EXCEL VBA:

THE ULTIMATE INTERMEDIATE'S

GUIDE TO LEARN VBA
PROGRAMMING STEP BY STEP.

David A. Williams
Table Of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1. VBA Integrated development environment
Chapter 2. Control Program Flow and Making Decisions in Visual Basic for Application
Chapter 3. How to Avoid Common Mistakes in Excel VBA
Chapter 4. Interacting with the user
Chapter 5. The “Speed Search Control Panel And Timing Comparison” Application
Chapter 6. Performing Statistical Analysis Using Formulas
Chapter 7. Scenario Building with One-way Data Table
Chapter 8. An Event Macro
Chapter 9. The Macro Recorder
Chapter 10 . The Excel Object Model
Chapter 11 . Derived Data Types in VBA
Chapter 12 . Beyond the Basics
Chapter 13 . The Cheat Sheet for Excel Formulas
Chapter 14 . Some other tips on VBA programming
Chapter 15 . Search And Reference Formulas
Chapter 16 . Department Data Validation
Chapter 17 . The Object Model
Chapter 18 . Relative and Absolute References
Chapter 19 . Project – Registration Form
Chapter 20 . A sample program
Chapter 21 . More Examples
Conclusion
 Introduction
Excel is the most popular spreadsheet software in the world today. It was
developed by the giant software company Microsoft Inc. and is the single
most widely used spreadsheet program in businesses, government, schools,
universities, and other institutions.
While there are many different spreadsheet programs available, Excel
remains number one. It has continued to enjoy widespread use and massive
growth over the past three decades. There have been numerous upgrades
and new features introduced over the years.
Excel finds application in many different fields, including business
intelligence, finance, statistics, analysis, forecasting, billing, inventory, data
management, and so much more. This is why numerous employees and
workers are required to learn how to use this application if they are to be
effective in the workplace.
Most employers view Excel as an essential end-user computing tool,
especially those in the fields of accounting, information systems, and
business in general. It is widely used to carry out daily functions at the
workplace.
The first thing to check when preparing to use VBA for Excel is whether
macros have been enabled in the Excel version being used. To do this, go
to the developer option on the toolbar and click on Macro Security and
enable the usage of Macros.

Notice the above screenshot is for Excel 2016. This feature can be turned
off after practicing the parts of this book.
Now that the macros are enabled to get familiar with when programming
with Excel is the Visual Basic Interface/ Editor.
This can be opened in Excel 2016 by again clicking on the Developer
option on the main toolbar and choosing Visual Basic on the extreme left
corner.
Clicking this option will lead to the following screen/editor, as shown in the
picture below.
The white area on the right will become visible when clicking on sheet one
on the left-hand side. This is the default level, and many sheets can be
created depending on the project.
In this screen, the code for each sheet and object on the sheet will be written
on the right-hand side white area.

The various properties of the sheet and of objects will be shown on the
lower left. This is similar to that in Visual Basic.
One can select the properties and give it values through this segment of the
editor; however, the same can be done in code. The more professional way
is the latter.
On the top of the toolbar, the features that are needed the most are debugged
and run. Run makes the code run if every line of code is okay. Keep in mind
that logical errors are not checked by the debugger.
On running the code, a name for the new macro will be requested. Enter the
first macro for now and hit create. This macro will be a blank macro as no
code has been added to it.

A subroutine called the first macro will be created on the right-hand side of
the editor as follows.

Note that module1 has been added to the left-hand side of the editor's top
and bottom.
To display the words “Hello World” write the following on the right-hand
side within the subroutine first macro as follows:
Sub firstmacro()
Msgbox(“Hello World”)
End Sub
 Now run the program
using the green > arrow on the top of the code on the sub toolbar or the run
option on the toolbar. The following will be the result.

This is the starting point of writing VBA. The steps that have been done so
far will be repeated again and again in the parts that follow.
Chapter 1. VBA Integrated development
environment
Getting into IDE
The Visual Basic Applications for computer programs are consolidated
inside all parts of the Microsoft Office suite for projects like Excel.
Initiating the VBA advancement programming sets the programming
condition for the IDE, which allows tools for use in working up the venture.
The speediest way into the VBA IDE is to click on Alt+F11 within the
essential Excel window.
It is similarly possible to confer from the standard Excel menu through
tools, at that point, Macro and afterward, the Visual Basic Editor. In the
wake of initiating the IDE, a window for the outlining of the VBA IDE and
a segment of the tools utilized for the production of projects will be created.
In numerous applications, there happens to be a menu bar over the highest
point of the window. You may simply see a few things that exist inside the
menu, and these will become evident as you proceed through the
manuscript.
One of the essential things would be the explorer window as showed up on
the topmost left area of the IDE window. The toolbar explorer records the
projects that are right by and by open, including the ones accessed via Excel
amidst the startup.
Besides that, the endeavor explorer records parts of any of the accessed
projects in the running with the figure; there is an outline of one envisions
known as Book 1. In the wake of opening it, it contains four Excel objects
that are sheet 1, 2, 3, and this workbook 1.

Just under the venture explorer window, as showed up in the above figure,
refers to the properties setting. The latter shows a quick overview of the
highlights or elements of the fundamental object found in the project. These
characteristics are needed to control the manifestation of the question where
they have a place.
The elements of sheet 1 appear in the above figure as picked inside the
undertaking explorer. Confirmation of some other object will allow
understanding of a properties list inside the properties window. Few parts of
the objects have relative properties. The main thing inside the control of
properties is to open another workbook and set the names.
In the event the undertaking explorer and the properties windows are not
starting at now demonstrated, then one can get to them by techniques for
the view menu. You may also use the keystrokes F4 and CTRL + R with a
specific target to get to the undertaking explorer and properties windows. At
the time that the undertaking explorer window is displayed, discover the
venture, which is illustrative of the workbook opened while in Excel. If the
workbook portions opened are not set, then click the + sign, which is close
by Microsoft Excel objects organizer that is under the undertaking name.
Then, consider the object that is named sheet one and a short time after
selecting it by then look towards the properties window. The subsequent
stage would be to consider down the properties window until the point, and
one would arrive at Name property, which is the one without the segment.
You can go to Excel by clicking Alt + F11 from the taskbar. It will be
evident the name of the sheet has, at present, been supplanted with MySheet
inside the Excel workbook. It has each one of the stores of being
unquestionably not hard to change the properties of the worksheet in Excel
with the utilization of VBA. As the VBA is creative, it will not be hard to
change the properties of the worksheet or workbook at the set time. By far,
most of the work affects the worksheets, and the workbooks would occur
during the runtime, as the goal is to alter the properties of ActiveX
controls.
In the event, one considers the figure of now; there is a standard window.
These are used as compartments for the projects. It is placed within the
program’s coding, so these windows function as content directors that take
after Notepad. As the client, one has to understand there exist pre-portrayed
code windows, particularly for Excel items, for example, the workbook.
The code window that displayed in the figure addressed starting at now
exhibits sheet one that is contained in the workbook known as Book 1.
There are more parts to the VBA IDE, though this is sufficient information
to begin with. Depending on the necessity, there will be further explanation
of other functionalities within the IDE leading furthering of projects.
Programming parts in Excel
Not every attractive element of the VBA programming software is located
inside the VBA IDE. Some programming-related parts are those that one
can obtain from Excel. The parts in this setting join the larger scale of items
that are detailed within the menu for the tools, and three of the toolbars,
Visual Basic, and the toolbox is placed inside Excel’s in-view menu.
Since the presentation part of VBA IDE has been anchored, it is pertinent to
consider how tools got can be arranged from Excel. Consider the vast scale
choice from the tools menu illustrated in the running. You should also note
the different items that displayed up in the figure, which have not yet been
tied down for these future Macros and Recording of new macros.

The tool allows the customer to make a VBA program by demonstrating a

box set with a claim for most of the VBA software that has been illustrated.
The item along these lines is a way to deal with access and run of required
VBA programs. Macros generally insinuate the projects recorded while the
customer performs a movement of errands in the common application
interface.
Their use comes in when the customer more than once does errands in
Excel in the same way. Rather than reiterating the assignments, the
customer may record their exercises and then playback the full scale when
they need to go over a similar game plan. It is possible anyway for one to
get to the projects that had not been recorded through the large-scale menu
object.
The Visual Basic toolbar gives a game plan of tools to the VBA designer.
As officially indicated, picking the crucial visual editor from the settings is
going to allow for access. There are other basics illustrated in the Visual
Basic setting.
They include the Record Macro, Design Mode, and Run Macro. Similarly
included concerning the Visual Basic would be the icon for the control
toolbox. The control toolbox may also be gotten to through the toolbars
things that are on the view menu.
The control toolbox gives one ActiveX controls that are tools like the
command button and checkbox, which could be connected with a vast scale.
The command button, content box, and picture control are a bit of the
ActiveX controls that are there. You can first tie the controls on a worksheet
by clicking the pined for control and after that drawing in it to the
worksheet. After the command button has been set out to the worksheet,
you will find that it is picked, and the application is started within the
outline mode. You may get to the elements of the command button settings
while in plan mode.
Then you may go to the icon for properties. One like properties window in
VBA IDE comes up. This illustrates many of the features utilized as a
means of depicting the command button control.
The properties window at this time records an extensive segment of the
features or properties that have been used as a touch of depicting the
command button control. Concerning the button’s control properties setting
of the command, it is possible to manipulate the scratching characteristic to
click and depict how the new subtitle shows up on the controls. Similarly,
you may manipulate the Name property to another, for instance,
cmdColorChange.
The prefix cmd for this condition references the kind of control (command
button) while whatever is left of the name is a reference to parts of the
program, which are begun at the time that the button is pressed. One may
similarly play with a segment of trade properties like the text style, back-
color, forecolor, and the stature recalling the real objective to tinker with the
closeness of the control.
It is even possible to show a photograph inside the command button setting
through the property then consider a photo narrative from the PC.
At the time, the command control button is done, select, from the control
toolbox, the view code flip, or select the command button with a particular
focus to get to the window for the code. This will lead you to the VBA IDE.
Then manipulate the command to embed. The best way is to deal with
oversight for this is adding code to the code window. The title bar clearly
outlines on the request, which the code window has located. Here, the code
window has a link with the worksheet, which is known as sheet one inside
the workbook named book 1.
In the top left setting of the code, the window shows a drop-down rundown
box that has a compartment with the names of the objects that are in the
worksheet selected. The command button’s name is then shown,
considering the cursor is in the editor that has an approach of the command.
The running with the figure demonstrates the IDE with the code window.

The procedures for events are earlier characterized as are controls of

ActiveX and other objects inside the Excel scope. These protocols for the
object chosen are recorded inside the top right placing of the window within
a run-down box. The click event is basic as the protocol with a number of
the ActiveX controls. Any of the codes that are arranged inside the
predefined procedure would end up triggering at the time the client taps the
object. In this circumstance, that would be the command button control,
which is assigned CMDcolorchange. The name of this process would be the
object’s name underscored then took after by the name of the event.
It isn't possible to change the name of the pre-characterized occasion
process without changing the name property for the object. On the off
chance that you distort the name of the process, the code inside the process
wouldn't keep running at the time it is required.
The keyword Sub is required and would be utilized as an originator for the
process, which is either software-engineer-characterized or event-oriented.
The second line end Sub is, for the most part, utilized as a part of a request
to close the process. In a case, writing out the inside the occasion procedure
of the command button control is cmdColorChange.
Range("A1").Select
Cells.Interior.ColorIndex = Int(Rnd * 56) + 1
The shade for the cells is then used at random, at which point it would
change according to the command frame as the code runs once each click.
Chapter 2. Control Program Flow and Making
Decisions in Visual Basic for Application
Programming flow and making decisions are programming constructs that
are used in the code when constructing it. There are multiple constructions
such as GoTo statements, If-Then statements, Select-Case statements, For-
Next loop, and Do-While/Do-Until loops.
Control structures allow the user to regulate the flow of the program
execution, make decisions, and repeat some actions until a criterion is met.
❖ Decision Structures
Decision structures are structures the allow the user to test conditions and
perform different operations based on the result of the condition.
➢ If-Then – Else Construction
It evaluates a condition and runs one or more statements based on the
evaluation of the condition.
Example:
Dim number As Byte
If number > 10 then
MsgBox “Number is greater than 10.”
Else
MsgBox “Number is less or equal with 10.”
End if
➢ Select – Case Construction
It evaluates a condition that can return more values and run one or more
statements based on the result of the evaluation of the condition. This
construction can also be written as multiple if-else constructions with the
same result.
Example:
Dim number As Byte
Select Case number
Case Is >=100
MsgBox “High number.”
Case Is >=50
MsgBox “Medium number.”
Case Is >=0
MsgBox “Low number.”
Case Else
MsgBox “Something Wrong”
End Select
➢ Try – Catch – Finally Construction
This type of construction lets the user run a set of statements under an
environment that retains control if any of the other statements causes an
error/exception. This construction evaluates a statement, and if it returns an
error, it can prevent any errors in the code execution (error handling).
Example:
Dim n1,n2,n3 As Long
Try
n1 = n2 / n3 ’this can through an error “Divide by Zero”
MsgBox “Result is : “ & n1
Catch ex As Exception
MsgBox “Exception : ” & ex
Finally
MsgBox “Operation executed”
End Try
❖ Loop Structures
➢ While Loops

This type of construction runs one or more statements as long the condition
specified in the While statement is true (it is possible that the statements are
not executed if the condition is not true). When this type of construction is
used, make sure that the condition became true at one point; otherwise, the
code will enter an infinite loop and crashes.
Example:
Dim number As Byte
Number = 0
While number < 10
MsgBox number
number = number + 1 ‘variable will become ten and exit
the while
statement
End While
➢ Do Loops
This type of construction runs one or more statements as long the condition
specified in the Until statement is true (for Do-While construction,
statements will be run at least once even if the condition is false, as the
condition is tested at the end). When this type of construction is used, make
sure that the condition became true at one point; otherwise, the code will
enter an infinite loop and crashes.
Example1:
Dim number as Byte
number = 0
Do
MsgBox number
Number = number + 1
While (number < 10)
Example2:
Dim number As Byte
Number = 0
Do While (number < 10)
MsgBox number
Number = number + 1
Loop
➢ For Loops
This type of construction initiates a variable with initial value and last
value. The code runs the statements from the initial value until the last
value of the variable and auto increment it.
Definition:
For counter = start To end [ Step ]
[ statements ]
[ Continue For ]
[ statements ]
[ Exit For ]
[ statements ]
Next [ counter ]
If it is needed to break the for and exit from it, it can be included an IF-
Then structure inside the for and use “Exit For” syntax to exit the for loop
at any time. For structures are the easiest way to loop through an array
items.
Next syntax (last line for the for construction), it auto-increment the value
with the specified step (positive or negative step).
Example1:
Dim number As Byte
For number = 0 to 10
MsgBox number
Next number
-numbers from 0 to 10 will be displayed ascending
Example2:
Dim number As Byte
For number = 10 to 0 Step -1
MsgBox number
Next number
-numbers from 10 to 0 will be displayed descending
Example3:
Dim Names(10) As String
Dim i as Byte
Names(0) = “ABC”
Names(1) = “BCD”
Names(2) = “CDE”
Names(3) = “DEF”
Names(4) = “EFG”
Names(5) = “FGH”
Names(6) = “GHI”
Names(7) = “HIJ”
Names(8) = “IJK”
Names(9) = “JKL”
For i = 0 to 9
If Names(i) = “FGH” then
MsgBox “FGH reached. For will be exit.”
Exit For
Else
MsgBox Names(i)
End If
Next i
-the for construction will loop through Names array and display the names
from the array. If the name is equal with “FGH,” then the for construction
will be interrupted (exit for)
➢ For Each Loop
This type of construction is similar to for-next construction, and the only
difference is that this construction is used to loop through elements of an
array or list without an index (it loops through values directly). The code
runs the statements from the first value until the last value of the structure
and auto-increment.
Definition:
For Each element In group
[ statements ]
[ Continue For ]
[ statements ]
[ Exit For ]
[ statements ]
Next [ element ]
Example1:
Dim listOfNames as New List(of String) From_
(“ABC”,”BCD”,”CDE”,”DEF”)
For Each item As String In listOfNames
MsgBox item
Next
Example2:
Dim numbers(3) as Byte = (1,2,3)
Dim nr as Byte
Dim letters(3) As Char = {“a”, ”b”, ”c”}
Dim lett as Char
For Each nr in numbers
For Each lett in letters
MsgBox nr & “ “ & lett
Next
Next
-this example loops through both list (numbers and letters) and will display
the combination of the items (1a; 2a; 3a; 1b; 2b; 3b; etc.)
❖ Other Control Structures
➢ Using – End Structure
This structure construction establishes a statement block within the user can
use a resource (example SQL connection – needs to close all SQL
connections after interrogation of a database). The resource can be acquired
with Using keyword (when inserting Using keyword VBA will
automatically display a list of possible resources that can be used).
Definition:
Using { resourceList | resourceExpression }
[ statements ]
End Using
Example:
Sub WriteToTXTFile()
Using writer As System.IO.TextWriter = _
System.IO.File.CreateText("filename.txt")
writer.WriteLine("First line of text.")
writer.WriteLine("Second line of text.")
writer.WriteLine("Third line of text.")
End Using
End Sub
Sub ReadFromTXTFile()
Using reader As System.IO.TextReader = _
System.IO.File.OpenText("filename.txt")
Dim lineText As Strin g
lineText = reader.ReadLine()
Do Until line Is Nothing
MsgBox lineText
lineText = reader.ReadLine()
 Loop
End Using
End Sub
-in this example are created two subs, one to create a txt file (filename.txt)
and write 3 lines inside the file, and the second one is to read the content of
the txt file and message line by line the content of the file. Because of the
TextWriter and TextReader classes implement in the IDisposable interface
the code use Using keyword to ensure that the txt file is closed right after
read/write operations.
➢ With – End Structure
This structure allows the user to specify an object reference once and then
access its members. This structure improves performance of the code
because the Visual Basic does not have to establish the reference for each
member, it establishes the reference once and access multiple members of
it.
Definition:
With objectExpression
[ statements ]
End With
Example1:
With Application
.Calculation = xlCalculationAutomatic
.ScreenUpdating = True
.DisplayAlerts = True
.EnableEvents = True
End With
-this example set some application properties (used to improve the speed
and performance of the code) by establishing the reference for Application
just once and modify four of the members (without this structure it is
needed to create four Application references which slows down the code)
Example2:
With ThisWorkbook.Sheets(1).Range(“A1:A1”)
.Value = 2
.BackgroundColor = RGB (0,0,255)
.Borders(xlEdgeBottom).LineStyle = xlContinuous
End With
-this example set value, background color and border for a cell by
establishing the reference to Range property only once (establish reference
once, modify 3 parameters)
❖ Nested Control Structures
It refers to the possibility of combine multiple structures, some control
statements inside other control statements.
➢ Nesting Levels
All the control structures can be nested as many times is needed and as
many levels as are needed.
Example:
Dim i, j As Long
For i = 1 to 100
For j = 1 to 100
If i < j then
‘Statements
Else
‘Statements
End If
Next
Next
➢ Nesting Different Kinds of Control Structures
Different types of controls can be nested together.
Example:
Dim i, j As Long
For i = 1 to 100
j=i
While j < 50
If i + j < 100 then
‘Statements
Else
‘Statements
End If
j = j +1
Next
Next
➢ Overlapping Control Structures
Control structures can also be overlapped (ex. while structure can overlap
for structure).
Chapter 3. How to Avoid Common Mistakes in
Excel VBA
There is a lot to learn in Excel VBA and it can easily overwhelm you if
you’re not careful. As a beginner, you may find that you will make more
mistakes than you would like to. Don’t worry about that, it is perfectly
normal however, there are a few tricks that can help you from venturing off
down the wrong path so you don’t have to back track and fix them.
It is true that we all learn from our mistakes but especially in the world of
business, mistakes can quite often prove costly. Learning how to use VBA
is like learning any other skill, which means that there is only so much you
can learn from a book, the rest must be acquired through practice.
Remember, nothing worth learning can be glossed over and rushed. So take
your time and practice these skills over and over again until they feel like
second nature to you. If you take the time to do this first, before you expose
your newfound skill to your business, you’ll have less chance of making
those kinds of errors that could prove costly.
Still, there are a number of common mistakes people make with VBA that
are definitely worth taking a closer look at. By being aware of these types
of mistakes you can use your practice sessions to figure out ways to work
around them so you are less likely to fall into those traps when you take
your new skills and apply them in real life.
Overusing .Select and .Activate
Select and Activate are two of the most common commands you use when
using a macro recorder. However, more often than not they are not even
necessary. In many cases, using them could prove to be quite redundant for
several reasons. So, if you don’t need this particular function then it’s a
better idea to delete those commands altogether. Once you do, you will see
the code improve, working faster than normal. However, if you feel you
will need to perform either of these two functions, it is a good idea to keep
the commands in place as it is a means of ensuring the code continues to
function in the correct way.
Overuse of the variant type
Sometimes new users of VBA can get the many variant types confused. You
may think that you are using one type when in actuality you are using a
totally different one. For example, using a Dim code such as “Dim d, e, f as
Long”. You might assume that this is a Long type variant. It’s a logical
conclusion and a mistake that many newbies actually make.
If you’ve made this mistake, don’t worry, you’re in good company.
However, only types “d”, and “e” would be variant types, meaning that they
can be any type and can be changed from one type to the other whenever
needed.
Using this type of coding can be very tricky and confusing. Since using
them could create a lot of errors in the code that could be extremely difficult
to find. Because this is such an easy mistake to make, it may be a good idea
to avoid using Variant variables in the beginning. Once you become more
familiar with the other more basic forms of coding you can gradually ease
your head into the lion’s mouth and practice this more advanced form. It
will save you a lot of problems that will inevitably cause you frustration if
you do.
Underuse of the Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Every time you make a change to a cell in your worksheet, Excel will go
through and update the screen. This will ensure that your new changes
appear as you make them. If you are working for an extended amount of
time, you could easily input a lot of data. Depending on the power of your
computer and the amount of data you’ve accumulated, it could lead to a lag
time in the system if it is not updated. To do this, you can always stop your
work at some point and do an update by following the code below:
Public Sub MakeCodeFaster()
Application.ScreendUpdating = False
‘do some stuff
‘Always remember to reset this setting back!
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub
While the system does automatically update the screen periodically. If the
data you’re working with is very important, it never hurts to add a manual
update to protect your work.
Adding a name of a worksheet to a string when it is not necessary
It can be very tempting to write codes referencing the specific name of a
worksheet. It can be a means of ensuring that the program will access the
correct worksheet in a string. However, when working in VBA this is not
necessary. Consider this example:
Public Sub SheetReferenceExample()
Dim ws As Worksheet
Set ws = Sheets(“Sheet1”)
Debug.Print ws.Name
End Sub
While this type of mistake won’t yield you any negative impact, if you do
not break this habit, it may cause difficulties for others who try to use your
programs. For example, if you took your worksheet and gave it to someone
else who wanted to rename it, then it may no longer function as it should
because you’ve named the worksheet when it wasn’t necessary. So, in the
interest of camaraderie, it just makes sense that you try not to develop this
type of habit in the first place.
The best practice is to make sure that all of your references directly point to
a corresponding object and then allow the program to find the sheet. As
long as you have added the right code, you will see Sheet1 and not a series
of sheets.
Failing to qualify range references
When working with VBA, beginners usually fail to qualify their range
references. This is a common error as many newbies are not really sure
what to look for. So, it is very important that you take extra care to ensure
that you qualify all references as soon as possible so you don’t get stalled
after.
If you’re unsure of either what a range reference is or you’re in doubt about
how to find them, here is are a few things to keep in mind that could help
you.
If the code is Range (A1) then you need to consider the exact worksheet it
is referring back to. Your answer to this problem will always refer to your
active sheet unless there is something else in the code that is referencing a
different page. As a rule of thumb, the ActiveSheet will always be the sheet
that is currently under rechecking.
If you use Range() without specifying which worksheet to use, Excel will
automatically assume that you are referencing the active sheet. So, if you
want to reference a different sheet, you need to make sure that is added to
your code beforehand.
Sub functions that are too long
If you create a function and the result is longer than a single page of your
module then there is a good chance that it is too complicated or too long.
Long codes are not a problem in and of themselves but the more complex
the code is the more of a chance of error or of a code that lags and bogs
down the system. There are quite a few things you can do to prevent your
code from just going over the top. But one of the easiest ways to avoid this
problem is to pay extra attention to keeping the Sub and Function methods
as lean as possible. Make good use of any helper functions or any possible
sub procedures you can apply that will help you to do this.
It is inevitable that you will make mistakes and you learn this new skill but
those that take the time, practice, and pick up on these many tricks will
master it much faster than many others who just enjoy the experience of
diving right in.
We all know how complicated and confusing these things can be when you
are just learning how to use Excel VBA. No doubt, it will take an
investment in time to make sure you fully understand exactly how the
module works and what you have to do. If by some chance, you are having
issues with the coding, take the time to look up some of the more common
problems that others face and learn how they fixed them.
Chapter 4. Interacting with the user
Introduction
With VBA you can also make applications that look professional. So far we
have worked with the fundamentals that will allow us to handle many of the
strengths that make Excel and its programming language a very powerful
tool for the development of applications. Now we will see how we can
interact with the user of our applications, through forms (Userforms) that
are no more than the windows in which requests for information are made
or results are presented. The above can be done using either numbers, texts,
images and / or graphics. VBA offers a wide variety of controls to display
information to the user and to request it called widgets. Through these
controls you can display information, show options for the user to choose,
buttons that perform tasks, etc.
Userforms
Userforms are the main container which contains a graphical application.
Within a form there will be labels, buttons, lists of options, text controls,
etc. It is the interface with which the user interacts. Figure 11.1 shows how
an empty form looks. It is composed of a main area where we will add our
controls (enclosed in a rectangle). It has an "x" in the upper right corner,
which allows closing the window (forever), which in turn terminates the
execution of the program. This option is a "violent" way to exit the
execution, since it is also a way to abort the execution of the program (or
that portion of the program). In the upper left corner of the form there is a
text that is often used to show the name of the application, but in general it
can be customized with any message (in our figure it is where UserForm1
says).
Figure 11.2 shows a window with all the controls that can be added to a
form to customize it. We will give a brief explanation of each of them, by
building an application.
The application that we are going to develop is based on the subroutine 10.2
with the difference that now we will ask the user to enter the range of data
that is taken into account for the calculations. The user can choose the
calculation that he wants and the result will be shown in the form, instead of
using the MsgBox function. Additionally, the program will count the
number of samples in a range of ages.
In numeral 2.5 we showed how to add a form. To add a control, we select it
from the Toolbox (figure 11.2) and drag it into the form. There we can
move it to the position that we like and we can even change its size.
Another way of adding a control is by clicking on it and moving the mouse
to the form and clicking on it.

