public Form1() { InitializeComponent(); // add first name col firstNameColumn.MappingName = "FirstName"; dataGridTableStyle1.GridColumnStyles.Add(firstNameColumn); firstNameColumn.SetCellFormat += new FormatCellEventHandler(ColumnSetCellFormat); // add last name col lastNameColumn.MappingName = "LastName"; lastNameColumn.SetCellFormat += new FormatCellEventHandler(ColumnSetCellFormat); dataGridTableStyle1.GridColumnStyles.Add(lastNameColumn); // This just sets up a dummy data source, since I don't have a database in this example List <PersonTest> peopleList = new List <PersonTest>(); peopleList.Add(new PersonTest { FirstName = "Alan", LastName = "McCormick", HighlightPerson = true }); peopleList.Add(new PersonTest { FirstName = "John", LastName = "Smith", HighlightPerson = false }); BindingSource peopleDataSource = new BindingSource(); peopleDataSource.DataSource = peopleList; dataGridTableStyle1.MappingName = peopleDataSource.GetListName(null); dataGrid1.DataSource = peopleDataSource; }