How to address the current cell in conditional format custom formula?

This is the shortest possible way I've found to reference the current cell in conditional formatting spanning a range:

INDIRECT("RC",FALSE).

Documentation is here.

Ok, I found the answer myself. The correct complete formula is:

=and($2:$2=TODAY(),INDIRECT("R"&ROW()&"C"&COLUMN(),FALSE)="")

This rule:

INDIRECT("R"&ROW()&"C"&COLUMN(),FALSE)=""

checks if the current cell is empty.

The current cell is addressed by the first cell of a range in the conditional formatting. In your example, the range is A4:M10 and therefore you can use A4 as "current cell".

• Check for empty content:

  =A4=""
  

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Relative vs absolute references in conditional formatting work just like copying a formula.

• Check that the cell in 2nd row of current column row is today:

  =A$2=TODAY()
  

• Combine using AND operator:

  =AND(A$2=TODAY(), A4="")
  

I have updated a copy of your example spreadsheet - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MY9Jn2xpoVoBeJOa2rkZgv5HXKyQ9I8SM3kiUPR9oXU/edit#gid=0

If I want to check if current cell is empty this is working for me:

=ISBLANK(INDIRECT(ADDRESS(ROW(),COLUMN())))

The cell at the previous row in the column will be

=ISBLANK(INDIRECT(ADDRESS(ROW() - 1,COLUMN()))) etc.