Userform.
Let's start by customizing our form. In figure 11.3 we can see it in the
design phase. In case we want to modify the size we can do it by dragging
one of the white squares that surround the form. It can also be done
manually, modifying its Height and Width properties in the properties
window (window located in the bottom left of figure 11.3).
Figure 11.2. Userform Toolbox (widgets).
The first thing we are going to do is change the name that the form will
have. To do this, we change the Name property.. As can be seen in figure
11.3, the name (Name in the properties window) and the title (Caption) are
the same. Changing the name does not change the title. The difference
between both is that the name (Name) will be used to refer to the form in
the code. The title can be a word or sentence that we want to show.

Figure 11.3. Form design phase.

The properties that we are going to change in the properties window are:

Property Value
Name Stat
Caption Statistical software

We modify the size using the mouse.

Label
This control allows you to add a label with text that usually is not long. It is
mostly used to give some information about another control or to show
information to the user (which may vary as the application is running), such
as a path to a file. The content of information in this control cannot be
modified directly by the user at runtime, unless the modification is made
from code.
For now we are going to add a label with information about the program. In
figure 11.4 you can see what the message looks like and the properties that
have been modified so far (enclosed in rectangles).

Figure 11.4. Label properties edition.

As we go adding other controls we will be adding more labels.
Figure 11.7. Adding checkboxes.
11.4 CommandButton
This button allows you to start the execution of a program. In its
programming we have all the necessary code to make the calculations of
our application. Although the execution of tasks is not exclusive of this
control, it is what is most commonly practiced. You can also write code for
events associated with other controls.
Figure 11.9 shows how our finally designed application looks now. It can
also be noticed that we have added more labels, which are the ones that will
show the results. These labels do not show text at the beginning of the
execution. As the information they display may be of different sizes, you
must change the AutoSize property of each label to True (as shown in
figure 11.9) and the WordWrap property to False. Additionally we have
added a button to close the application (Exit). We will program this button
using the Click event.

Figure 11.8. Adding Ref Edit widget.

To add the code that will be executed when you press the "Run" button,
double-click on the button. This will automatically create the subroutine
where the code will be contained (figure 11.10). By default, the subroutine
that is created will be associated with the "Click" event. This means that the
subroutine will be executed when the user makes a single click on the
button. However, it is possible to associate another event.
In figure 11.10, inside the rectangle, two combo boxes can be observed. The
one on the left contains all the controls that make up the application (figure
11.11). The one on the right contains all the events that can be programmed
for the control selected in the combo box on the left.

Figure 11.9. Adding command button and other labels.

Figure 11.10. Window where the code of the “Run” button will be written.

Figure 11.11. Controls that make up our application.

For example, in the case of the "Run" button, the possible events to
program are those shown in figure 11.12.
Just to illustrate how events work, we will program our "Run" button to
respond to the double-click of the mouse.
Figure 11.12. Events available for the "Run" button.
To add a subroutine associated with another event, select the event from the
combo box on the right. Selecting the double-click event (DblClick)
generates the space that will contain the subroutine, as shown in figure
11.13 (enclosed in the rectangle)

Figure 11.13. Space for the subroutine of the "Run" button associated with
the Dblclick event.
We are also going to program the KeyPress event, which will be activated
when the user, after clicking the "Run" button, now press any key. The
program will show a message that this option is not valid to run the
application. Figure 11.14 shows the body of the subroutine, associated with
the KeyPress event (rectangle).
Figure 11.14. Subroutine for the KeyPress event of the "Run" button.
Subroutine 11.1 shows the code for the KeyPress event.
Subroutine 11.1.
1 Private Sub Run_KeyPress(ByVal KeyAscii As
MSForms.ReturnInteger)
2 MsgBox "It is not here." & _
3 vbNewLine & "You must double-click on the button" &
vbNewLine & _
4 "to be able to run the application", _
5 vbOKOnly + vbCritical, "Results"
6 End Sub
The subroutine 11.2 shows the code associated with the DblClick event of
the "Run" button. This code is the one that will execute the calculations of
the application.
Subroutine 11.2.
1 Private Sub Run_DblClick(ByVal Cancel As
MSForms.ReturnBoolean)
2 Dim R As Range
3 Dim i, rows, n, lla, ula As Integer
4
5 Set R = Range(DataRange.Value)
6 rows = R.rows.Count
7 n=0
8 lla = CInt(LowerLimit.Value) 'Min Age
9 ula = CInt(UpperLimit.Value) 'Max Age
10
11 If lla >= WorksheetFunction.min(R) _
12 And ula <= WorksheetFunction.max(R) Then
13 For i = 1 To rows + 1
14 If R.Cells(i, 1).Value >= lla And _
15 R.Cells(i, 1).Value <= ula Then
16 n=n+1
17 End If
18 Next i
19 End If
20
21 If StatDevOp.Value = True Then
22 StandardDevRes =
VBA.Format(WorksheetFunction.StDev(R), "0.00")
23 End If
24 If AverageOp.Value = True Then
25 AverageRes = VBA.Format(WorksheetFunction.average(R),
"0.00")
26 End If
27 If MinAgeOp.Value = True Then
28 LowerAgeRes = WorksheetFunction.min(R)
 29 End If
30 If MaxAgeOp.Value = True Then
31 UpperAgeRes = WorksheetFunction.max(R)
32 End If
33 nElementsRes = n 'elements in the age range
34 End Sub

Some interesting comments about this code:

- To select the range of cells, we place the mouse inside the

DataRange control. Once there, we go to the spreadsheet and select the
range of cells with the information we want to use as input.

- That range of cells is read as a text string. In order to be used

as a Range object, it is necessary to use the Range instruction (line 5).
This range is assigned to the variable "R". Remember that in this case,
the use of the reserved word Set is similar to use a nickname to make it
easier and more practical to refer to the Range object.

- In lines 8 and 9, we used the CInt instruction so that text

strings read from text boxes are converted to numbers.

- The checkboxes can only have two values: True or False

(selected or not). This is what is evaluated in lines 21, 24, 27 and 30, for
each of the four checkboxes used in the program.

To execute this program, you can press F5 or the button Execute macro (it
is easy to recognize this button in the standard toolbar: it is a green triangle
pointing to the right). This should be done in this way, since a form is not in
itself a complete program, but part of a larger one. In order for an
application with windows (forms) to be launched without having to be in
the programming environment, its invocation must be done from (or be part
of) a subroutine.
In figure 11.15 you can see a stage during the execution of the program, in
which the selection of the range of cells to be used in the calculations is
shown. Figure 11.16 shows the window with the results.
To exit the application, the "Exit" button was programmed. The code that is
executed when pressing it is the one that is shown in subroutine 11.3.
Subroutine 11.3.
1 Private Sub
ExitStat_Click()
2 Unload Me
3 End Sub

Figure 11.15. Running our application.

Interesting in this code is that the instruction to end the application refers to
the object itself (Me). However, it can be changed by the name of the form:
Stat. This means that the Unload statement can close any other form.
Simply change the word Me for the name of the Userform (try changing Me
by Stat on line 2).
Chapter 5. The “Speed Search Control Panel
And Timing Comparison” Application
Please note that the run times will vary depending on your computer’s
processor and memory. The times shown below are based on an AMD
Athlon II X2 250 Processor (3 GHz) and 6 GB of RAM. Intel I7 processors
generally run a little slower than the AMD I used in my examples.
The VBA code within this control panel (which you can emulate in your
own applications) illustrates techniques to search enormous ranges using
various search methods and options to find EXACT matches. While some
of the search methods are specifically designed by Microsoft to find only
exact matches, the fastest search methods were designed to find either an
exact match, or if one is not available, then find the closest match.
Since most applications require exact matches, the code in the control panel
has been specifically modified to find ONLY exact matches, even for those
methods that can find either and exact match or the closest match. All nine
search methods produce identical results but with enormous run time
differences.
The VBA code within the control panel demonstrates how to “program
around” the limitations that are implicit in the native VLookup True and
Match Option 1 commands. Here’s a screen shot of the control panel
application which you can download:
Notice that each button is identified by a number from 1 through 10. These
numbers will be used to identify which button is being described below.
For example, Button 2 is the “Search Using Match Opt 1”. Button 3 is
immediately below that button and is entitled “Match Opt 1”. The odd
numbered buttons (3, 5, 7, 9) refer to the lower of the button pairs.
Worksheets Used In The Control Panel Application
In the “Search Speed Control Panel and Timing Comparison” application
there are four worksheets:
_1) Worksheet “ControlPanel” includes a button to sort the range to be
searched and nine other buttons that demonstrate different search methods
and options. This worksheet also displays the resulting time it takes to run
each search method to completion.
_2) Worksheet “AccountAging” contains the following five columns used
for Accounts Receivable aging.
Column Contents
Name
Company The Company
 ID Identifier
30 Days A/R > 0
Days, < 31
Days Due
60 Days A/R > 30
Days, < 61
Days Due
90 Days A/R > 60
Days, < 91
Days Due
Over 90 A/R Over 90
Days Days Due
_3) Worksheet “MasterCustomerList” contains the following twelve
columns of information for each Company:
Column Name Contents
Company ID The Company Identifier
Company Name Company Name
Address Company Address
City Company City
State Company State
Zip Company Zip
Contact First Name Contact First Name
Contact Last Name Contact Last Name
Phone 1 Company Phone 1
Phone 2 Company Phone 2
Email Company Email
Web URL Company Web URL

_4) Worksheet “CustomerAgingReport” contains five columns of

information composed of data collected from both the “AccountAging” and
“MasterCustomerList” worksheets. When any of the buttons 2 through 10
are pressed, the entire contents of “CustomerAgingReport” are cleared and
then rebuilt as the search procedures execute. The VLookup, Match and
Range.Find methods are used to combine the information from worksheets
“AccountAging” and “MasterCustomerList” and post the results to this
worksheet, “CustomerAgingReport”. The Company ID links the
information in “AccountAging” and “MasterCustomerList”.
Column Name Contents
Company ID The Company Identifier
Company Name Company Name
90 Days A/R > 60 Days, < 91 Days Due
Over 90 Days A/R Over 90 Days Due
Phone 1 Company Phone 1

The Logic of the Search Speed Control Panel

The VBA code procedures in in the downloadable Speed Search Control
Panel are good examples for you to incorporate into your own applications
that require searches using the Match, VLookup or Range.Find methods.
For every one of the 10,420 rows in worksheet “AccountAging” (one row at
a time) , the application uses the Company ID as a search argument to
locate the matching Company ID in worksheet “MasterCustomerList”.
When a match is found, the company name and phone number from
worksheet “MasterCustomerList” is used, along with data from
“AccountAging” to create a report in worksheet “CustomerAgingReport”.
The master customer list contains 114,652 customers in ascending
sequence.
That’s a staggering 1.19 billion possible combinations to be searched.
The fastest method will allow this astonishing number of potential
comparisons to be completed in just over 2 seconds (using my AMD
processor). The slowest method (Range.Find) will require over 15 minutes
and leave you wondering if your computer went to sleep.
In reality, the number of actual search comparisons will be much less than
the total combinations, since the binary search – as implemented in the
VLookup True and Match Option 1 methods – of a range of 114,652 rows
in Ascending sequence can locate a match in a maximum of 17
comparisons (114,652 is near 2 to the 17th power).
A sequential row by row search, as implemented in the VLookup False and
Match Option 0 methods will require about 10,420 X .5 X 114,652. Why?
Because on the average there will be as many searches above the half way
point in the range of 114,652 rows as there are below the half way point.
Search Speed Control Panel Application Buttons
The following segments briefly describe the code behind each of the ten
buttons in the Search Speed Control Panel. Then, the code behind each
button will be explained in full detail.
Button 1 – Sort 114,652 Records
When the user clicks the first button (Sort 114,652 Records), it takes around
3 seconds to perform the following functions that prepare worksheet
“MasterCustomerList” (the range to be searched), for all options of the
VLookup, Match and Range.Find commands. Even though the Match
Option 0 and VLookup False methods do not require the data to be in any
special order, it is sorted so that the Match Option 1 and VLookup True
methods will function properly.
_1) Convert each value in the search argument column to the same format
(i.e. if the search key is a Company ID and some Company ID’s are only
numeric and others are mixed text and numeric, format them all as Text.)
Note that if all the keys contain at least one Alpha character, this conversion
is not necessary. Also, if all the keys are numeric (i.e. dollar values or
measurements), then no conversion is necessary.
_2) Sort the range to be searched in Ascending Sequence
_3) Sequence check the range to make sure it adheres to Excel’s special
ascending sequence requirements
The procedure name used in the Visual Basic Editor attached to this button
is SortTableToBeSearched().
Button 2 – Search Using Match Opt 1
The second button illustrates the lightning-fast Match Option 1 method. On
my computer it executes in around 2 seconds. Option 1 of the Match
method requires the range to be searched to be in ascending order using
Excel’s special sort sequence. Although it will either find an exact or the
closest match less than the search argument, the surrounding code has been
modified to only accept an exact match. Of all the methods available to
search large ranges, this method is my recommendation. The code behind
this button uses the Application.WorksheetFunction.Match method. The
VBA Procedure name attached to this button is
SearchUsingMatchOption1().
Button 3 – Match Opt 1
The third button also illustrates the lightning-fast Match Option 1 method.
The VBA code and description of this method is almost identical to Button
2, except that the errors and “not found” conditions are handled in a
different manner. The code behind this button uses the Application.Match
method. The VBA Procedure name attached to this button is
SearchUsingMatchOption1Alt().
Button 4 – Search Using Vlookup True
The fourth button illustrates the fastest option for the VLookup command,
the True option. On my computer it executes in just over 2 seconds. The
True option of the VLookup method requires the range to be searched to be
in ascending order using Excel’s special sort sequence. Although it will
either find an exact or the closest match less than the search argument, the
surrounding code has been modified to only accept an exact match. This
method is not nearly as versatile as the Match Option 1 command, but if
programmed properly, it can almost rival the speed of the Match command.
The primary issue with the VLookup method is that it doesn’t return a
position or address of the item found, only a value. The code behind this
button uses the Application.WorksheetFunction.VLookup method. The
VBA Procedure name attached to this button is SearchUsingVlookupTrue().
Button 5 – Vlookup True
The fifth button also illustrates the Vlookup True option. The VBA code
and description of this method is almost identical to Button 4, except that
the errors and “not found” conditions are handled in a different manner.
The code behind this button uses the Application.VLookup method. The
VBA Procedure name attached to this button is
SearchUsingVlookupTrueAlt().
Button 6 – Search Using Match Opt 0
The sixth button illustrates the Match Option 0 designed by Microsoft to
only find exact matches. The primary advantage to this option is that the
range being searched can be in any order, eliminating any sorting or
sequence checking requirements. The method starts at the top of the range
being searched and proceeds row by row until a match is found. It is much
slower than the Match Option 1 if the range being searched is very large. If
an exact match is not located, the method throws an error code indicating
“not found:. The code behind this button uses the
Application.WorksheetFunction.Match method. The VBA Procedure name
attached to this button is SearchUsingMatchOption0().
Button 7 – Match Opt 0
The seventh button also illustrates the Match Option 0. The VBA code and
description of this method is almost identical to Button 6, except that the
errors and “not found” conditions are handled in a different manner. The
code behind this button uses the Application.Match method. The VBA
Procedure name attached to this button is SearchUsingMatchOption0Alt().
Button 8 – Search Using VLookup False
The eighth button uses the False option of the VLookup command which
will either find an Exact match or throw an unmatched error code. The
primary advantage to this option is that the range being searched can be in
any order, eliminating any sorting or sequence checking requirements. The
method starts at the top of the range being searched and proceeds row by
row until a match is found. However, the VLookup False is much slower
than the Match Option 0, even though both methods search row by row.
The code behind this button uses the
Application.WorksheetFunction.VLookup method. The VBA Procedure
name attached to this button is SearchUsingVlookupFalse().
Button 9 – Vlookup False
The ninth button also illustrates the VLookup False option. The VBA code
and description of this method is almost identical to Button 8, except that
the errors and “not found” conditions are handled in a different manner.
The code behind this button uses the Application.VLookup method. The
VBA Procedure name attached to this button is
SearchUsingVlookupFalseAlt().
Button 10 – Search Using Range Find
The tenth and final button illustrates the Range.Find method. Any range
object can be searched for matching items. This method is by far the
slowest, and is almost impractical for large searches such as the one
illustrated in the “Speed Search Control Panel and Timing Comparison”
application. It starts at the first row of the range being searched and
proceeds row by row until either a match is found or all rows have been
searched.
The user can specify if an exact match is required (LookAt:=xlWhole) or a
partial match is requested (LookAt:=xlPart).
The VBA Procedure name attached to this button is
SearchUsingRangeFind().
Chapter 6. Performing Statistical Analysis
Using Formulas
Weighted Averages
The weighted average is utilized in averaging values in cases where each of
these values plays a smaller or larger role in the set. The table below shows
a company’s investment portfolio. For each portfolio fund, the whole value,
as well as return on the investment, is also shown. Want we want to find is
the total returns on this portfolio. Calculating the simple average will not be
enough since each of these investments contributes different amounts to the
total portfolio.
Calculating the weighted average, the % contribution of each investment
concerning the portfolio’s total value is multiplied by the rate of return of
the investment. The SUMPRODUCT function does a great job of
multiplying two different values and then adding up each of the results. The
SUMPRODUCT function can take about 255 arguments, which are
separated by commas; however, this formula only requires two arguments.
=SUMPRODUCT ( (C4:C8/$C$9) , D4:D8)
The 1st argument takes the value of each investment and then divides it by
the whole value. This yields five percentages representing each
investment’s weight.
A B C D E
1
2
3 Investment Value Return
Rate
4 Duffy Cap Fund 25,419.31 7.410%
5 Roberto Bond 72,021.35 2.500%
Fund
6 Sparks Income 139,806.15 10.120%
fund
7 Ziff Investor 97,440.65 4.400%
Fund
8 Cowbsell 88,967.56 5.100%
 International
Fund
9 Weighted 423,655.02 6.292%
Average Return

