Advanced Excel for Productivity

VBA and Macros Reference

Referencing Workbooks Loops and Logic

ThisWorkbook The workbook that is currently running code For n = 1 to 100 … Next n Loop a fixed number of times; iterates n
ActiveWorkbook The workbook that is active (has a cell selected) Do While [condition] … Loop Loop as long as [condition] is true
Workbooks("file.xlsx") The open workbook called file.xlsx While [condition] … Loop Loop as long as [condition] is true
Workbooks.Open("C:\Path\file.xlsx") Open a workbook file Do Until [condition] … Loop Loop until [condition] is true
Do … Loop While [condition] Run at least once; loop while [condition] is true
Referencing Sheets For Each wb in Workbooks … Next wb Loop through each open Workbook
ActiveSheet Currently active sheet For Each s on Worksheets … Next s Loop through each Sheet in a Workbook
WorkSheets("name") Reference a sheet by its name (label) For Each c in Selection … Next c Loop through each Cell in the selected range
ActiveWorkbook.Sheets("name") Same as above; "ActiveWorkbook" part is optional For Each pt in PivotTables … Next pt Loop through each PivotTable on active sheet
Sheets(1) The first sheet in order; changes if you rearrange sheets If [condition] Then [do this] Else [do that] EndIf If condition is true, execute a set of commands
Sheet1 / Sheet2 / Sheet3 / etc Best way to always reference the same sheet If [cond1] Then [s1] ElseIf [cond2] Then [s2] EndIf Multiple If conditions and multiple statements
ThisWorkbook.Sheet1.Activate Activates Sheet1; even if you rename or rearrange sheets Exit Sub / Exit Function Stop executing Macro or Function

Referencing Cells Math

Range("C2") Cell C2; not best practice since cells can move around Application.Min() / Application.Max() Minimum or Maximum of multiple values
Cells(2,3) Cell in row 2, column 3, which is C2 Application.Round(X, n) Round value X to n significant digits
Range("named_range") Best way to reference cells; use a named reference cell Math.Abs(X) Absolute value of X
ActiveCell Currently active single cell (part of Selection)
Selection Selected cell(s) Optimize for Speed
Columns("A:B") Reference entire columns; also works as Columns(1) Application.ScreenUpdating = False Macro runs faster by not updating the screen
Rows("1:2") Reference entire rows; also works as Rows(1) Application.Calculation=xlCalculationManual Manual calculation mode; can make macro faster
.EntireRow Reference the entire row; e.g. Selection.EntireRow Application.Calculate Need this to force a calculation in Manual mode
.EntireColumn Reference the entire column; e.g. Selection.EntireColumn Application.Calculation=xlCalculationAutomatic Automatic calculation; this is the default

Actions on Sheets/Cells Workbook Properties and Actions

.Select Sheet or cell becomes the current selection .Name Name of the file, with extension ("file.xlsx")
.Activate Same as .Select .Path Directory path of the file ("C:\Folders")
.Offset(A, B) Offset (move) the selection by A rows and B columns .FullName Path + Name of file ("C:\Folders\file.xlsx")
.Resize(A, B) Resize the selection to A rows by B columns size .Save Save the workbook
.AutoFit Autofit height or width (of entire rows or columns) .SaveAs Save As, specify file name and extension type
.RowHeight Change height of row/cell .Close Close the workbook
.ColumnWidth Change width of column/cell .RefreshAll Refresh all connections in workbook
.Delete Delete cell(s)
.ClearContents Clear values/formulas from cell (same as DEL key) Workbook Objects
.ClearFormats Clear all formatting from cell (colors, borders, number) .Sheets / .Worksheets Sheets (can use with For Each)
.Copy / .Cut Copy or Cut the selection (use with cells / ranges) .Charts Charts (can use with For Each)
.Insert Insert cells (rows or columns) above or to the left .Names Named references (can use with For Each)
ActiveSheet.Paste Regular Paste of cut/copied range .Connections External data connections (can use with For Each)
Selection.PasteSpecial Paste:=xlPasteValues Paste Special; in this case just values
Application.CutCopyMode = False Turns off Cut/Copy of selection Pivot Tables
[Sheet1].Copy Copy Sheet1 to a new workbook by itself Application.EnableEvents = False Macro runs faster; useful before any Pivot changes
[Sheet1].Move Move Sheet1 to a new workbook by itself PivotTables(1).RefreshTable Refresh pivot table (first pivot on sheet)
[Sheet1].Copy after:= [Sheet2] Copy Sheet1 and paste it after Sheet2 PivotTables(1).PivotFields("Category") Reference to pivot field Category
[Sheet1].Move before:= [Sheet3] Move Sheet1 before Sheet3 .PivotFields("Category").PivotItems("Blue").Visible Filter on or off (True or False) for Category = Blue
.PivotFields("Category").CurrentPage = "Blue" Switch filter to only Category = Blue
Properties of Cells .PivotFields("Category").ClearAllFilters Unfilter Category (i.e. include all values)
.Value Value of cell
.Formula Formula of cell; if there's no formula then same as value Keyboard Shortcuts
.Address Address of cell, e.g. "$A$2" or "$B$5" ALT + F11 Switch between VBA editor and Excel
.Font.Size Set font size (can also set Font.Color; Font.Bold; etc) F5 Run VBA macro
.Interior.Color Set cell background color F9 Insert or remove break point
.Borders(xlEdgeTop).LineStyle = True Add regular border to the bottom edge of cell F8 Execute next line

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