Data bars, color scales, and icon sets can be applied to a value field so that they cover every cell showing that field and survive refresh and re-sorting.

How

Select a value cell, apply the rule, then use the small formatting options icon to apply to all cells showing that field.

• Data bars on a field

  Select a value cell, Home, Conditional Formatting, Data Bars → Bars in that cell; click the small icon that appears and choose "All cells showing Sum of Sales values"

  Apply to the whole field.

• Heatmap

  Conditional Formatting, Color Scales, on the field → A heatmap across the cross-tab

  Spot highs and lows.

• Top items

  Conditional Formatting, Top/Bottom Rules, Top 10 Items → The biggest cells highlighted

  Exceptions.

• The scope options: selected cells, all cells showing the field, or all cells showing the field for a specific row/column combination.
• Field-scoped rules survive refresh; cell-scoped ones do not.
• Manage Rules shows the pivot scope for each rule.

• Rules applied to selected cells break when the pivot grows.
• Color scales over totals and details together distort the scale; exclude totals.