When using the SUMPRODUCT function, each of the 1st argument’s

elements is multiplied by its corresponding element in the 2nd argument.
C4/C9 is multiplied by D4, while that of C5/C9 is also multiplied by D4.
When the five elements are multiplied, then the five products are summed
up using the SUMPRODUCT function.
If we make use of AVERAGE to discover the average of these returns, then
we will get 5.906%. This result is less than our weighted average because
investments such as Sparks Income fund has an investment has higher
return compared to the average as well as representing a bigger part of the
portfolio.
Smoothening of Data Using Moving Averages
Moving averages are utilized in smoothening out data to present a better
picture of the data’s overall trend. This is very effective when data points
lack a regular pattern. The figure below reveals some golf scores. People
that know much about golf knows how scores can be so irregular for the
different rounds.
We need to smoothen out the lows and highs to create a chart that reveals
the progress of these scores. To achieve this, the scores’ moving average
can be calculated, and then these values plotted on the chart.
=IF(ROW()<12,NA(), AVERAGE(OFFSET(D4,-9,0,10,1)))
This formula utilizes some Excel functions to achieve this task. The IF
function appears first, which gives the #N/A for the 1st 9 rows.
To return the mean of the initial ten scores, the AVERAGE function is used.
About 255 arguments are taken by the AVERAGE function; however, only
one needs to be supplied.
fx =IF(ROW()<12,NA(),
AVERAGE(OFFSET(D4,-9,0,10,1)))
A B C D E F
1
2
3 Date Course Score Moving
Average
4 5:13:2013 Tiburon Golf 98 #NA
Club
5 5:20:2013 Colbert Hills 88 #NA
6 5:27:2013 Colbert Hills 84 #NA
7 6:3:2013 Colbert Hills 94 #NA
8 6:10:2013 Tiburon Golf 85 #NA
Club
9 6:17:2013 Tiburon Golf 88 #NA
Club
10 6:24:2013 Tiburon Golf 89 #NA
Club
11 7:1:2013 Iron Horse Golf 84 #NA
Club
12 7:8:2013 Tiburon Golf 84 #NA
Club
13 7:15:2013 Tiburon Golf 97 89.1
Club
14 7:22:2013 Tiburon Golf 97 89.0
Club
15 7:29:2013 Tiburon Golf 84 88.6
Club
16 8:5:2013 Iron Horse Golf 86 88.8
Club
17 8:12:2013 Tiburon Golf 89 88.3
Club
18 8:19:2013 Tiburon Golf 89 88.7
Club
19 8:26:2013 Tiburon Golf 93 89.2
Club
 20 9:2:2013 Tiburon Golf 90 89.3
Club
21 9:9:2013 Tiburon Golf 90 89.9
Club
22 9:16:2013 Tiburon Golf 85 90.0
Club
23 9:22:2013 Indian Creek 90 89.3
Golf course
24 9:30:2013 Iron Horse Golf 94 89.0
Club
25 10:7:2013 Indian Creek 93 89.9
Golf course
26 10:14:2013 Bent Tree 90 90.3
27 10:21:2013 Indian Creek 100 91.4
Golf course
28
29
30

The OFFSET function included is used in returning a given range, which

offset from the beginning point. The OFFSET arguments are stated below:
Height: The number of rows that should be present in the returned range
Reference: That cell where this OFFSET function begins
Width: The number of columns that should be present in the returned range
Cols: These are the columns from the beginning cell. Positive numbers are
counted to the right, while negative numbers are counted to the left.
Rows: These are the rows away from the beginning cell
If cell D13 is made the reference argument, the OFFSET begins its counting
from here. The -9 present in the rows argument is telling OFFSET to begin
its counting up by nine rows. The zero present in the cols argument means
that the OFFSET function remains in that column.
The height argument is placed at 10, which means our range will have a
height of 10 rows or D4:D13. 1, which is made the width argument
maintains the range at just one column. The OFFSET function gives the
result and what is converted into AVERAGE is the D4:D13 range
Creating Descriptive Statistics with the Use of Functions
Data can be presented in quantitative summaries when utilizing descriptive
statistics. What you’re producing when data is summed, counted, or
averaged, is descriptive statistics. Here, we’ll be considering some
functions that can be used in profiling any set of data as well as ensure
comparisons that can be utilized in some other analysis can be enabled.
Getting the smallest or largest value
The figure below tells the average high temperatures for each month for the
Marietta city, Georgia. Here, we want to know those months having the
lowest and highest average temperature. The formula below will tell the
maximum average high temperature
=MAX (C4:C15)
fx =MAX(C4:C15)
A B C D E F
1
2
3 Month Average
High Temp
4 JAN 31
5 FEB 35 Max Min
6 MAR 43 73 31
7 APR 50 Max Min
Month Month
8 MAY 59 JUL JAN
9 JUN 65
10 JUL 73
11 AUG 69
12 SEP 62
 13 OCT 51
14 NOV 41
15 DEC 34
16

The formula that comes after will bring back the month corresponding to
the earlier formula’s temperature.
=INDEX(B4:B15,MATCH(E6,C4:C15,FALSE),1)
Two functions are provided by Excel to determine the smallest and largest
values found in a range: MIN and MAX. The two formulas can accept
about 255 arguments. The data we are working with is found in C4:C15,
and this is the range passed into MIN and MAX. MAX returns the highest
value in the range, which is 73, while MIN returns the smallest value,
which is 31.
Calculation of Median, Mean and Mode
When referring to average, we are talking about the arithmetic mean. If we
have some student’s scores set at cell C4 to Cell 23. For mean, we use the
AVERAGE function. To compute the median, mean, and mode for these
scores, we use:
=MEDIAN (C4:C23)
=AVERAGE (C4:C23)
=MODE (C4:C23)
If there’s a great difference between the MEDIAN and AVERAGE, it
means the grades were not distributed evenly throughout the population.
The MEDIAN returns the value that is in the center; if the number of grades
is even in number, then we cannot get a particular value that claims the
middle spot. So, in this case, we need to find the mean of the two values.
The MODE gives you the grade that appears the most.
Data separation into percentiles
When data is separated into bins or buckets, we are providing insight into
how each of these values is compared to the whole. The figure below
reveals a list of workers processing a product and how much default per one
thousand products. Here, we’ll be trying to bucket the data to 4 bins to
easily identify those performing well as well as those workers that may
need additional training.
To compute this demarcation, Excel 19 has the QUARTILE function. A
quartile is a type of bucket holding 25% of the whole data.
=QUARTILE ($C$4:$C$33,6-ROW(A2))
fx =QUARTILE ($C$4:$C$33,6-
ROW(A2))
A B C D E F G H
1
2
3 Employee Defects/1000 Quartile
4 Adam 47 1 Maximum 50.0
John
5 Alex Cone 31 3 25th 23.0
percentile
6 Alfred 50 1 50th 31.0
Gonzalez percentile
7 Alyssa 41 2 75th 44.5
Clark percentile
8 Amelia 30 3
Rose
9 Anna 30 3
Grace
1 Audrey 23 4
0 Love
11 Chloe 27 3
Brian
1 Eli Brown 34 2
2
1 Eric Green 48 1
3
1 Evan Lucy 17 4
4
1 Evelyn 22 4
5 Salt
1 Gabriel 43 2
6 John
1 Gabriella 45 1
7 Daniel
1 Genesis 23 4
8 Stone
1 Isabella 49 1
9 Garcia
2 Jaden 50 1
0 Henry
2 Jerry 19 4
1 Palmer
2 Joseph 17 4
2 Arthur
2 Katelyn 31 3
3 Stark
2 Kyle 19 4
4 Walker
2 Laura 47 1
5 Allen
2 Layla 47 1
6 Lovren
2 Lillian 27 3
7 Marshall
2 Mason 41 2
8 Matthews
2 Nathaniel 42 2
9 Allen
3 Samuel 21 4
0 Gomez
3 Sean 39 2
 1 Chavez
3 Victoria 20 4
2 Cox
3 William 27 3
3 Freeman
3
4

The QUARTILE function provides the demarcation lines. Cell D4’s

MATCH formula in the figure above will locate the quartile where the cell
C3 value will fall into. This formula is now copied and used for the
remaining values.
=MATCH (C4,$G$4:$G$7,-1)
This function picks some values as well as an integer that represents the
quartile to return. Values accepted for the quart argument include Minimum
value (0), 25th percentile (1), 50th percentile (2), 75th percentile (3),
Maximum values (4).
If that quart argument does not fall into the 0-4 range, then it brings an
error. Anytime the quart argument comes in decimal form, just the integer
part of the decimal value is used.

Creation of Frequency Distribution

Quartiles are a well-known way of grouping data into buckets and bins; this
is the major reason why Excel has a reliable QUARTILE function. In some
cases, you may prefer grouping your data into your defined bins. Below is a
list of invoices (just a part shown out of the 50) as well as the whole amount
that was sold on every invoice. What we want to know is how common it
will be for our customers to buy between $1 & $100 and so on.
The FREQUENCY function of Excel 19 will count the invoices falling
within our defined bins.
=FREQUENCY (C4:C53,F4:F13)
The FREQUENCY function deals with two arguments: The data that needs
to be categorized into bins as well as the numbers representing the bin’s
highest amount. First of all, the bin values should be entered in the F
column. The formula is not affected by column E; it’s simply here to show
each bin’s lower bound.
To input FREQUENCY into column G, first of all, highlight range G4:G13
then type in the formula. The FREQUENCY formula result reveals that
most customers buy $200 - $300 for each visit.
Chapter 7. Scenario Building with One-way
Data Table
In business decisions, we often ask ourselves what-ifs: What if the interest
rates increases by 2 percentage points? What if the purchase price can be
negotiated down by $10,000? Moreover, we would like to compare
different scenarios side-by-side. Excel provides such powerful capabilities
with an convenient tool called Data Tables.
This functionality is part of a group under Analysis called “What-if”. On a
Mac, here is where you find it under Data:

On a Windows PC, it is also under DATA:

Now let us look at a simple example.

Example (Restaurant ratings: Scenario Analysis) A travel guide is updating
its restaurant ratings in a town, which has 10 restaurants. It has collected
numeric data, on a 0-100 scale on food quality, service quality, and dining
environment of each of the dining places. Moreover, the weights for each of
the dimensions are 40%, 30%, and 30%. Set up a spreadsheet to calculate
their weighted scores.
Moreover, in order to get a comprehensive picture, set up a table to count
how many of them are above 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, and 90, respectively.
Solution This problem has mentioned in an early module of this course.
Below is the model.

There we are only interested in how many scored above 80. Here, however,
we need to do more. We could manually change the cutoff value (from 65
to 90, five times), and record the results for each cutoff. It will be great if
we could automate the process and let Excel perform this scenario analysis
on its own. Fortunately, Excel’s Data Table does just that.
In here, we just need to vary one variable, i.e, the cutoff value, which is
stored in a separate cell (B4). This allows us to do a one-way data table,
whose procedures are as follows:
1- List all the cutoff values in one column;
2- In the header of the adjacent column over, define what output is here.
Because we are interested in how many restaurant will cross a certain
threshold, which is in cell B4, we just type =B32, as the following shows:
3- Select the entire table, including the header, and go to Data → What-if
→ Data Table, and the following window shows up.

This basically ask you where those scenarios of cutoff values should go into
the model. The answer is cell B4, where the original cutoff value is stored.
Because those scenarios are lined up in a column as we did in step 1, we
leave “Row Input Cell” empty, and in “Column Input Cell” select cell B4.
You will notice that Excel automatically adds $ signs to absolute reference
that cell. After you click OK, the magic happens:

By now, you should be able to see what Data Table does. It is still the
model’s job to formulate a model and specify scenarios. But Excel can
automate the calculation for each scenario, and produce the desired results
for each scenario very quickly.
Then, let us look at an example, where it shows that you can output more
than one variable of interests using one-way data table.

Solution Excel's Data Table is perfect for studying multiple scenarios in

situations like this. Let us cover this step by step.
Step 1. We build up the proper model first. This is done in rows 3-9, which
is an application of the PMT function, which we talked about earlier. As
is shown there, if they pay down $10,000, their monthly payment is
$1835.98, and the total interest payment is $90,477.10.
Step 2. Then, we set up the scenarios we are interested in studying. Here,
they are about down payment, and there are five of them: $10,000,
$20,000, $30,000, $40,000 or $50,000. We listed them in a column in B15-
B19.
Step 3. The objectives are two: monthly payment and total interest. We use
C14 and D14 to link back to our original model so that Excel knows what
objectives the data tables are to compute. So in cell C14, we simply enter
=C9,
and in cell D14 we enter
=C10.
Step 4. Now we need to let Excel know what these scenarios are about and
compute those monthly payment and interest payment for us. To do that,
select the whole table in B14-D19 with your mouse, and then go to Data→
What-if Analysis, and then click on Data Table. The following dialog
window will appear.

Here all our scenarios are in a column, and they all refer to different down
payment in our original model. So enter $C$4 in the “Column input cell”
field. Leave the “Row input cell” field empty. Once you click OK, new
numbers will fill the table.
To check our results, as the down payment goes up, the monthly payment
decreases. So does the total interest payment. This is indeed what we
should expect. In fact, we can compute the difference for each increment in
down payment: every $10,000 increase in down payment will decrease
monthly payment by $76.50, and total interest payment by $3,769.88. With
such analytics knowledge, now it is up to Mary and Joe to decide which
down payment option to choose.
Note that, there are two different y-axis with different scales. This is
because the magnitude of the series differ too much to be meaningfully
presented in one figure (to see how to do add a second axis, check the
visualize segment of this course). Nevertheless, the slopes of the two lines
are exactly as we have anticipated: As one pays more down, her monthly
payment as well as total interests goes down. Because the y-axis are
negative numbers the chart shows a positive slope.
This following example shows that when the scenarios are built based on
two different cells, separates data tables need to be built.
Example (Which Channel? Scenario Analysis) Tom, an aspiring author, has
written a new novel and is using four channels to publish and distribute his
writing. There are two large online channels (called A and B), an
independent self-publishing channel (called C), and a physical store (called
D). Each channel has its own fee structure, and each commands different
market share (listed below).

Suppose the novel will sell 1,000 copies, and Tom has decided to price it at
$9.99. In addition to knowing the total revenue he gets from each channel,
Tom is concerned with the following:
(1) He wants to know how his income would change if his top two channels
(A and B) were to change their fee percentage.
(2) He is also curious as to how the overall demand will affect his revenue
from all four channels.
Build a what-if analysis to answer Tom’s questions.
Solution Before doing scenario analysis, we need to build a model. This
model has been built and mentioned in the Build Models module of this
course. So we will not repeat here, except to show the completed model
here (from Row 1 to Row 12 in the picture below).
To answer the first question, we need to set up a one-way data table for fee
percentages for channels A and B. To do that, let us say they could vary
between 10% to 70% for both channels, each in 5% increment, and list
them out as two separate columns (in B18-B30, and D18-D30,
respectively).
Then, we define our variables of interest. For channel A, it is the total
revenue from A in cell B12. Therefore, in the top row of the data table (cell
B17), we enter =B12.
The third step is to select the entire table (A17-B30), and go to Data→
What-if → Data table. Because those scenarios are about channel A’s fee
percentage in cell B12, we enter that as column input cell, and leave row
input cell empty (see below).
You will see the table gets filled after your click on OK.
Repeat the same steps for channel B. Its column input cell should be C8,
where the fee percentage of channel B is.

Now that we have the two tables, we can put them in one figure:

We can see that as the fee percentages for both channels go up, the authors
get less revenue. Moreover, we see that the slope of decrease is steeper for
channel A. In fact, from the data tables, we can compute the difference in
revenue for each 5% increase in fees. For channel A, it is $364.63, and for
channel B it is $69.93. Why?
The reason is apparent if we apply our modeling thinking and go back to
our original model. The objective of total revenue from each channel is
formulated as:
Revenue from a channel = Demand x unit revenue.
In our model, any fee change will not cause any change in demand, but it
will affect unit revenue to the author which is formulated as:
Unit revenue = Unit price x (1 - fee percentage).
So, any 5% increase in fee will result in a reduction of unit revenue by
$9.99 x 5% = $0.4995. Demand remains to be 1000 units x 73% market
share = 730 units. Hence the net effect of change in total revenue from
channel A is $0.4995 x 730 = $364.63.
Similarly for channel B, the net effect of change in total revenue is $0.4995
x (1000 x 14%) = $69.93.
The implication of this result is that the author’s revenue is more sensitive
to the channel that has the highest market share (i.e., channel A), therefore
more attention needs to be paid on this key variable.
To answer the second question on the effect of overall demand, we follow
the same procedure. To create scenarios, we vary demand from 300 up to
1800 with the increment of 100. This time, however, because all four
quantities of interests (Revenue A, B, C, and D) are functions of the same
demand, we only need one DataTable, as shown below.
In row 17, we link the four variables to the original model. Then select the
whole range of A17-E33, and go to Data Table, and select Demand (cell
B4) as column input cell:
 After the table is filled, we can
then plot a line chart to visualize the effects (you can also use other
techniques such as conditional formatting there we have covered in the
Visualize module).

