
• Use row and column types when the structure matters.
• Use tags when the target spans custom cells or logic-based groups.

Continue to Visual Grids for row types and tags, or to FAQ and tips for common targeting edge cases.