I\'m using Apache POI to read data in a spreadsheet of part numbers. I look up the part number in our database, if we have a CAD drawing of the part I color the part number
checkout the example here
http://svn.apache.org/repos/asf/poi/trunk/src/examples/src/org/apache/poi/ss/examples/BusinessPlan.java
style.setFillForegroundColor(IndexedColors.LIGHT_CORNFLOWER_BLUE.getIndex());