As
expected, we see that because channel A has the largest market share,
revenue from this channel is much more sensitive to demand changes.
Since channel B and channel C have relatively small market share
compared to channel A, their revenue impact is similar even though their
fees differ quite a bit.
So far we have covered one-way Data Table: scenario studies on just one
variable. Excel can also do two-way Data Table, considering simultaneous
changes in two variables. Let’s look at how it is done.
Exercise on one-way DataTable
1. In the channel example above, Tom is interested in seeing how his
revenue may change with potential changes in channel A’s market share
(say, at 50%, 60%, 70%, 80% and 90%). Build a model to answer that.
2. In the restaurant rating example, repeat the one-way table analysis but
this time calculate how many restaurants are (1) over each threshold and (2)
have agreed to be included in the guide.
3. In the mortgage example, what is the impact of reducing number of
payments on monthly mortgage payment and total interest amount?
Chapter 8. An Event Macro
The VBA is an event-oriented language.
An event macro enables a macro to run automatically following certain
events made in the manuscript, such as opening, closing, saving, double-
clicking, changing and more.
A macro of this kind is written at the worksheet level or at the workbook
level and not at the module level.
An event macro written at the worksheet level will apply only to the
worksheet it was written in, while an event macro at the workbook level
will apply to all the worksheets in the file.
Note:
The macro names are pre-determined and cannot be changed.
An event macro at the worksheet level
1. Double-click the name of the desired worksheet in the object
explorer:

2. In the upper-left window select WorkSheet:

3. Choose the event that will run the code automatically from a list in the
right window.
The following table lists the important events in the worksheet:
Macro Action
Change This macro will run automatically when a value in one of the
worksheet cells changes
SelectionChange This macro will run automatically when cells in the
worksheet are selected
Note: when selecting an event macro of Change type, the reserved word
Target will appear inside the brackets.
Target represents the range that triggered the event (contrary to ActiveCell
that represents the active cell).
Run the following code to see the difference between Target and
ActiveCell:
An event macro at the workbook level
1. Double-click ThisWorkBook:

2. In the left upper window, select Workbook:

3. Choose the event which will run the code automatically from the list
in the right window.
The following table lists the important events in the workbook:
Open: This macro will run automatically when you open the workbook
BeforeClose: This macro will run before the file is closed (it enables the
running of tests which prevent the file from being closed if pre-determined
conditions were not fulfilled)
NewSheet: This macro will run when a new worksheet is added
BeforeSave: This macro will run before the file is saved
Deactivate: This macro will run when the workbook will become non-
active (for example, when selecting a different file)
SheetChange: This macro will run when a change occurs in one of the
worksheets
The above event macro is the Workbook_open type; in other words, this
macro runs when the workbook is opened.
In this case, when the file opens, the second worksheet will open
automatically.
Tip:
The following code cancels the workbook closure:
Supplements
How to protect the code from being viewed or copied
This protection blocks the unauthorized user from entering the code,
looking at it or editing it.
1. Right-click on the project window (you can click anywhere in the
project area).
2. Select VBAProject Properties.
3. In the open window, select the Protection tab:
4. Check 'Lock project for viewing'.
5. Enter password.
6. Any attempt to enter the VBA editor will open a window requesting a
password:
Note:
The protection will only take effect after closing and reopening the file.
Recommendation:
It is recommended to use a password that you can easily remember when
you will try to view the code in the future…
Increase the macro running speed
Long codes that work on a large range of data slow the computer processing
power.
One of the main reasons for that is that every action executed while the
code is running actually takes place on the screen.
It is possible to make the code run without the screen refreshing:
At the beginning of the code write the command:
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Don’t forget to return the screen to refresh at the end of the code by the
command:
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
Calling a macro from another macro
You can run a macro from another macro. The call is made by writing the
second code name inside the current one.
For example:
In the above example, running the code CallMacro, which calls the code
MyMsg, will display a text box with the word "Hello".
Using the Microsoft Excel functions in a macro
Sometimes we want to use Excel functions in the macro we write. It is done
by the Application.WorksheetFunction code, followed by the desired
function name.
For example:
Range("a11").Value = _
Application.WorksheetFunction.Average(Range("a1:a10"))
Using colors
There are a few methods for choosing a color:
• By using the color name, for example vbRed.
• By using the index number of the color, for example ColorIndex=3:
Range("a1").Interior.Color = vbRed
Range("a2").Interior.ColorIndex = 26
Range("a3").Font.Color = vbBlue
Range("a4").Font.ColorIndex = 10
Basic list of colors
Index Color
1 Black
2 White
3 Red
4 Green
5 Blue
6 Yellow
To find all the color codes (56 colors) you can write the following code,
which colors the background of the cells in column A according to the
index number of the color:
For ColIndex = 1 To 56
Cells(ColIndex, 1).Interior.ColorIndex = ColIndex
Next
• By using the RGB code, for example:
ActiveCell.Interior.Color = RGB(200, 3, 8(
Remove modules
Right click on the module name and select Remove module.
If you choose to export it, the module will be saved in a ".bas" file.
Using the VBA Editor help
At any stage of the code writing, you can use help in two ways:
1. From the Help menu:
2. By writing a word in the VB editor and pressing F1.
Immediate window
This window enables you to run code lines for examination purposes,
without needing to run them from the code itself.
This option is available only while there is no code running (if the code was
not activated, or if it reached a breakpoint).
Displaying the variable value
To display the variable value, use the sign ‘?’ (Question mark), and press
Enter right after the command.
For example:
The above command will display the username as earlier defined in the
software.
In the same way, the following command:
Will show the row number of the active cell.
Performing VBA commands
Type the command (without the question mark):
The above command will enter the value 10 into cell A1.
Note:
You can run only one command at a time.
Another option for getting information in a window is by using the
command debug.print inside the code.
This command does not affect the running of the code itself, and its purpose
is to send information to the Immediate window (make sure the window is
displayed…).
Keyboard Shortcuts
Action Keys
Displays the Help window F1
Displays the Object Browser F2
Displays the following search result, after closing the Search window F3
Displays the last search result, after closing the Search window Shift+F3
Displays the Properties window F4
Runs the entire procedure F5
Runs the procedure step-by-step F8
Adds and removes a breakpoint in the line where the cursor is located F9
Step Over - While running a code in a‘ step-by-step’ mode, which calls to
another code, this keyboard shortcut enables the external code to be run as a
whole, without entering into it Shift+F8
Runs the code to the point where the cursor is Ctrl+F8
Stops the code's running Ctrl+Shift+F8
Removes all breakpoints Ctrl+Shift+F9
Copy Ctrl+C
Cut Ctrl+X
Paste Ctrl+V
Cut an entire row Ctrl+Y
Displays the export code window Ctrl+E
Displays the import code window Ctrl+M
Displays the search window Ctrl+F
Displays the immediate window Ctrl+G
Displays the replace window Ctrl+H
Displays the project explorer window Ctrl+R
Cancels the last action Ctrl+Z
Indents one line in Tab
Indents one line out Shift+Tab
Go to the adjacent module Ctrl+Tab
Stops the code from running (especially effective when the code enters an
infinite loop and we want to stop its execution) Ctrl+Break
Macros – Give Me the FAQs
“There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact.” – Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle
The following are the most common questions I get about VBA
What is a Macro?
A Macro is a set of programming instructions that you can use to perform
any task in Excel.
What is VBA?
VBA stands for Visual Basic for Applications. Visual Basic is a
programming language Microsoft includes with each of their Office
Products. It is the language you use to create Macros. The Basic language
was originally created to allow anyone to write code. In fact the B in Basic
stands for Beginner.
Why use it?
You can automate repetitive tasks or add new functionality to Excel.
Can you give an example?
Imagine you had to copy data from 10 different workbooks on a daily basis.
Using VBA you could automate this using a simple procedure. Also it
would run much quicker using VBA than you could do it manually.
What are the benefits?
You can save vast amounts of time on repetitive tasks. If you do the same
task many times a week then you could create a Macro to do it for you.
It sounds good, are there any other benefits?
It can do complex tasks very quickly. For example comparing two
worksheets with thousands of cells would take seconds with a Macro. It
would take humans a lot longer.
You can also do things outside of Excel like send Emails, write to
Databases, create XML files etc.
Tell me just one more benefit
VBA is compact. It has minimal impact on the workbook size and speed.
Therefore if you replace complex formulas with VBA you can make your
workbook smaller and faster.
Is it difficult to learn?
No. If you are learning VBA then you probably know Excel pretty well.
VBA requires the same kind of mind set. All you need is to follow the steps
and be willing to put in the time and effort. The good news is you can start
as simple as you like and build as slow or fast as you like.
Where is the VBA Code stored?
Code is stored as part of the workbook file. It is stored as text. This is why
it had minimal impact on the size of a workbook.
Which Version of Excel should I Use?
VBA is almost the same in versions of Excel 2007, 2010 and 2013. The
examples in this writing should work with all these versions
Chapter 9. The Macro Recorder
One of the most important tools you can use as an Excel developer is the
Macro Recorder. The macro recorder acts like a built-in programmer, and
generates VBA code in a module inside the VBE that mimics what you do
when recording the macro from the main Excel interface. The code
generated by the macro recorder is by no means optimal. It can be clumsy
and repetitive and doesn’t use many of the powerful looping statements
available in VBA.
That being said, it’s a great way to find out which properties and objects are
used to accomplish your goals. After looking back at the code generated,
most professional developers significantly modify the code or just
incorporate portions of the recorded statements into an existing application.
Launching The Macro Recorder In Excel 2003
Let’s start with a simple example of recording a macro that will copy cells
A1 through E10 from Sheet1 to cell F1 in Sheet2. These are the steps:
__ 1) First, place some data in cells A1 through E10 of Sheet1.
__ 2) To make sure that the macro will run, we need to set the security
settings. From the menu bar, select Tools, Macro, Security

__ 3) Set the security level to low.

__ 4) From the menu bar, start recording the macro by selecting Tools,
Macro, Record New Macro.

__ 5) We will not be discussing those options at this point.

__ 6) If you don’t see the “Stop Recording” icon listed below, then you can
enable it. It is not necessary, however, to use the “Stop Recording” icon
because you can stop recording from the regular menu bar options.

__ 7) In case you DO want to enable the “Stop Recording” icon, then go to

the menu bar, select View, Toolbars, and then put a checkmark beside “Stop
Recording”.
__ 8) You are now ready to record your actions. In Sheet1, click on cell A1
and drag it down to cell E10. The entire rectangular area will be selected.

__ 9) Either do a Ctrl-C (Control Key + the letter C) or from the menu bar,
select Edit, Copy.
__ 10) Switch to Sheet2. Select Cell F1. Then from the menu bar, select
Edit, Paste. Your data will be pasted into Sheet2 starting with cell F1.
__ 11) Now, in Sheet2, click on cell A1.
__ 12) Switch to Sheet1. Notice that the selected cells still have the active
copy status. Press the ESC key and click on cell A1 in Sheet1.
__ 13) You have performed all the actions you required, so now you are
ready to stop recording the macro. Either use the “Stop Recording” icon, or
from the menu bar, select Tools, Macro, Stop Recording. As soon as you
do this, your macro will appear in the VBE within a module.
__ 14) The code generated appears as follows:
__ 15 ) A professional developer would replace all the code above with a
much simpler version:
Sub CopySheet1CellsToSheet2Simple()
ThisWorkbook.Sheets("Sheet1").Range("A1:E10").Copy
ThisWorkbook.Sheets("Sheet2").Range("F1")
End Sub
The single statement used to copy cells A1:E10 from Sheet1 to Sheet2
explicitly references the workbook and worksheet names of the cells that
are copied. Another method, using workbook and worksheet variables, will
be described shortly in detail but the following example gives you a view.
While using workbook and worksheet variables increases the number of
statements, it is the best way to code for more complex applications. Here’s
the same copy function, but coded with workbook and worksheet variables:
Sub CopySheet1CellsToSheet2WithVar()
Dim wkbCopyExample As Workbook
Dim wksSourceWorksheet As Worksheet
Dim wksTargetWorksheet As Worksheet
Set wkbCopyExample = ThisWorkbook
Set wksSourceWorksheet = wkbCopyExample.Sheets("Sheet1")
Set wksTargetWorksheet = wkbCopyExample.Sheets("Sheet2")
wksSourceWorksheet.Range("A1:E10").Copy
wksTargetWorksheet.Range("F1")
End Sub
Launching The Macro Recorder In Excel 2007, 2010 and 2013
We will use the same example as we did for Excel 2003 - recording a macro
that will copy cells A1 through E10 from Sheet1 to cell F1 in Sheet2.
These are the steps from your Excel 2007/2010/2013:
__ 1) Open a new blank workbook
__ 2) Place some data in cells A1 through E10 of Sheet1
__ 3) Save the workbook as a macro-enabled workbook using any name
you choose by selecting the File tab, then Save As, and change the file type
to macro-enabled workbook:
__ 4) Start recording the macro by using the “Start Macro Recording”
button in the lower left portion of your screen. (You can also use the
“Record Macro” button in the Ribbon’s Developer Tab or the “Record
Macro” button in the Ribbon’s View Tab…it’s hiding underneath the
“Macros” button as a drop-down).

__ 5) We will not be discussing those options at this point.

__ 6) You are now ready to record your actions. In Sheet1, click on cell A1
and drag it down to cell E10. The entire rectangular area will be selected.
__ 7) Either do a Ctrl-C (Control Key + the letter C) or use the Copy button
in the Ribbon’s Home Tab.
__ 8) Switch to Sheet2. Select Cell F1. Then either do a Ctrl-V or use the
Paste button in the Ribbon’s Home Tab. Your data will be pasted into
Sheet2 starting with cell F1.
__ 9) Now, in Sheet2, click on cell A1.
__ 10) Switch to Sheet1. Notice that the selected cells still have the active
copy status. Press the ESC key and then click on cell A1 in Sheet1.
__ 11) You have performed all the actions you required, so now you are
ready to stop recording the macro. Use the “Stop Recording” button in the
lower left of your screen to stop the recording.

__ 12) As soon as you do this, your macro will appear in the VBE within a
module. The code generated appears as follows:
__ 13 ) A professional developer would replace all the code above with a
much simpler version:
Sub CopySheet1CellsToSheet2Simple()
ThisWorkbook.Sheets("Sheet1").Range("A1:E10").Copy
ThisWorkbook.Sheets("Sheet2").Range("F1")
End Sub
The single statement used to copy cells A1:E10 from Sheet1 to Sheet2
explicitly references the workbook and worksheet names of the cells that
are copied. Another method, using workbook and worksheet variables, will
be described shortly in detail but the following example gives you a view.
While using workbook and worksheet variables increases the number of
statements, it is the best way to code for more complex applications. Here’s
the same copy function, but coded with workbook and worksheet variables:
Sub CopySheet1CellsToSheet2WithVar()
Dim wkbCopyExample As Workbook
Dim wksSourceWorksheet As Worksheet
Dim wksTargetWorksheet As Worksheet
Set wkbCopyExample = ThisWorkbook
Set wksSourceWorksheet = wkbCopyExample.Sheets("Sheet1")
Set wksTargetWorksheet = wkbCopyExample.Sheets("Sheet2")
wksSourceWorksheet.Range("A1:E10").Copy
wksTargetWorksheet.Range("F1")
End Sub
Chapter 10. The Excel Object Model
As you use Excel, you probably see the workbooks, worksheets, and ranges
as part of the application and not as individual objects. Internally, however,
Excel treats these parts as individual, self-contained, objects in a
hierarchical model called the Excel Object Model. You can take advantage
of these objects to create VBA solutions without having to write too much
code.
Objects and Collections
In programming or software, objects are packaged functionality with a
defined set of behaviours (known as methods in VBA) and characteristics
(known as properties in VBA). You can put various objects together to
create solutions programmatically.
A collection is an object that groups several related objects together so that
they can be programmatically controlled as a unit. A collection can have
zero or more related objects. For example, there is a Worksheets collection
which can hold several Worksheet objects. Each Worksheet object in the
collection has its own properties and methods. However, the Worksheets
collection also has its own properties and methods that you can use to
control multiple Worksheet objects within it as a single unit.
The Object Hierarchy
The Excel object model is a structured model with different objects
organised into a hierarchy based on the relationships between the objects.
The object model defines which objects are exposed and how they relate to
each other. The highest object in the hierarchy is Application, which
represents the Excel application itself.
The image below shows a subset of the Excel object model. A rectangle
represents a collection of objects and an oval represents a single object.
You can use the pre-packaged functionality in Excel objects to create
custom solutions without having to write the code from scratch. For
example, you may want to create a solution that uses the PivotTable object
in Excel to display data to the user. You don't have to write the code to
create a pivot table from scratch. That would be way too daunting! Instead,
you can declare a PivotTable object and access the functionality that’s
already built into it.
Declaring an Object
To create an instance of an object to access its methods and properties, you
must first declare it as an object variable in your procedure.
For example, the following code declares rngVAT as a Range object
variable:
Dim rngVAT As Range
If you intend to use an object in multiple places in your code, you can
assign it to an object variable using the Set command. This makes for a
cleaner and more efficient code. The following example assigns a range
named Vat to a variable using Set:
Set rngVAT = Workbooks("AnnualFigures.xlsx") _
Worksheets("Sheet1"
).Range("Vat")
We can then access properties and methods of the object using the variable,
like in the example below:
rngVAT.Value = 0.2
You can also declare an object variable and use it in a For…Each loop to
iterate through a collection to access instances of the object. In the example
below, we loop through a collection (which is a range of selected cells) and
use a Debug.Print statement to display the value of each cell in the
Immediate window.
Dim rngCell As Range
For Each rngCell In Selection.Cells
Debug.Print rngCell.Value
Next rngCell
Properties and Methods
To access the functionality provided by objects, you work with properties
and methods.
Properties
Properties are a set of characteristics of an object. For example, the
Worksheet object has properties like Name and Visible.
Methods
Methods are behaviours that an object can exhibit. These are actions that
you can carry out with an object. For example, the Worksheet object has
methods like ShowAllData, Protect and Calculate.
Tip: To get a detailed list of the methods and properties of an Excel object.
Use the format “object name properties” or “object name methods” to
search for it in your search engine, where object name is the name of the
object for which you want help. One of the top search results will be the
official VBA help page for that object.
Setting Properties and Calling Methods
To change the characteristics or attributes of an object, you change its
properties by assigning different values to them. Methods, on the other
hand, cause an object to carry out an action or a task. Hence, you use
methods to perform actions and use properties to set or retrieve attributes of
an object.
Setting Properties
To set a property of an object in code, use the following syntax:
Object.Property = Value
The following example assigns True to the Bold property of the Font object
of the selected range. This bolds the text in that range.
Selection.Font.Bold = True
To turn off bold you can set the property to False, like this.
Selection.Font.Bold = True
Calling Methods
The way you invoke methods in your code will depend on whether the
method returns a value and if that value will be used in your procedure. You
can think of methods as verbs. For example, you can open a door. So, if we
were to translate that to VBA code, it would be:
Door.Open
Some methods return a value and others don’t. Also, some methods have
parameters and others don’t.
Note: A parameter is a variable that is part of a method’s definition or
syntax. When you call the method in your code, the values you pass into the
parameters are called arguments. These terms are sometimes used
interchangeably.
If you don't want to use the value returned by a method, or if the method
doesn't return a value, then use the syntax below to call it. Note that the
arguments are optional as not all methods have parameters.
Object.Method [arg1, arg2, …]
An example of a method that does not have a parameter or a return value is
the Select method of the Range object:
Range("A1:A10").Select
The following statement runs the AutoFit method of the Columns collection
to auto-fit the text in the selected columns.
Selection.Columns.AutoFit
If a method returns a value, then you call it by assigning the return value to
a variable.
If the method has parameters, then you place parentheses around the
arguments when you call it. You generally want to use parentheses any time
the method appears to the right of the equal sign.
Use the following syntax to call a method when you want to assign the
return value to a variable:
Variable = Object.Method([arg1, arg2, …])
You can also explicitly define a parameter by assigning an argument
directly to its name when you call the method. The following example
copies data from cells A1:A4 on Sheet1 to cells B1:B4 on Sheet1. You can
see that the Destination parameter was explicitly defined.
Sub CopyAndPaste()
Worksheets("Sheet1"
).Range("A1:A4").Copy
ActiveSheet.Paste Destination:=Worksheets("Sheet1").Range("B1:B4")
End Sub
Using the With…End With Statement
The With...End With statement is something you will encounter often when
you’re editing macros generated by the macro recorder. This statement is
used primarily to access properties and methods of objects.
When you access properties and call methods, you will often write several
statements that perform actions on the same object. You can use the With…
End With statement to make the code run more efficiently as you’re
referencing the object name just once.
The following piece of code sets various formatting options for the selected
range in Excel using the With...End With statement.
Sub UsingWith()
' Formats the selected range in the active worksheet.
With
Selection.Font
.Name = "Calibri"
.Size = 20
.Bold = True
.Italic = True
.Underline = True
End With
End Sub
Chapter 11. Derived Data Types in VBA
Here, we introduce derived data types in VBA, namely enumeration, and
custom. The custom data types represent a vital data structure which
permits one to deal with complex systems that reduce and simplify the
code. Enumerated data types are not as complicated as custom data types.
Instead, they have a simple data structure which creates codes that are
readable.
VBA Custom Data Types
Having a single name, these data types are a collection of related elements
of different types. An example is an application that stores and displays
customer information found in a database. The database has related
information such as age, address, identification number, and name. You
may declare five different variables for each of these particular variables,
but that would eventually prove to be cumbersome. In fact, the program
would end up being longer and less efficient, not to mention difficult to read
and difficult to write. Type and End type statements are used to define
custom data types. You can see these below:

In the example shown above, we have the name CustomerInfo given to a

custom data type containing five elements. It is important to make sure that
a custom data type definition is done in the general declaration module.
It is also essential that one differentiates between custom data type
definition and variable declaration. The variable declaration describes the
type of data but not the variable. This means that data is not shown by the
custom data type. Therefore, it is okay to assign a public scope to the
custom data type.
In the same way, you may want to declare an integer variable to your
program’s entirety, you may similarly wish to have variables of custom data
type in the whole program.
Declaring a variable of type CustomerInfo is not different from a regular
variable declaration. In the example below, the declaration results in the
creation of a CustomerInfo variable called “customer.”

To access individual elements of the custom data type, we use the dot (.)
operator. This has been illustrated below:

Other things that one can perform with custom data type include defining
elements as arrays, declaring variable arrays, and passing elements of
variables to procedures.
Enumerated Types
Enumerated types have several elements, and this data type originates from
an integer data type. In this data type, every integer is assigned an identifier.
The names of the enumerated types are constants. A constant will allow one
to use symbols instead of numbers. This improves the readability of the
program.
To define enumerated data types, it is a must to have its elements arranged
between Enum and End Enum statements. Below is an example to
demonstrate the definition of enumerated data types:

Within the Enum statement, all elements of an enumerated data type are
assigned a constant value. The elements can have both positive and
negative integers. When there is no exact initialization done, VBA
automatically gives the first element the value 0, the other element the value
1, and so forth.
To declare the variables of an enumerated type, we have to use its name. We
can assign them any integer value; however, there will be no point of
having an enumerated type if we allocate the variable enumerate constant.
Chapter 12. Beyond the Basics
Microsoft’s Excel VBA is a very much like an iceberg. No matter how basic
the function is, you will inevitably come across a more complex form of it
shortly. So, when it comes to creating your own macros, there is much more
involved than what can readily meet the eye.
When building a macro, there are quite a few things you must keep in mind.
By following some of these basic rules, you can truly simplify your venture
into the macro world but at the same time, leave yourself open to learn new
things.
Rule #1: Keep it simple
It is one thing to write code in practice where you are free to make mistakes
and find the time to fix them. But when you are learning something new, it
is extremely important that you do a trial run of any macro you make before
you decide to launch it live. To that end make sure that your practice macro
is simple. So if you need to write code that will allow you to automate the
updates of a hundred worksheets your practice macro should be to update
one. If you need a macro to automate a hundred cells, then limit your
practice macro to update five.
By approaching your code in this way, it will be easier for you to catch
errors and modify it whenever needed. Once you have mastered the code
and it is working as you expect, you can always expand it to match your
immediate needs. Here is a sample of the order of getting a macro live.
1. Create your new workbook
2. Add some sample data
3. Build your new macro
4. Do a test run
5. Fix any errors
6. Create a copy
7. Add your code to your active workbook
8. Retest the macro with the new data
9. Fix any errors
10. Create a backup copy
11. Test your macro
12. Fix any errors
13. Go live
This may seem like a lot of repetitive busy work, but these rules are very
practical. Errors are a very real part of a programmers life, and you should
expect to have more than your share of them. It is much better though, to
have an error in a practice session than in a live code that could
compromise the data you have.
These steps are relatively easy to do and the more successful you are at it,
the more confidence you will have when you are creating macros in real
life. Never be afraid of making a mistake. Even if you can’t find the error
having a backup copy makes it possible for you to always go back to a safe
place and start again without risk of losing data.
Keep reading: There is a lot to know about using Excel VBA, and you will
likely remember those codes, syntaxes, functions, loops variables, arrays,
etc. that you use frequently, however, by making sure that you keep abreast
of what can be done with VBA you will be able to stay ahead of the game.
Keep a glossary of terms around until you can remember them all by heart.
There are many that you will have to rely on as you continue to grow in
your learning of VBA.
Rule #2: Always leave comments in your code. This will serve as a
reminder so that when you look at it (perhaps in a few months), you know
what your intended purpose was.
Rule#3: Name your variables in a way that they will mean something to
you. This practice serves not just as a memory device, but it’s also
protection. It will keep you from mistakenly applying the wrong code to a
particular variable.
Rule #4: Whenever you see a code like
“MyWorkbooks.Worksheets(“Sheet1”), remember that it can be substituted
with the actual name of the worksheet itself.
Rule #5: Whenever you are working with large amounts of data first, copy
the values of the cells to an array. Then you will be able to manipulate
them, which will be a much faster process than trying to address each cell
one at a time.
Rule #6: When you write a new macro always create a copy of the
workbook first. This way, you reduce the risk of accidentally deleting the
data.
Rule #7: For new macros, make sure you divide the task up into smaller
bite-sized pieces. Then, tackle each of them one at a time. Get the first one
working smoothly and then move onto another one. Test each phase of the
code for errors before you begin working on another piece of the puzzle.
Rule #8: Before starting a new project, turn on the OPTION EXPLICIT
button at the top of the module. When on, you are required to declare a
variable before you start work. To do this go to your menu bar and select
“Tool”, the “Options”, and then check the box for “Require Variable
Declaration”.
Rule #9: When creating a new macro start by setting up a few sample
products before you apply your new code with actual data. You can learn
many different details about writing code in VBA, but just like learning a
new language, the only way you can cement them in your mind is to create
and run macros in much the same way you would practice reading, writing,
and speaking in your new tongue. Whether you choose to create your
sample data for yourself or you want to test your new code with smaller
projects, it is a necessary part of life with VBA to test the waters first. By
doing this, your skills in VBA will improve much faster than if you just try
to master it by studying alone.
These are just a few basic guidelines you need to keep in mind when
learning VBA. While some of these rules seem pretty obvious, it is easy to
forget them when you are overwhelmed with work. No matter what your
level of skill is when it comes to VBA there is always room to learn more.
By following these basic guidelines, you are less likely to get sidetracked
by common errors that could zap your enthusiasm for writing code. You
will be able to stay focused and completely tuned to everything you are
learning and as a result, your ability to write code will be a more enjoyable
experience in the long run.
Chapter 13. The Cheat Sheet for Excel
Formulas
You can use Excel to prepare reports, perform calculations, create text-
based files, and much more. Many people have used this program to
accomplish great things. In this cheat sheet, you'll find the formulas that
you need to complete your tasks with Excel.
The Most Popular Functions
Some functions have certain requirements. Most functions, however, apply
to any situation. Here are the functions that you will likely use in Excel
2016:
IF – This function tests a condition. It will give you a value depending on
the result of the test.
INT – This function deletes the decimal part of numeric values. Thus, you
will turn your numbers into integers.
NOW – Use this function to get the current time and date values of your
computer.
SUM – With this function, you can get the total of a set of values.
ROUND – This function can round numbers to specific digit positions or
decimal places.
COUNT – Use this function to count the cells that hold numbers.
SUMIF – This is the combination of SUM and IF. It will give you the total
of the values that satisfy your predetermined conditions.
TODAY – This function will give you the current date value of your
system.
AVERAGE – With this function, you can get the average of a set of values.
COUNTIF – This function is the combination of IF and COUNT. It counts
cells that meet your criteria.
The Text Functions that You Should Use
Excel 2016 has functions that work on text-based data (e.g. names, phone
numbers, email addresses). The list given below will describe how text
functions work:
LEN – Use this function to count the characters inside your chosen
cell/range.
MID – This function can extract characters. It allows you to specify the
number of characters to be extracted and the starting point of the process.
LEFT – This function extracts characters starting from the first character of
the text.
RIGHT – With this function, you can extract characters starting from the
final character of the text.
UPPER – Use this function to convert letters to uppercase.
LOWER – Use this function to convert letters to lowercase.
REPLACE – This function replaces text with another text.
PROPER – With this function, you can capitalize the first character of each
word.
CONCATENATE – Use this function to combine two or more text strings.
The Operation Precedence in Excel 2016
Mathematical operations follow a particular order, and the Excel program
follows that order. The list you'll find below describes the order that Excel
and math operations follow:
Operations inside parentheses
Operations that involve exponents
Multiplication
Division
Addition
Subtraction
The Cell References in Excel 2016
You can use relative or absolute cell references in your Excel formulas.
When you are copying a formula to other cells, the things that you'll need to
modify depend on the kind of reference you are using. The formula may
adjust its references automatically so that it matches the new cell (i.e. for
relative references). It's also possible that the reference will point to the
same cell regardless of the formula's new location (i.e. for absolute
references).
Excel lets you combine absolute and relative references in your formulas.
Thus, you can make formulas that have fixed rows and adjustable columns,
or fixed columns and adjustable rows.
In Excel 2016, you can set a reference as absolute by placing a dollar
symbol. Here are some examples:
D1 – This reference is completely relative.
D$1 – This reference has a relative row and absolute column.
$D1 – This reference has an absolute row and relative column.
$D$1 – This reference is completely absolute.
The Error Messages in Excel 2016
Excel is capable of displaying error messages. Thus, you'll immediately
know whenever you make a mistake. Error messages usually appear
whenever you createa circular reference or a formula that has incorrect
elements. Knowing what an error value means is the first step in solving
formula-related problems.
Here are the error values that you'll encounter while using Excel 2016:
#N/A – One of your functions or formulas cannot find your referenced
information.
#NULL! - This value states that you used a space in a multi-range
reference. You should use commas to separate ranges.
#REF! - You used an invalid reference.
#DIV/0 – You are attempting to divide a value by zero.
#VALUE – You assigned the wrong kind of argument to your function or
formula.
#NAME? - Excel doesn't recognize the text or name inside your formula.
#NUM! - You used an invalid number in your formula.
Chapter 14. Some other tips on VBA
programming
Other than the tools mentioned earlier and some tips mentioned along the
way earlier, below are some other tips on VBA programming for
beginners.
Writing more efficient VBA code
Working with arrays instead of a range of cells
Let us compare the execution times between these two approaches. Suppose
you want to count the number of numbers that are divisible by four in a
range of 50,000 cells. The code that works with an array is generally faster
than the one switches between VBA and Excel. The following table shows
the execution times (in seconds) for two different approaches in counting
the number of numbers that are divisible by four in a range of 50,000 cells:
Working with a range of cells Working with an array
0.20 0.031
The listing below is an example of VBA code that works with a range of
cells.
Sub WorkingWithRange()
'To count the number of numbers that are
'divisible by 4 in a range of 50,000 cells.
Dim r As Long, c As Long
Dim rN As Long, cN As Long
Dim cnt As Long
Dim StartTimer As Date, EndTimer As Date
StartTimer = Timer
rN = 500: cN = 100: cnt = 0
For r = 1 To rN
For c = 1 To cN
If Sheets(1).Cells(r, c) Mod 4 = 0 _
 Then cnt = cnt + 1
Next c
Next r
EndTimer = Timer
Debug.Print cnt
Debug.Print EndTimer - StartTimer
End Sub
Another listing is an example of much faster VBA code that works with an
array.
Sub WorkingWithAnArray()
'To count the number of numbers that are
'divisible by 4 in a range of 50,000 cells.
Dim x() As Variant
Dim r As Long, c As Long
Dim rN As Long, cN As Long
Dim cnt As Long
Dim StartTimer As Date, EndTimer As Date
StartTimer = Timer
rN = 500: cN = 100: cnt = 0
ReDim x(rN, cN)
Sheets(1).Activate
x = Range("A1").Resize(rN, cN)
For r = 1 To rN
For c = 1 To cN
If x(r, c) Mod 4 = 0 Then _
cnt = cnt + 1
Next c
Next r
 EndTimer = Timer
Debug.Print cnt
Debug.Print EndTimer - StartTimer
End Sub
Disabling screen updating, alert displays, events, and automatic calculations
If they are not necessary during the execution of your VBA code, disable
them before the execution and restore them to their initial settings right
before the execution ends. Restoring the settings rather than turning them
all on is a good practice since some users may have different settings, as
shown in the following listing.
'Declaration
Dim ScrnU As Boolean, DispA As Boolean, _
Evnt As Boolean, Calc As Long
'Save the settings
With Application
ScrnU = .ScreenUpdating
DispA = .DisplayAlerts
Evnt = .EnableEvents
Calc = .Calculation
End With
'Disable them before the execution begins
With Application
.ScreenUpdating = False
.DisplayAlerts = False
.EnableEvents = False
.Calculation = xlCalculationManual
End With

'Here runs your code

'Restore the initial settings
'before the execution ends
With Application
.ScreenUpdating = ScrnU
.DisplayAlerts = DispA
.EnableEvents = Evnt
.Calculation = Calc
End With
The above VBA code can be improved by removing the need of saving and
restoring the ScreenUpdating and DisplayAlerts properties. As I was
writing this manuscript, these properties were reset to True when the code
execution ended. Nevertheless, as a matter of practice you may want
explicitly to set their properties back to True when the procedure ends, as
shown below:
'Declaration
Dim Evnt As Boolean, Calc As Long
'Save the settings
With Application
Evnt = .EnableEvents
Calc = .Calculation
End With
'Disable them before the execution begins
With Application
.ScreenUpdating = False
.DisplayAlerts = False
.EnableEvents = False
.Calculation = xlCalculationManual
End With
'Here runs your code
'Restore the default and initial settings
'before the execution ends
With Application
.ScreenUpdating = True
.DisplayAlerts = True
.EnableEvents = Evnt
.Calculation = Calc
End With
Reducing the size of a working range
Reduce the size of a working range whenever possible.
Let us take a fictitious situation to discuss this. Suppose that you have
written the following SumSelectedRange1 procedure to sum up all the
numbers in a selected range of cells.
Sub SumSelectedRange1()
'To sum numbers in a selected range
Dim cel As Range, sum As Double
If TypeName(Selection) <> "Range" Then
MsgBox "Please select a range."
Exit Sub
End If
For Each cel In Selection
If VBA.IsNumeric(cel) Then _
sum = sum + cel
Next cel
MsgBox "The sum of all the numbers in " & _
"the selected range is " & Sum
End Sub
If a user selects an entire sheet of cells, the above procedure will take a very
long time to complete its execution because it is actually processing
17,179,869,184 cells. The above procedure can be improved by considering
only used range of cells in the worksheet, as shown in the following listing.
Sub SumSelectedRange2()
'To sum numbers in a selected range
'In case a user selected an entire row,
'column, or sheet
Dim cel As Range, sum As Double
Dim WorkRng As Range
If TypeName(Selection) <> "Range" Then
MsgBox "Please select a range."
Exit Sub
End If
Set WorkRng = Intersect(Selection, _
ActiveSheet.UsedRange)
For Each cel In WorkRng
If VBA.IsNumeric(cel) Then _
sum = sum + cel
Next cel
MsgBox "The sum of all the numbers in " & _
"the selected range is " & Sum
End Sub
The ActiveSheet.UsedRange property returns the range of cells that are
used in the active worksheet. Hence, the SumSelectedRange2 procedure has
greatly reduced the number of cells to be processed.
However, the UsedRange property of the Worksheet object does not
actually determine the cells that have really been used. To understand what
I meant, execute the following steps:
1. Start a blank workbook.
2. Enter something (a number or text) into cell A1 in a worksheet.
3. Press Ctrl+↓ (the down-arrow key) to reach the last cell in column A,
that is, cell A1048576.
4. Press Ctrl+→ (the right-arrow key) to reach the rightmost bottom cell
in the worksheet, that is, cell XFD1048576.
5. Enter something (a number or text) into this cell XFD1048576.
6. Press Alt+F11 to activate VBE.
7. In the Immediate window, enter the following statement:
? ActiveSheet.UsedRange.Address
It returns $1:$1048576, that is, the address of the entire cells in the
worksheet.
If the SumSelectedRange2 procedure is executed for a worksheet where cell
A1 and cell XFD1048576 are used, then there is no difference in term of
execution between SumSelectedRange1 and SumSelectedRange2 (if the
entire worksheet selected by a user before execution). Nevertheless, in very
rare cases, only cell A1 (or any cells near cell A1) and cell XFD1048576
(or any cells near the last column XFD and the last row 1048576) are used,
but in between these cells mostly unused.
Another way to improve the execution time of SumSelectedRange1 is to
deal with only those cells with numbers. VBA provides a quick way to
identify those cells: the SpecialCells method, as shown in the
SumSelectedRange3 procedure below.
Sub SumSelectedRange3()
'To sum numbers in a selected range
'Only working with numbers
Dim cel As Range, sum As Double
Dim ConstantNumbers As Range, _
FormulaNumbers As Range
If TypeName(Selection) <> "Range" Then
MsgBox "Please select a range."
Exit Sub
End If
 On Error Resume Next 'if no cells were found
Set ConstantNumbers = Selection. _
SpecialCells(xlConstants, 1)
Set FormulaNumbers = Selection. _
SpecialCells(xlFormulas, 1)
On Error GoTo 0
'Sum constant numbers
If Not ConstantNumbers Is Nothing Then
For Each cel In ConstantNumbers
sum = sum + cel
Next cel
End If
'Sum numbers in formula cells
If Not FormulaNumbers Is Nothing Then
For Each cel In FormulaNumbers
sum = sum + cel
Next cel
End If
MsgBox "The sum of all the numbers in " & _
"the selected range is " & Sum
End Sub
Chapter 15. Search And Reference Formulas
Now is the time to talk about one of the most important formulas in Excel, the
Search and Reference formulas. In order to become and Excel Formulas
Champion you need to master at least 2 formulas in this segment.
These formulas are widely used because of their ability to save time with
databases. The 3 formulas that we are going to explore are:
VLOOKUP
HLOOKUP
XLOOKUP
Let’s start!
VLOOKUP FUNCTION
WHAT IS THIS FUNCTION FOR?
To make this simple, this formula is the most used in Excel. It is used to obtain
values (related to a reference cell) from a big database without having to find
them manually.
WHICH IS THE MAIN BENEFIT OF THIS FORMULA?
You can easily find and relate info from a database in order to match the info
that you are looking for. You’ll understand it better with the exercise.
HOW IS THIS FUNCTION STRUCTURED?
The syntax (Structure) of the VLOOKUP function is another one:
=VLOOKUP(lookup value, lookup array, column, range lookup)
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
LOOKUP VALUE: Is the base Value that you already know. Excel will try to
find that value in a database and return another value (in another column) that
matches your lookup value
LOOKUP ARRAY: Is the range where the data base is located
COLUMN: Is the Column number (of the database) where your desired result
is located. If you want to get the result from the 2nd column in the database,
you will need to write 2 in this argument.
RANGE LOOKUP: This is optional, normally you want to use “0” because
that means you want an EXACT MATCH. This way Excel will only find
values that match exactly with your LOOKUP VALUE.
Let’s try an exercise for you to understand it better.
EXERCISE
Now you have an ID search cell and some info that you need to pull out of a
database. To your right you have a big data base with the information in
random order.
ID HEROE SECTOR CITY
1 The Atom Healthcare Danvers, Massachusetts
2 X-Men Utilities Canonsburg, Pennsylvania
3 Asterix Industrial Goods North Chicago, Illinois
DATA BASE
Due to the COVID crisis, with no wars and no violence, our heroes needed to
start working in some companies (although it was hard for them to get a job).
Each one of them has an ID assigned. We need to build a tool to search the
whole information by just changing the ID.
ID HEROE
14
22
56
SEARCH TOOL
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Notice that we have 1 piece of information that matches in our Search Tool
and in our Database. That piece of information is the ID NUMBER, so what
we need to do is to use that ID NUMBER as an ANCHOR value (Lookup
Value) to grab the other values that we need (The name of the hero)
Step 1: Please start writing the formula at B3, to get the first hero name.
=VLOOKUP(

Step 2: The 1st argument (The lookup value) is our “anchor value”, the value
that we have in both tables, the ID NUMBER. So select the corresponding
cell. In this case is first the cell with an ID number in our search tool, A3
=VLOOKUP(A3,
Why? Because Excel will try to find in the database whatever we have in A3
(in this case, excel will try to find in the database the number 14)
Step 3: Select the Lookup Array (The database) in order to indicate excel
where to search. Remember to add ABSOLUTE REFERENCES in order to be
able to drag the formula eventually.
=VLOOKUP(A3,$F$2:$J$89,
Why? Because the database starts in F2 and ends in J89.
SUPER IMPORTANT NOTE:
IN ORDER FOR VLOOKUP TO WORK CORRECTLY, THE FIRST
COLUMN IN THE DATABASE MUST HAVE YOUR LOOKUP VALUE
(ANCHOR VALUE). IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU ARE USING THE ID
NUMBER AS YOUR LOOKUP VALUE, THE ID NUMBER MUST BE IN
THE FIRST COLUMN (LEFT COLUMN) OF YOUR DATABASE.
Step 3: Write the column number where your desired result is. In this example,
your desired result is the name of the hero, so, IN YOUR DATABASE the
name of the hero is in the 2nd Column, then you need to write 2.
=VLOOKUP(A3,$F$2:$J$89,2
Step 3: Write 0, in order to get and EXACT search. Close and drag the
formula.
=VLOOKUP(A3,$F$2:$J$89,2,0)
ID HEROE
14 Optimus Prime
2 Catwoman
56 Fantastic Four
70 Rocky Balboa
80 Gandalf
That’s it! Look how fast you got the names of the heroes using their IDs, and if
you change the ID number the name will change too! Try it.
ID HEROE
20 Zorro
30 Doc Savage
Luke
40 Skywalker
Now try by yourself to fill the search tool completely!
ID HEROE CITY BOSS
14 Optimus Prime
22 Catwoman
56 Fantastic Four
70 Rocky Balboa
80 Gandalf
Chapter 16. Department Data Validation
We want to allow a user to enter a department number and have Excel
automatically populate the related department name. The result is illustrated
in Figure 14 below.
PRACTICE

Figure 14
Summary
If we think about the goal for a minute, we can piece together the Excel
items needed. Here we’ll discuss the features and functions required at a
summary level, and in the Step-by-Step unit below we’ll chronologically
work through the detailed steps.
We allow the user to enter a department number into the input cell and then
use the VLOOKUP function to retrieve the proper department name.
Since we are asking Excel to perform a lookup, we’ll need to store the
department list somewhere inside the workbook. Since we want the user’s
experience to be clean, we place the department list on a separate
worksheet. Since we may ultimately add more departments over time, we
choose to store the department list in a table named tbl_depts.
Since we want to be clear about which cell requires input, we identify the
input cell with the Input cell style.
Since our lookup formula is designed to return the name for the
departments appearing in our list, it would return an error if the user entered
a department number that wasn’t in the list. To prevent this error, we
provide a drop-down to restrict input to a list of valid department numbers
with the data validation feature.
Since data validation does not directly support structured table references,
we must first set up the custom name dd_depts, which refers to the
structured table reference for the department number column.
Here is a summary of the independent Excel items mentioned above:
A table stores the department list.
The named reference enables the drop-down list to use the table data.
The Input cell style highlights the input cell.
The data validation feature provides the in-cell drop-down.
The VLOOKUP function retrieves the department name.
Good times! Now that we have worked through the overall concepts, let’s
sort through the specifics.
Step-by-Step
Here are the steps to setting up the worksheet.
DEPENDS ON
Step 1: Table. Since we use the workbook on a recurring basis and want to
make it easy to add new departments, we convert the ordinary range of
departments found on the Exercise 6 Data sheet to a table named tbl_depts.
NOTE
My personal preference is to start table names with tbl_.
Step 2: Named range. We need to set up a name that refers to the table’s
department number column so that we can use it with the data validation
feature. We assign the name dd_depts to the department number column of
the table tbl_depts[Dept Num].
NOTE
My personal preference is to start names that are used to provide a drop-
down list with dd_.
Step 3: Input cell style. We want to make it easy for the user to identify
which cell requires input, so we apply the Input cell style to the input cell.
Step 4: Data validation. We create an in-cell drop-down in the input cell by
setting up data validation to allow a list equal to our name dd_depts.
Step 5: Lookup formula. After the user picks a valid department number
from the drop-down list in C13, we ask Excel to display the corresponding
department name with the following lookup function:
=VLOOKUP(C13,tbl_depts,2,0)
Where:
C13 is the value we are looking up, the department number.
tbl_depts is the lookup range, the table of departments.
2 is the column that has the value we wish to return, the department name
column.
0 means we are not doing a range lookup.
Wow, wasn’t that a rush? Using five independent Excel features and
functions in harmony to achieve a goal—so fun!
This specific combination of features and functions is quite handy. Once
comfortable coordinating the individual steps, you’ll quickly be able to use
this approach in your workbooks.
BALANCE SHEET LOOKUP
In this exercise we’ll build a financial statement from an export from our
accounting system. We’ll set up the workbook so that each period when we
paste in updated data, Excel automatically recalculates the financial
statement amounts. Each period, we just paste and go; that’s hands-free
reporting.
PRACTICE
To work along, please reference the Exercise 7 worksheet.
Let’s pretend that periodically we obtain an extract from our accounting
system that reflects each account’s current balance. For simplicity, we’ll
refer to our export as the trial balance. Let’s also pretend we want Excel to
automatically place the values found in the trial balance into a perfectly
formatted financial statement.
The overall idea is simple: create one worksheet in the workbook dedicated
to storing the trial balance, and then set up the financial statement using
lookup formulas that pull the right values into the right cells in the report.
Since the report values are generated by formulas, they will automatically
refresh as soon as an updated trial balance is pasted into the workbook.
You’ve already written many VLOOKUP functions, so this should be pretty
easy. I did add one little twist, which demonstrates how to use column-only
references with a lookup formula.
NOTE
How can we ensure that all data in the trial balance flows properly through
to the financial statement? With an ErrorCk sheet, of course.

XREF
Take a look at the Exercise 7 Data sheet to observe the exported data. These
are the values we’ll ultimately pull into the Exercise 7 sheet, which
represents the balance sheet. We’ll use the VLOOKUP function to retrieve
the values.
We want to write our balance sheet formulas so that they include any new
rows that may appear in the trial balance over time. My preferred method is
to store the trial balance in a table. Since this isn’t always an available
option or is sometimes not appropriate, let’s explore an alternative method:
column-only references.
A column-only reference, such as B:B, includes the entire column. If the
following month’s data occupies more rows than last month, using a
column-only reference as an argument ensures the function will include all
data.
XREF
Column-only references are introduced earlier. This exercise illustrates a
practical application of them.
The lookup formula used to pull the values from the trial balance into the
balance sheet follows:
=VLOOKUP(B14,‘Exercise 7 Data’!B:C,2,0)
Where:
B14 is the value we are looking up, the account name.
‘Exercise 7 Data’!B:C is the lookup range, the exported data on the
Exercise 7 Data sheet; note the column-only reference B:C.
2 is the column that contains the value we want to return, the amount.
0 means we are not doing a range lookup.
 KB
Here are the steps to writing the formula using only your keyboard. Type
=VL, and then hit Tab to insert the VLOOKUP function from the auto-
complete list into the cell. Left Arrow twice to insert the B14 cell reference
into the first function argument. Type a comma to finish the first argument.
Use Ctrl+PageDown to switch to the Exercise 7 Data sheet. Use the arrow
keys to navigate to any cell in column B. Hit Ctrl+Space to select the entire
column. Hold down Shift and then press the Right Arrow to extend your
selection to include column C as well. Type a comma to finish the second
argument. Type a 2 as the third argument, and then a comma. Type 0, close
the parenthesis, and then press Enter.
The results are shown in the partial balance sheet in Figure 15 below.

Figure 15
XREF
Please note that this exercise worksheet relies on the SUBTOTAL function
for adding and utilizes skinny rows.
Since the report was built with formulas, when we paste in the updated trial
balance the following month, the balance sheet amounts refresh
automagically!
TRICK QUESTIONS
Okay, time for a quick intermission between our hands-on exercises. I’d
like to ask you some trick questions about the VLOOKUP function.
Question #1: Where does it look?
When the VLOOKUP function is trying to find the matching value in the
lookup range (as specified by the second argument), where within that
range is it actually looking? I’ll give you two choices: it looks in all cells of
the lookup range, or it looks only in the first column. What do you think?
Answer: The VLOOKUP function looks for a matching value in the first
column of the lookup range—that is, the left-most column within the range
defined by the second argument. After a match is found, the VLOOKUP
then uses the other columns in the range to return its result. But the original
match is performed within the first column only.
Question #2: Does the column number specified in the third argument refer
to the absolute worksheet column or the relative column within the lookup
range?
The third argument of the VLOOKUP function indicates which column has
the value we want to return. This argument is specified as a column index
number, such as 5, 7, or 9. So the question is whether the column index
number refers to the absolute worksheet column—such as column B = 2
and column E = 5—or does it refer to the relative column within the lookup
range, as defined in the second argument? What do you think?
Answer: The column number refers to the relative column within the
lookup range. So if the amount column is the second column within the
lookup range, but happens to be in column E, we would use a value of 2.
Question #3: What happens if a matching value can’t be found?
If the function tries to find a matching value, but a matching value can’t be
found in the first column of the lookup range, what happens? I’ll give you
two choices: Excel returns an error code, or Excel returns the closest match.
What do you think?
Answer: It depends on the value of the fourth argument. If the fourth
argument is FALSE, then the function returns the error code #N/A when a
matching value is not found. If the fourth argument is TRUE, then it returns
the closest match based on the function’s range lookup logic.
The range lookup logic tells the function to search row by row, one at a
time, in order, until it finds a row that contains a value that is less than the
lookup value and where the following row is greater than the lookup value.
At this point, the function stops looking and returns the related value.
According to the Excel help file, “The following largest value that is less
than lookup_value is returned.” This logic is, admittedly, very confusing. It
reminds me of the show The Price is Right, where the contestants need to
guess the highest price without going over. It is easier to make sense of this
logic when applied in an actual worksheet, so we’ll do some additional
exercises shortly that will help.
Chapter 17. The Object Model
1: Classes and Objects
Just as with problem solving, there are various paradigms that can be used
to help think about programming in an organized way. Up until the early
1990’s, the most popular approach was top-down stepwise refinement. In
this method, we start by thinking about the task we want our program to do.
That task is broken down into subtasks, and those are broken down in turn,
until finally we have a task small enough to be programmed easily. These
small pieces can be individually tested and assembled into ever larger
chunks until finally you have a finished piece of software that can
accomplish the original task.
This approach works pretty well but it has one significant flaw. The small
procedures that are developed tend to be quite specialized for whatever the
context of the problem is, and not readily adaptable for use in other
programs. For each piece of software, you have to start over from the
beginning, even if you’ve written programs that do very similar tasks.
The newer model that has been widely adopted and is currently popular is
almost the polar opposite of the top-down approach. In this method, called
object-oriented programming, you start by thinking about the “objects”
your program needs to manipulate. They could be things like elements of
the user interface, files, worksheets, or anything else that is part of the
universe of items available to your program. Each category of objects has
its own characteristics: properties that you might want the program to
change, sub-objects that it can contain, actions that it can take (or that can
be carried out on it), and events you would like it respond to. A category of
objects is called a class. Essentially, you begin your work by determining
the classes of objects you’ll use, and either writing code for them to carry
out all the needed operations, or, if you’re lucky, using a class of objects
that someone else has already developed.
This approach leads to robust, reusable code, in the form of a library of
classes. Most programs use the same kinds of objects, and so a lot of effort
can be put into developing a class with the knowledge that the work will
pay off in the future on other projects. Having a nice library of well-written
classes means that programming is much easier and can avoid a lot of the
low-level detail involved in things like changing a font or a color. In VBA,
there is a huge universe of classes to choose from. All the required elements
are provided and you just need to write the code that manipulates them.
The distinction between a class and an object is a bit subtle. A class of
objects is like a framework or pattern that describes the objects that belong
to the class. An object is an instance of its class. A real-world example
would be the class of chairs. There is a general concept of chairs, which we
could compare to a class. And then there are actual chairs, each of which is
an instance of the class.
Classes and objects form a hierarchy. In VBA, the Application is at the
topmost level of the hierarchy; if you’re working in Excel, the Application
is Excel itself. (There are versions of VBA embedded in many other
Microsoft products, with classes designed for their individual applications,
though there is often quite a bit of overlap.) Excel itself contains other
objects, most prominently Workbooks. Workbooks contain Worksheets,
Charts, and other kinds of things; Worksheets contain Ranges. (A Cell is a
special kind of Range.) Often an object can contain not just one but a whole
collection of sub-objects of a given type. So Workbooks can contain many
Worksheets and Charts; a Worksheet can contain many Ranges.
To appeal to a real-world analogy, think of the Application as being like a
house. A house can include many kinds of objects such as a roof, a front
porch, a back yard, etc., but mainly we would focus on rooms. A room can
contain lots of kinds of things, one of which is chairs. A dining room
probably has many chairs. It may have a cabinet that contains dishes. So
there is a hierarchy of a house and its contents. Each class of objects has its
own properties and things that it’s used for and possibly other objects it
contains. You can’t push an analogy like this too far, but I hope it gives you
a feeling for what the hierarchy is like.
Now, let’s look at a specific example. In Excel, we have a ListBox class.
Every actual ListBox is an object in this class. It has properties such as Left
(horizontal position of upper left corner), Height, Visible, and others. It has
methods, such as AddItem and Clear. And it has events for which there are
built-in functions.
Figure 8 ‑ 1 The Object Browser (under the View menu)
To get a look at all the methods, properties, and events for the class
ListBox, we can use the object browser. This is a feature of VBA that lets
you explore the object hierarchy and find out what you can do with various
classes of objects. The figure shows the object browser featuring a view of
ListBox. The object browser is under the View menu.
Note the small icons distinguishing properties, methods, and events. We’ve
highlighted the Locked property; it’s a property with a Boolean value that
can be set in code or in the Properties window. A note at the bottom tells us
that ListBox is a member of class MSForms; listboxes appear in many
applications, not just Excel.

2: Names and References

VBA makes extensive use of the dot (.) to construct names and navigate the
object hierarchy. Suppose I have a Workbook called IndexListBox
containing a form called frmIndexListBox, and that the form contains a
ListBox called lstWord. Now, suppose I want to refer to this ListBox in my
code. Of course, we’ve already done this! But we did so under the
assumption that the Workbook and form are active at the time the code is
running. By default, VBA expects names to refer to objects contained in
active objects, and in that case we can just use the name itself, and the
meaning is clear.
But suppose for some reason I am writing some code for the IndexListBox
workbook, and I want to refer to lstWord while the form is not active. In
that case I use a fuller version of the name, frmIndexListBox.lstWord. And
if necessary I can refer to a form in a Workbook that is not active, using
IndexListBox.frmIndexListBox.lstWord. Normally there is not much reason
to refer to members of inactive objects, but this shows you how to do it in
principle. Alternatively, you can activate objects like Workbooks and forms
in your code using their Activate methods.
In general, the complete name of an object starts with the top of the
hierarchy (Application) and works its way down, with a dot separating each
level. But again, you don’t need to bother with this if you know that the
containing object will be active when you need to refer to it.
The last item in a list of names separated by dots can be the name of an
object, but often it is the name of a method or property instead. For
example, to invoke the AddItem method with ListBox lstWord, we would
write something like lstWord.AddItem(“crimson”). Or we might use
Cells(1,2).Value to refer to the contents of Cell B1.
If you type the name of an object and then a dot, VBA will typically show
you all the possible completions that can follow the dot. This is a very
useful feature. If you remember the beginning of the name of a member, but
not the whole name, type the first couple of letters and VBA will show you
the choices with that prefix. And, of course, you can always use the object
browser to see what’s available.
Summary
Programming Practices
· Think in terms of objects when designing your program. In VBA,
especially, there is a rich library of objects to take advantage of. Don’t
reinvent the wheel if you don’t have to
· If you often have to write code to complete similar tasks, consider
developing objects, or at least reusable pieces of code that can be the basis
for your programs
Important Terms
Object: an entity realized in software that a program can manipulate
Object-oriented programming: a programming paradigm in which the code
is built using operations on objects
Class: A category of objects that have the same properties, methods, and
events; a template for an object in the category
Instance: an object is an instance of its class
Object browser: a feature in VBA that shows you the object hierarchy and
the members of each class; very useful when you are wondering how to
carry out some procedure on or with an object
Chapter 18. Relative and Absolute References
If we copy and paste a VLOOKUP function from one cell into another cell,
and we do not specify that the referenced value is absolute, Excel assumes
our reference is relative. It thinks we are in the car together, but, in
actuality, we dropped our reference off at the rest area. Essentially, it went
to use the bathroom, and I left.
Chicken and Egg
To illustrate this, we will first look at the Chicken Egg worksheet.
The goal here is to copy everything from cells A2 through B4 into cells D2
through E4 while using VLOOKUP.
When we enter the following formula into cell D2, everything matches up
the way we expect:
=VLOOKUP(A2,A2:B3,1,0)

Figure 37: The Chicken Egg worksheet with an effective VLOOKUP

formula
If we copy that formula and paste it into cell E2, the formula will read:
=VLOOKUP(B2,B2:C3,1,0)
The result may be what was expected, but look at what VLOOKUP selected
for the lookup value and table array:

Figure 38: The Chicken Egg table with a VLOOKUP formula that has been
mislaid
The lookup value is B2, which shifted one cell to the right from when my
formula was in cell D2. My table array also shifted one cell to the right –
from A2:B3 to B2:C3. All of these references are relative.
Let’s see what happens when we change one reference to be absolute.
First, delete the contents of cells D2 and E2. Then type the following
into D2:
=VLOOKUP($A2,A2:B3,1,0)
Now copy and paste that into cell E2. The result is Chicken, but why?
Look at where the lookup value is pointing:

Figure 39: With an absolute column reference, the lookup value is now
correct
The dollar sign ( $ ) makes the reference to column A absolute, so when we
copy and paste the formula into cell E2, the lookup value is still pointing to
Chicken in cell A2.
What happens when this spans over several values, and how do we ensure it
is set up correctly? We will explore another example to answer those
questions.
Rock, Paper, Scissors
To see this happen with more detail, go to the Rock Paper Scissors
worksheet.
Once again, we will try to copy the contents of cells A1 through D4 and
paste them into cells G2 through I4, using VLOOKUP.
In cell B2, type:
=VLOOKUP(A2,F1:I4,2,0)
Now select and copy this cell, then paste it into cell C2. Does everything
look like it should?
When we select cell B2, we see in the formula that:
Ref1 is our lookup value
The table at the right is our table array
The column index is 2
The range is 0

Figure 40: The Rock Paper Scissors worksheet with an effective

VLOOKUP formula in cell B2
Compare that with what happens when we select cell C2. We see:
Rock is our lookup value
The table array excludes column F and includes the empty column J
The column index is still 2, but should it be?
The range is 0

Figure 41: The Rock Paper Scissors worksheet with a misaligned formula in
cell C2
So, what went wrong? We told Excel that all the cell references are relative,
but some of them need to be absolute.
We will continue to look at how information shifts when using relative
references, then we will address how to solve it.
Select and copy cell B2, then select cells B2 through D4 and paste –
simultaneously filling all nine cells with the formula. What did you get?
Do cells B2 through D4 match what is in cells G2 through I4? If they do
match, then you did not enter the preceding formula precisely. The cell
references will shift depending on the cell and, therefore, will result in
different values. The following illustrations demonstrate this.
Cell B2 contains our original formula:
=VLOOKUP(A2,F1:I4,2,0)

Figure 42: Our original formula

In cell C2, we see the cells in the formula are shifted one place to the right:
=VLOOKUP(B2,G1:J4,2,0)

Figure 43: The formula pasted one cell to the right has misplaced arguments
In cell D2, the cells in the formula are shifted one more cell to the right:
=VLOOKUP(C2,H1:K4,2,0)

Figure 44: In the adjacent cell to the right, the arguments have shifted again
If we look at the cells beneath B2, we will see a similar behavior.
Once again, for reference, this is cell B2 with our original formula:
=VLOOKUP(A2,F1:I4,2,0)
Figure 45: Our original formula
In cell B3, the columns remain constant in the formula, but the row
numbers shift:
=VLOOKUP(A3,F2:I5,2,0)

Figure 46: The formula pasted in the row below has arguments that are also
down one row
In cell B4, we see the row numbers have shifted again:
=VLOOKUP(A4,F3:I6,2,0)

Figure 47: The formula pasted two rows down has arguments that are also
shifted down two rows
One important point evident here is that the inconsistent formula does not
affect the value outcome until cell C3! This is critical to understand
because, sometimes, if you do not check your formula, you will think you
are copying and pasting correctly – you may even spot-check a few cells
that look right without even realizing the flaw.
I speak from very personal experience on this. It is unpleasant to work hard
on a report that fails to provide the information expected. It is also not good
for building credibility and trust with superiors and colleagues on the
quality of your work.
Introducing the Dollar Sign
When designating a value as absolute, a dollar sign ( $ ) is used. When the
dollar sign is omitted, the reference will shift as the formula is copied and
pasted into other cells. This segment will help you understand when and
why to use the $, and soon you will understand the flexibility it provides.
As stated earlier, using a dollar sign before referencing a cell’s column or
row will make that reference absolute (or unchanged). The $ symbol
informs Excel that we do not want the reference shifting as we paste the
formula into different cells. By adding a $, that reference will not change.
Note that a column, a row, or both column and row can be referenced as
either relative or absolute. That means that in one reference, we can keep a
row the same (absolute), while the column changes (relative) as we copy
and paste from cell to cell.
Now, in cell B2, type the following:
=VLOOKUP($A2,$F$1:$I$4,B$5,0)
Do you see what’s happening there?
In the lookup value argument, A is absolute, while 2 is relative
In the table array argument, both F and 1, as well as I and 4, are absolute
In the column index argument, B is relative, while 5 is absolute
When we copy and paste the formula from cell B2 into cells B2
through D4, the values will match G2 through I4. So, how did we do it?
First, we kept the lookup value’s column A absolute so it always refers back
to column A on any row or column.

Figure 48: An absolute reference to column A

Then, we kept the lookup value’s row 2 relative, so it will change as we
travel down the table. See cell C3 as a clear demonstration of this.

Figure 49: An absolute column and relative cell lookup value maintains an
effective formula wherever it’s placed
Both the columns and rows of the table array are absolute, so they will
remain constant throughout.
Finally, the column index uses a relative column and an absolute row.
Cell B2 has B$5 as the column index. When this is copied, its row will stay
the same but the column will shift, as shown in the preceding illustration.
In row 5, cells B through D, we have a footer reference. In a VLOOKUP
formula, when we use a literal number as a column index, that value stays
the same. But when we use a relative reference, the number will shift as the
formula is copied to other columns. By utilizing a footer with a reference as
the column index, we won’t have to manually adjust this argument in every
cell we paste the formula.
Note that while our lookup value has an absolute column reference and a
relative row, the column index has the converse – a relative column and an
absolute row.
This was a lot to tackle, and we are going to look at a familiar example for
another approach at getting our heads wrapped around absolute and relative
references.
Multiplication Table
Consider this old multiplication table from elementary school, available in
the worksheet named Multiplication Tables.
Figure 50: The multiplication table with the working area bordered in black
We will attempt to duplicate cells B2 through L12 using VLOOKUP. This
will help better explain how the relative and absolute references are
interacting as we traverse from cell to cell.
We will use the first column of our multiplication table as the lookup value,
the entire table as the table array, and the first row as the column index.
If we enter the following into cell N2, it should display the value 4:
=VLOOKUP(A2,A1:L12,B1,0)
When we copy the formula in N2, select N2 through X12, and then paste,
we can see where our formula went wrong. Cell O2 should have a 6, but it
shows an 8. This is the result of a relative lookup value that has shifted to
cell B2 (with a value of 4).
Figure 51: With a relative lookup value, the formula goes awry in a new
location
If we adjust the formula in cell N2 to make the lookup value absolute…
=VLOOKUP($A2,A1:L12,B1,0)
…we can once again copy N2 and paste the formula over cells N2
through X12. And, once again, we see errors in the cells; however, they are
different from the errors shown earlier.
If we check the formula in cell O2, we now see 4 instead of 6. Now, the
table array is still relative, so our lookup value is 2. But the table array has
shifted to start in column B, where the number 2 appears in row 1.
Then, based on the column index, Excel moves over three cells to the right
and finds the value 4. The logic only gets messier as we look at the formula
in other cells.
Figure 52: The problem is not corrected by merely adding an absolute
column to the lookup value
So, we will need to rewrite the formula in N2 to make sure both the
columns and rows are absolute, to keep the table array constant regardless
of where it is referenced:
=VLOOKUP($A2,$A$1:$L$12,B1,0)
Again, copy cell N2 and paste over the earlier values in cells N2
through X12.

Figure 53: Making the columns and rows of the table array absolute doesn’t
entirely fix the problem, either
Row 1 of the table looks correct, and if you need to confirm, remember
your twos multiplication table.
But row 2 of the table does not make any sense, and based on the reference
errors, we can see we need to revise this formula further. Check the formula
in cell N3 and you will notice that our column index is not pointing to
row 1. We need to adjust the formula to make the row of the column index
absolute.
Notice that we do not want to make the column absolute, or we’ll see
column B repeated eleven times in N2 through X12. The following formula
is correct:
=VLOOKUP($A2,$A$1:$L$12,B$1,0)
This formula should replicate the multiplication table from 2 through 12.
Chapter 19. Project – Registration Form
The goal of this project is create a registration form, to insert and store
data’s as name, address and phone. There are thousands of ways to create
this form, on this project, will need to create a form that interacts with
Excel worksheet. The form will read, insert and delete data’s from
worksheet.
The following picture shows the form model of this project.

The Search Button open a new

form as the following picture:

The worksheet will work as a database for the

registration information, as the following picture:

The buttons objects do the following functionalities:

Register – Add a new register at the end of the list
Save – Save modifications
Delete – Delete the existing registration
Search – Open the search form, that find a registration
Clear Fields – Clear all text boxes information’s

Solution registration form:

Public NAME, LNAME, GENDER, COUNTRY, STATE, CITY,
ADDRESS, PHONE, PHONE2 As String
Public nRow As Long
Public pos As Long
Public ChangesOK As Boolean
Private Sub UserForm_Initialize()
ChangesOK = True
End Sub
Private Sub BT_REGISTER_Click()
nRow = Application.WorksheetFunction.CountA(Range("A:A")) + 1
Call UpdateText
If NAME = "" Or COUNTRY = "" Or ADDRESS = "" Then
MsgBox ("Incomplete Form")
Else
Call Insert
End If
End Sub
Private Sub BT_SAVE_Click()
ChangesOK = False
pos = LB_REGISTERS.ListIndex + 2
Range("A" & pos) = TXT_NAME.Value
Range("B" & pos) = TXT_LNAME.Value
If OB_MALE.Value = True = True Then
Range("C" & pos) = "Male"
Else
Range("C" & pos) = "Female"
End If
Range("D" & pos) = CB_COUNTRY.Value
Range("E" & pos) = TXT_STATE.Value
Range("F" & pos) = TXT_CITY.Value
Range("G" & pos) = TXT_ADDRESS.Value
Range("H" & pos) = TXT_PHONE.Value
Range("I" & pos) = TXT_PHONE2.Value
ChangesOK = True
End Sub
Private Sub BT_DELETE_Click()
pos = LB_REGISTERS.ListIndex + 2
Rows(pos).Delete
On Error Resume Next
LB_REGISTERS.Selected(pos - 1) = True
End Sub
Private Sub BT_SEARCH_Click()
FORM_SEARCH.Show
End Sub
Private Sub BT_CLEAR_Click()
TXT_NAME.Value = ""
TXT_LNAME.Value = ""
OB_MALE.Value = True
CB_COUNTRY.Value = ""
TXT_STATE.Value = ""
TXT_CITY.Value = ""
TXT_ADDRESS.Value = ""
TXT_PHONE.Value = ""
TXT_PHONE2.Value = ""
End Sub
Private Sub LB_REGISTERS_Change()
If ChangesOK = False Then
Exit Sub
End If
TXT_NAME.Value = LB_REGISTERS.List(LB_REGISTERS.ListIndex,
0)
TXT_LNAME.Value = LB_REGISTERS.List(LB_REGISTERS.ListIndex,
1)
If LB_REGISTERS.List(LB_REGISTERS.ListIndex, 2) = "Male" Then
OB_MALE.Value = True
OB_FEMALE.Value = False
Else
OB_MALE.Value = False
OB_FEMALE.Value = True
End If
CB_COUNTRY.Value =
LB_REGISTERS.List(LB_REGISTERS.ListIndex, 3)
TXT_STATE.Value = LB_REGISTERS.List(LB_REGISTERS.ListIndex,
4)
TXT_CITY.Value = LB_REGISTERS.List(LB_REGISTERS.ListIndex, 5)
TXT_ADDRESS.Value =
LB_REGISTERS.List(LB_REGISTERS.ListIndex, 6)
TXT_PHONE.Value = LB_REGISTERS.List(LB_REGISTERS.ListIndex,
7)
TXT_PHONE2.Value =
LB_REGISTERS.List(LB_REGISTERS.ListIndex, 8)
End Sub
Public Sub Insert()
Range("A" & nRow) = NAME
Range("B" & nRow) = LNAME
Range("C" & nRow) = GENDER
Range("D" & nRow) = COUNTRY
Range("E" & nRow) = STATE
Range("F" & nRow) = CITY
Range("G" & nRow) = ADDRESS
Range("H" & nRow) = PHONE
Range("I" & nRow) = PHONE2
End Sub
Public Sub UpdateText()
NAME = TXT_NAME.Value
LNAME = TXT_LNAME.Value
If OB_MALE.Value = True Then
GENDER = "Male"
Else
GENDER = "Female"
End If
COUNTRY = CB_COUNTRY.Value
STATE = TXT_STATE.Value
CITY = TXT_CITY.Value
ADDRESS = TXT_ADDRESS.Value
PHONE = TXT_PHONE.Value
PHONE2 = TXT_PHONE2.Value
End Sub
Solution search form:
Private Sub BT_SEARCH_Click()
Dim COL As String
Dim ROW As String
Dim TXTSEARCH As String
If OB_SNAME.Value = True Then
COL = "A"
ElseIf OB_SLNAME.Value = True Then
COL = "B"
ElseIf OB_SPHONE.Value = True Then
COL = "H"
End If
TXTSEARCH = TXT_SEARCH
On Error GoTo sError
If IsNumeric(TXTSEARCH) Then
ROW = Application.WorksheetFunction.Match(CLng(TXTSEARCH),
Range(COL & ":" & COL), 0)
Else
ROW = Application.WorksheetFunction.Match(CStr(TXTSEARCH),
Range(COL & ":" & COL), 0)
End If
FORM_REGISTER.LB_REGISTERS.Selected(ROW - 2) = True
Exit Sub
sError:
MsgBox "Registration not found"
End Sub
Private Sub TXT_SEARCH_KeyDown(ByVal KeyCode As
MSForms.ReturnInteger, ByVal Shift As Integer)
If KeyCode = 13 Then
Call BT_SEARCH_Click
End If
End Sub
Explanation registration form:
The first step of this project is declare the variables, there many subs, then
the variables are declared in a public way. The strings just represent the
values of text boxes. The nRow and pos are used to count position and
ChangesOK is a Boolean that will work as a trick that avoid the Sub
LB_REGISTERS_Change() when necessary.
Public NAME, LNAME, GENDER, COUNTRY, STATE, CITY,
ADDRESS, PHONE, PHONE2 As String
Public nRow, pos As Long
Public ChangesOK As Boolean
After define the project variables, is necessary create the sub instructions.
There are nine Sub’s in the Registration form, each one is fundamental for
the application functionality.
The Main Form:
UserForm_Initialize()
BT_REGISTER_Click()
BT_SAVE_Click()
BT_DELETE_Click()
BT_SEARCH_Click()
BT_CLEAR_Click()
LB_REGISTERS_Change()
Insert()
UpdateText()
The Search Form:
BT_SEARCH_Click()
TXT_SEARCH_KeyDown()
The following diagram, explain how the Subs are connected:
The Main Form explanation:
UserForm_Initialize()
This sub activate when the form starts, it’s used just to define the Boolean
ChangesOK with false value.
BT_REGISTER_Click()
First Step
Set the variable nRow to get the total of used rows, using the method
Application.WorksheetFunction.CountA.
Second Step
Call the “UpdateText” Sub, which associate the variables with Text Boxes
values, then the” if Statement”, verifies if three important variables are
empty or not.
Third Step
Call the “Insert” Sub, which fill the cells with variable values.
BT_SAVE_Click()
First Step
Set the Boolean ChangesOK as False, it is necessary to avoid the sub
LB_REGISTERS_Change() in this case.
Second Step
Set the variable “pos” as LB_REGISTERS.ListIndex + 2, this variable
represent the row position in the worksheet, it is necessary sum 2 because
the ListBox count from zero while the worksheet row start with 1 and the
worksheet also has a head.
Third Step
The last Step of this Sub is set the Cells values to get the Forms
information. There are a “if statement” to check if ComboBox is with male
of female value.
Range("A" & pos) = TXT_NAME.Value
Range("B" & pos) = TXT_LNAME.Value
If OB_MALE.Value = True = True Then
Range("C" & pos) = "Male"
Else
Range("C" & pos) = "Female"
End If
Range("D" & pos) = CB_COUNTRY.Value
Range("E" & pos) = TXT_STATE.Value
Range("F" & pos) = TXT_CITY.Value
Range("G" & pos) = TXT_ADDRESS.Value
Range("H" & pos) = TXT_PHONE.Value
Range("I" & pos) = TXT_PHONE2.Value
BT_DELETE_Click()
First Step
Set the variable pos as LB_REGISTERS.ListIndex + 2, this variable
represent the row position in the worksheet, it is necessary sum 2 because
the ListBox count from zero while the worksheet row start with 1 and the
worksheet also has a head.
Second Step
The second step is just for delete the row with Rows(pos).Delete
Third Step
The last step of this sub select the ListBox item earlier. The “On Error
Resume Next” is applied to prevent error if the user delete the first row.
On Error Resume Next
LB_REGISTERS.Selected(pos - 1) = True
BT_SEARCH_Click()
This sub is just to show the Search Form.
FORM_SEARCH.Show
BT_CLEAR_Click()
This sub is just to clear all fields and select the default Option Button as
Male. The procedure to clear fields is simple, just set the value as empty
using “”.
TXT_NAME.Value = ""
TXT_LNAME.Value = ""
OB_MALE.Value = True
CB_COUNTRY.Value = ""
TXT_STATE.Value = ""
TXT_CITY.Value = ""
TXT_ADDRESS.Value = ""
TXT_PHONE.Value = ""
TXT_PHONE2.Value = ""
LB_REGISTERS_Change()
This sub is activated for any selection change inside the list. It provides the
update of the forms fields with ListBox selection.
First Step
As mentioned the ChangesOK Boolean works as a trick to run the update
just when necessary. When the Boolean is false, the code exit the Sub.
If ChangesOK = False Then
Exit Sub
Second Step
Each Text Box and the Option Button (Male and Female) are updated
according to the ListBox selection. The following code do this procedure.
For the option box, the “If Statement” provides the correct selection
according to the ListBox information (Male or Female).
TXT_NAME.Value = LB_REGISTERS.List(LB_REGISTERS.ListIndex,
0)
TXT_LNAME.Value = LB_REGISTERS.List(LB_REGISTERS.ListIndex,
1)
If LB_REGISTERS.List(LB_REGISTERS.ListIndex, 2) = "Male" Then
OB_MALE.Value = True
OB_FEMALE.Value = False
Else
OB_MALE.Value = False
OB_FEMALE.Value = True
End If
CB_COUNTRY.Value =
LB_REGISTERS.List(LB_REGISTERS.ListIndex, 3)
TXT_STATE.Value = LB_REGISTERS.List(LB_REGISTERS.ListIndex,
4)
TXT_CITY.Value = LB_REGISTERS.List(LB_REGISTERS.ListIndex, 5)
TXT_ADDRESS.Value =
LB_REGISTERS.List(LB_REGISTERS.ListIndex, 6)
TXT_PHONE.Value = LB_REGISTERS.List(LB_REGISTERS.ListIndex,
7)
TXT_PHONE2.Value =
LB_REGISTERS.List(LB_REGISTERS.ListIndex, 8)
Insert()
As mentioned, this sub will just update the worksheet information
according to the Variables values.
Range("A" & nRow) = NAME
Range("B" & nRow) = LNAME
Range("C" & nRow) = GENDER
Range("D" & nRow) = COUNTRY
Range("E" & nRow) = STATE
Range("F" & nRow) = CITY
Range("G" & nRow) = ADDRESS
Range("H" & nRow) = PHONE
Range("I" & nRow) = PHONE2
UpdateText()
As mentioned, this sub will just update the variables according with Text
Box and Option Button information. The Option Button, uses a “if
Statement” to associate the gender.
NAME = TXT_NAME.Value
LNAME = TXT_LNAME.Value
If OB_MALE.Value = True Then
GENDER = "Male"
Else
GENDER = "Female"
End If
COUNTRY = CB_COUNTRY.Value
STATE = TXT_STATE.Value
CITY = TXT_CITY.Value
ADDRESS = TXT_ADDRESS.Value
PHONE = TXT_PHONE.Value
PHONE2 = TXT_PHONE2.Value
The Search Form explanation:
BT_SEARCH_Click()
The Search form has just two subs, the first is the Search Button, and it use
the option box to find a name, a last name or the phone number in the
ListBox. The second sub is just to recognize the Enter button to activate the
Search Button.
First Step
The first step is the variable declarations, there are three variables declared
as Strings that will receive the column position (“COL”), the row position
(“ROW”) and the text to find (“TXTSEARCH”).
Dim COL As String
Dim ROW As String
Dim TXTSEARCH As String
Second Step
The second step verifies the selected Option Box to define the column. The
variable TXTSEARCH get the textbox value.
If OB_SNAME.Value = True Then
COL = "A"
ElseIf OB_SLNAME.Value = True Then
COL = "B"
ElseIf OB_SPHONE.Value = True Then
COL = "H"
End If
TXTSEARCH = TXT_SEARCH
Third Step
The “On Error GoTo sError” works moving the code reading to the end
with sError label. Then an MsgBox display the message: "Registration not
found".
Fourth Step
The last step verifies if the TXTSEARCH is a number or not, then the
“Application.WorkSheetFunction.Match”, return the row, the method
Selected with True Value activates the searched line in the listbox. The
ROW is subtracting 2 for the difference between the worksheet and the
listbox, the sheet start counting from 1 and it has a header, while the listbox
starts from zero.
If IsNumeric(TXTSEARCH) Then
ROW = Application.WorksheetFunction.Match(CLng(TXTSEARCH),
Range(COL & ":" & COL), 0)
Else
ROW = Application.WorksheetFunction.Match(CStr(TXTSEARCH),
Range(COL & ":" & COL), 0)
End If
FORM_REGISTER.LB_REGISTERS.Selected(ROW - 2) = True
Exit Sub
TXT_SEARCH_KeyDown()
This sub works just to recognize the Enter Button that will call the
“BT_SEARCH_Click”, the “if statement” is verifying if the user pressed
the Enter Key, that KeyCode is 13.
Private Sub TXT_SEARCH_KeyDown(ByVal KeyCode As
MSForms.ReturnInteger, ByVal Shift As Integer)
If KeyCode = 13 Then
Call BT_SEARCH_Click
End If
Chapter 20. A sample program
We will go through a sample program that adopts most of the mentioned
ideas with the following characteristics:
• When the workbook is opened,
o A particular worksheet (named Sample) is activated.
o The first three rows are frozen.
o A particular row (row 50) is scrolled up and becomes the top row in
the unfrozen pane.
o The scroll area for the active sheet is limited to certain range
(A4:H100).
o A custom tab (named Custom) is activated.
o A drop-down control is dynamically filled with items (which are
labelled as: All Groups, Group 1, Group 2, Group 3, Groups 1 and 2,
Groups 1 and 3, and Groups 2 and 3) at runtime.
o A gallery control is dynamically filled with images at runtime.
• When the user selects a different item from the drop-down control on
the Custom tab,
o Only certain groups of controls on the tab (either all groups, Group 1,
Group 2, Group 3, Groups 1 and 2, Groups 1 and 3, or Groups 2 and 3) are
displayed accordingly.
o The status bar displays the currently selected item.
o If a particular item (namely, Group 2) is selected, a particular
worksheet (named Sheet2) is then activated with the following changes to
its appearance:
■ The worksheet is displayed in page layout view.
■ The row and column headings are hidden.
■ The gridlines in the worksheet are removed.
■ The formula bar is hidden.
• The Custom tab is visible if the activated sheet is a worksheet.
• A custom control (namely, the G5B1 button on the View tab) is
disabled (or enabled) if a particular built-in checkbox (namely, the Formula
Bar check box on the View tab) is unticked (or ticked).
• A set of control buttons in different groups on the Custom tab
(namely: G1B1 in Group 1, G2B2 in Group 2, G3B3 in Group 3, and G4B3
in Group 4) is enabled if the activated worksheet (named Sheet1) has a
particular worksheet-level named range (namely, a range named MyRange).
Otherwise, the set of buttons is disabled.
• A custom control (named Remove USD) can be accessed from the
Cell context menu
To build the program, execute the following steps:
1. Create a new workbook and save it as a macro-enabled workbook.
2. Right-click a sheet tab and choose Insert to add a chart sheet.
3. Add additional worksheets if needed and rename a worksheet
Sample, a worksheet Sheet1, and another worksheet Sheet2.
4. Activate the Sheet1 worksheet, select a range of cells, and in the
Name box enter Sheet1!MyRange to name the range a worksheet-level
name of MyRange.
If the Name box is not visible, tick the Formula Bar check box on the View
tab.
5. Close the workbook and open it in Custom UI Editor.
6. In Custom UI Editor, click Insert and choose Office 2010 Custom UI
Part.
7. Copy and paste the following XML code:
<customUI
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2009/07/customui"
onLoad="Initialize">
<commands>
<command idMso="ViewFormulaBar"
onAction="MonitorViewFormulaBar"/>
</commands>
<ribbon>
<tabs>
<tab id="CustomTab" label="Custom"
insertBeforeMso="TabView"
getVisible="getVisibleCustomTab">
<group id="GroupGallerye" label="Gallery" >
<gallery id="gallery1"
label="Photos"
imageMso="Camera"
size="large"
itemWidth="100"
itemHeight="100"
onAction="SelectedPhoto"
getItemCount="getGalleryItemCount"
getItemImage="getGalleryItemImage"/>
</group>
<group id="GroupModule" label="Modules" >
<dropDown id="dropDown1"
label="Module:"
sizeString="xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
onAction="SelectedItem"
getItemCount="getDropDownItemCount"
getItemLabel="getDropDownItemLabel">
</dropDown>
</group>
<group id="Group1" label="Group 1"
getVisible="getVisibleGrp">
<button id="G1B1" label="G1B1" imageMso="Copy"
 onAction="MacroG1B1" getEnabled="getEnabledBs"/>
</group>
<group id="Group2" label="Group 2"
getVisible="getVisibleGrp" >
<button id="G2B1" label="G2B1" imageMso="Bold"
onAction="MacroG2B1" />
<button id="G2B2" label="G2B2" imageMso="Italic"
onAction="MacroG2B2" getEnabled="getEnabledBs"/>
</group>
<group id="Group3" label="Group 3"
getVisible="getVisibleGrp" >
<button id="G3B1" label="G3B1" imageMso="_1"
onAction="MacroG3B1" />
<button id="G3B2" label="G3B2" imageMso="_2"
onAction="MacroG3B2" />
<button id="G3B3" label="G3B3" imageMso="_3"
onAction="MacroG3B3" getEnabled="getEnabledBs"/>
</group>
<group id="Group4" label="Group 4" >
<button id="G4B1" label="G4B1" imageMso="A"
onAction="MacroG4B1" />
<button id="G4B2" label="G4B2" imageMso="B"
onAction="MacroG4B2" />
<button id="G4B3" label="G4B3" imageMso="C"
onAction="MacroG4B3" getEnabled="getEnabledBs"/>
</group>
</tab>
<tab idMso="TabView" >
 <group id="Group5" label="Group 5"
insertAfterMso="GroupViewShowHide">
<button id="G5B1" label="G5B1" imageMso="Camera"
size="large" onAction="MacroG5B1"
getEnabled="getEnabledG5B1"/>
</group>
</tab>
</tabs>
</ribbon>
<contextMenus>
<contextMenu idMso="ContextMenuCell">
<button id="RemoveUSD"
label="Remove USD"
insertBeforeMso="Cut"
onAction="RemoveUSD"
imageMso="HappyFace"/>
</contextMenu>
</contextMenus>
</customUI>
8. Click the Validate button on the toolbar to check for errors.
9. Save and close the file.
10. Open the file in Excel.
11. Click OK to the error messages.
12. Press Alt+11 to activate VBE.
13. Insert a standard VBA module and copy and paste the following VBA
code into the module:
Public myRibbon As IRibbonUI
Dim ImageCount As Long 'Number of images in the gallery
Dim ImageFilenames() As String 'Filenames of the images
Dim ItemLabels(0 To 6) As String 'Item labels for the drop-down
Dim VisGrpNm1 As String 'Store the names of groups to be visible
Dim VisGrpNm2 As String 'when an item from the drop-down is selected
'Callback for customUI.onLoad
Sub Initialize(ribbon As IRibbonUI)
Set myRibbon = ribbon
'Activate the Custom tab
myRibbon.ActivateTab "CustomTab"
'Do not place the above line of code in Workbook_Open
'because myRibbon is still Nothing
'Prepare the filenames of the images for the gallery
Call PrepareItemImages
'Prepare the labels of the items for the drop-down
Call PrepareItemLabels
End Sub
Private Sub PrepareItemImages()
'To build an array of filenames of the images for the gallery
Dim Filename As String
Filename = Dir("C:\Photos\*.jpg")

'To loop through all the jpg files in the folder and populate
'the ImageFilenames array with the filenames of the jpg files
Do While Filename <> ""
ImageCount = ImageCount + 1
ReDim Preserve ImageFilenames(1 To ImageCount)
ImageFilenames(ImageCount) = Filename
Filename = Dir
 Loop
'Dir() returns a zero-length string ("")
'when no more file in the folder matches
'the pathname, "C:\Photos\*.jpg"
End Sub
'Callback for gallery1 getItemCount
Sub getGalleryItemCount(control As IRibbonControl, ByRef Count)
'To specify the number of times to call
'the getGalleryItemImage procedure
Count = ImageCount
End Sub
'Callback for gallery1 getItemImage
Sub getGalleryItemImage(control As IRibbonControl, _
index As Integer, ByRef Image)
'Each time this procedure is called, index is increased by one
Set Image = LoadPicture("C:\Photos\" & ImageFilenames(index + 1))
End Sub
'Callback for gallery1 onAction
Sub SelectedPhoto(control As IRibbonControl, _
id As String, index As Integer)
MsgBox "You selected Photo " & index + 1
End Sub
Private Sub PrepareItemLabels()
'To build an array of item labels for the drop-dow n
Dim i As Long
ItemLabels(0) = "All Groups"
ItemLabels(1) = "Group 1"
ItemLabels(2) = "Group 2"
 ItemLabels(3) = "Group 3"
ItemLabels(4) = "Groups 1 and 2"
ItemLabels(5) = "Groups 1 and 3"
ItemLabels(6) = "Groups 2 and 3"
End Sub
'Callback for dropDown1 getItemCount
Sub getDropDownItemCount(control As IRibbonControl, ByRef Count)
'To specify the total number of items in the drop-down control
Count = 7
End Sub
'Callback for dropDown1 getItemLabel
Sub getDropDownItemLabel(control As IRibbonControl, _
index As Integer, ByRef ItemLabel)
'Set the item labels in the drop-down control
ItemLabel = ItemLabels(index)
'Alternatively, if the item labels are in stored
'the range A1:A7 on Sheet1, use the following code:
'ItemLabel = Worksheets("Sheet1").Cells(index + 1, 1).Value
End Sub
'Callback for dropDown1 onAction
Sub SelectedItem(control As IRibbonControl, _
id As String, index As Integer)
'Determine which group(s) to be visibl e
VisGrpNm1 = "": VisGrpNm2 = ""
Select Case index
Case 0
VisGrpNm1 = "*"
Case 1
 VisGrpNm1 = "*1"
Case 2
VisGrpNm1 = "*2"
'Change the appearance of Sheet2 if 3rd item is selected
Call ChangeSheet2Appearance
Case 3
VisGrpNm1 = "*3"
Case 4
VisGrpNm1 = "*1"
VisGrpNm2 = "*2"
Case 5
VisGrpNm1 = "*1"
VisGrpNm2 = "*3"
Case 6
VisGrpNm1 = "*2"
VisGrpNm2 = "*3"
End Select
'Invalidate Group1, Group2, and Group3
'Once invalidated, getVisibleGrp is executed
myRibbon.InvalidateControl "Group1"
myRibbon.InvalidateControl "Group2"
myRibbon.InvalidateControl "Group3"
'Update the status ba r
Application.StatusBar = " Module: " & ItemLabels(index)
End Sub
'Callback for Group1 getVisible
Sub getVisibleGrp(control As IRibbonControl, ByRef Enabled)
'Hide and unhide certain groups of 1, 2, and 3
'based on the selected item from the drop-down control
If control.id Like VisGrpNm1 Or control.id Like VisGrpNm2 Then
Enabled = True 'Visible
Else
Enabled = False 'Hidden
End If
End Sub

Private Sub ChangeSheet2Appearance()

Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Sheets("Sheet2").Activate
With ActiveWindow
'To display the active worksheet in page layout view
.View = xlPageLayoutView
'To hide the row and column headings
.DisplayHeadings = False
'To hide the gridlines
.DisplayGridlines = False
End With
'To hide the formula bar
Application.DisplayFormulaBar = False
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub
'Callback for G1B1, G2B2, G3B3, and G4B3 getEnabled
Sub getEnabledBs(control As IRibbonControl, ByRef Enabled)
'The set of G1B1, G2B2, G3B3, and G4B3 buttons is enabled
'if the active sheet has a range named MyRange
'In this program, this procedure is called when the Ribbon
 'is invalidated in the Workbook_SheetActivate event handler
Enabled = RngNameExists(ActiveSheet, "MyRange")
End Sub
Function RngNameExists(ws As Worksheet, RngName As String) As
Boolean
'To return whether a named range exists in a worksheet
Dim rng As Range
On Error Resume Next
Set rng = ws.Range(RngName)
RngNameExists = Err.Number = 0
End Function
'Callback for ViewFormulaBar onAction
Sub MonitorViewFormulaBar(control As IRibbonControl, _
pressed As Boolean, ByRef cancelDefault)
cancelDefault = False 'Restore the functionality of the control
myRibbon.InvalidateControl "G5B1"
End Sub
'Callback for G5B1 getEnabled
Sub getEnabledG5B1(control As IRibbonControl, ByRef Enabled)
'The GSB1 button is enabled if the formula bar is visible
Enabled = Application.DisplayFormulaBar
End Sub
'Callback for CustomTab getVisible
Sub getVisibleCustomTab(control As IRibbonControl, _
ByRef CustomTabVisible)
CustomTabVisible = TypeName(ActiveSheet) = "Worksheet"
End Sub
The Custom tab is visible if the active sheet is a worksheet. In this program,
this procedure is called when the Ribbon is invalidated in the
Workbook_SheetActivate event handler.
'Callback for G1B1 onAction
Sub MacroG1B1(control As IRibbonControl)
MsgBox "MacroG1B1"
End Sub
'Callback for G2B1 onAction
Sub MacroG2B1(control As IRibbonControl)
MsgBox "MacroG2B1"
End Sub
'Callback for G2B2 onAction
Sub MacroG2B2(control As IRibbonControl)
MsgBox "MacroG2B2"
End Sub
'Callback for G3B1 onAction
Sub MacroG3B1(control As IRibbonControl)
MsgBox "MacroG3B1"
End Sub
'Callback for G3B2 onAction
Sub MacroG3B2(control As IRibbonControl)
MsgBox "MacroG3B2"
End Sub
'Callback for G3B3 onAction
Sub MacroG3B3(control As IRibbonControl)
MsgBox "MacroG3B3"
End Sub
'Callback for G4B1 onAction
Sub MacroG4B1(control As IRibbonControl)
MsgBox "MacroG4B1"
End Sub
'Callback for G4B2 onAction
Sub MacroG4B2(control As IRibbonControl)
MsgBox "MacroG4B2"
End Sub
'Callback for G4B3 onAction
Sub MacroG4B3(control As IRibbonControl)
MsgBox "MacroG4B3"
End Sub
'Callback for G5B1 onAction
Sub MacroG5B1(control As IRibbonControl)
MsgBox "MacroG5B1"
End Sub
Sub RemoveUSD(control As IRibbonControl)
'To remove the currency symbols in a range of selected cells
'For example, USD 500.25 becomes 500.25
Dim workRng As Range
Dim Item As Range
On Error Resume Next
Set workRng = Intersect(Selection, _
Selection.Cells.SpecialCells _
(xlCellTypeConstants, xlTextValues) )
If Not workRng Is Nothing Then
For Each Item In workRng
If UCase(Left(Item, 3)) = "USD" Then _
Item = Right(Item, Len(Item) - 3)
Next Item
End If
End Sub
14. Insert the following VBA code into the ThisWorkbook module:
Private Sub Workbook_Open()
With Application
'Disable Workbook_SheetActivate because
'myRibbon is still Nothing
.EnableEvents = False
.ScreenUpdating = False
End With
'Activate a particular worksheet
Worksheets("Sample").Activate
'Freeze the first three rows
With ActiveWindow
If .View = xlPageLayoutView Then _
.View = xlNormalView
.SplitRow = 3
.SplitColumn = 0
.FreezePanes = True
End With
'Set row 50 to be the top row in the unfrozen pane
ActiveWindow.ScrollRow = 5 0

'A message for the user

With Range("A50")
.Value = "Scroll up to see other info"
.Font.Bold = True
.Activate
End With
 'Set the scroll area for the active sheet
ActiveSheet.ScrollArea = "A4:H100" 'Limit to the range A4:H100
With Application
.EnableEvents = True
.ScreenUpdating = True
End With
End Sub
Private Sub Workbook_SheetActivate(ByVal Sh As Object)
'To invalidate all controls
myRibbon.Invalidate
End Sub
15. Save, close, and reopen the workbook in Excel.
Chapter 21. More Examples
Coloring maximum values
Sub MaxValueColoring()
Dim lMaxValue As Double, rng As Range, cell As Range
Cells.Interior.ColorIndex = 0
Set rng = Range("A1").CurrentRegion
lMaxValue = WorksheetFunction.Max(rng)
For Each cell In rng
If cell.Value = lMaxValue Then cell.Interior.ColorIndex = 22
Next cell
End Sub
In this example, we have created a macro to color the cell having the
maximum value.
Here I have declared one variable lMaxValue as type Double and two
Range objects rng and cell. Then we have added entire cells interior color to
none. Why we are specifying the interior color to none at the beginning is to
reset the background color to none if you are again running the procedure
with new value.
We initialize rng with the numbers. For that, we use the CurrentRegion
property from A1 cell. Whatever values are there it will be assigned to the
rng Object variable.
Then we initialize lMaxValue with the maximum value of the numbers. We
use the worksheet function Max to find the maximum value.
Finally, we color the maximum value. We use a For Each Next Loop to loop
through each cell in the range in rng object variable.
Points to Note: instead of ColorIndex number 22 (red), you can use any
ColorIndex number.
Hide sheet
This macro will hide sheet1.
Sub HideSheet()
Sheets("Sheet1").Visible = False
End Sub
You can also use index number of the sheet, Sheets(1).Visible = False, if
you know the index number. One advantage of using the index number is if
you change the sheet name to some other name still the program will hide
the first sheet. This may be useful for hiding the information from the end
user.
Department wise password
Here we have three departments HR, Admin, Finance and their data in
sheet2. When the department gets the report, they should view only the data
relating to them by entering the password given to them.
First, create an Excel sheet and enter the heading HR, Admin and Finance
in A1, B1 and C1 cell of Sheet2. Fill the first four rows of each column
with the data like this.
Then hide sheets sheet2 and sheet3. Now run this macro from a module.
Sub Hide_Sheet1()
Dim Dept As String
Dim InputPass As String
Dim Password(1 To 3) As String
Password(1) = "Recruite"
Password(2) = "Approval"
Password(3) = "Accounts"
Dept = InputBox("Please enter your department name")
InputPass = InputBox("Please enter the password")
If Dept = "HR" And InputPass = Password(1) Then
Sheets(1).Range("A1:A4").Value = Sheets(2).Range("A1:A4").Value
End If
If Dept = "Admin" And InputPass = Password(2) The n
Sheets(1).Range("A1:A4").Value = Sheets(2).Range("B1:B4").Value
End If
If Dept = "Finance" And InputPass = Password(3) Then
Sheets(1).Range("A1:A4").Value = Sheets(2).Range("C1:C4").Value
End If
End Sub
This example is used to demonstrate how you can use VBA in various
ways.
Changing Background colors
You can change the background color using Interior.ColorIndex Property.
Here the number 5 denotes Blue 3 for Red, 4 for Green and 6 for Yellow.
The ColorIndex property can generate up to 57 colors. You can see the full
list from this link https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-
us/library/cc296089(v=office.12).aspx.
Sub BackgoundColor()
Range("A1:C5").Interior.ColorIndex = 5 ' 5=Blue
End Sub
Change Font color and size
To change the font color and font size of a particular Range. Hereby
specifying the Font’s ColorIndex property, you can change the color of the
cells from A1:A3. Also if you use the size property of the font, you can
change the size of the font.
Sub FontColor()
Range("A1:A3").Font.ColorIndex = 3 ' 3=Red
Range("A1:A3").Font.Size = 15
End Sub
Rename and Delete Worksheet
Sub RenameDelete()
Sheets.Add
ActiveSheet.Name = "Temporary Sheet"
Sheets("Temporary Sheet").Delete
End Sub
Create New Workbook, Add Data, Save And Close The Workbook
Sub SaveandClose()
Workbooks.Add
ActiveWorkbook.Sheets("Sheet1").Range("A1") = "Sample Data"
ActiveWorkbook.SaveAs "MyNewWorkbook.xls"
ActiveWorkbook.Close
End Sub
You can use Add method of a Workbooks object to add a new workbook.
Then you can enter data in A1 cell and then use SaveAs to give a name and
the close it.
It will save in the default folder; you can mention the full path as
"c:\Temp\MyNewWorkbook.xls"
Insert And Delete Rows And Columns
Sub InsertandDelete()
Rows(6).Insert 'It will insert a row at 6 row
Rows(6).Delete 'it will delete the row 6
Columns("E").Insert 'it will insert the column at E
Columns("E").Delete 'it will delete the column E
End Sub
You can use Insert and Delete Properties of Rows to insert and delete rows.
Also, you can use Insert and Delete Properties of Columns.
Row Height And Column Width
Sub HeightandWidth()
Rows(12).RowHeight = 33
Columns(5).ColumnWidth = 35
End Sub
You can increase and decrease the row height and column width with this
macro.
 Conclusion
Microsoft Excel is one of the commonly used and easy to access tools for
beginners and professionals to do their daily tasks. Other than keeping
records, it helps to run formulas, evaluating and sorting data and making
reports. No one can deny its importance and efficiency when it comes to
performance. An add-on of VBA of Excel and Macros makes it even better
option for the beginners and professionals as well. It makes things streamed
in the best form.
With the help of an additional language such as VBA, it is helpful to
perform some complicated and bundle tasks with the help of Excel. The
language is easy to understand and macros can be practiced commonly to
increase the work efficiency. The built-in library helps to keep the record of
frequently used macros that helps to sort the data and perform multiple
tasks efficiently.
To get the best out of VBA Excel Macros, you need to learn the best of its
skills that help you to be a competent professional in the field. Learning it
for the beginners and non-programmers is not a difficult task at all. All you
need is a little resource, practice and a good understanding of codes.
Moreover, you should know the proper use and placement of these codes in
the right place. Eventually, you can get some of the macros as resources and
examples that help you to increase practice and develop more macros of the
same nature.
Learning about Power BI is one of the best decisions you will ever make.
Today it is virtually impossible not to interact with Microsoft Excel at some
point in time, either at work or at home. To manage your personal
expenditure and business finances, you need Excel at some point. Power BI
takes things a notch higher.
Everything that you have been able to do in Excel in terms of reporting and
handling data can now be performed on Power BI, but with a better user
experience. For all its benefits, Excel has several constraints that have been
addressed in Power BI with respect to managing data. Power BI makes your
work easier, and your reports more presentable.
A lot of people struggle with Excel, given that they find it complex. Power
BI attempts to smoothen some of these challenges by providing a platform
that users can enjoy without it being too technical. You can share
dashboards and reports easily on Power BI, something that has always been
a challenge on Excel.
By sharing a dashboard, you can collaborate on a report with people in
different teams, and in the process making sure that everyone who matters
has a role to play in developing the report. This makes it an ideal platform
for group work.
Compared to other platforms that you can use for data analysis and
reporting, Power BI is affordable. While you must pay to enjoy certain
services, you can access some of the basic features for free.
For your business reporting needs, you will find Power BI a useful
application that can help you get a lot of work done. You can create
beautiful visualizations that will help you in decision-making, and if you
present this to an audience, they will also appreciate the work you have
done.