VBA 101: BACK TO BASICSTim Heng

Director at SumProduct, Excel MVPwww.sumproduct.com | @timaheng | https://www.linkedin.com/in/timheng/

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Session outline:

• Recording and adapting macros

• Understand the high-level do’s and don’ts of working in VBA

• Learning how to use simple loops and conditions

• What to consider before you copy and paste code from forums and websites.

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Recording and adapting macrosWhat is VBA and how do we get started?

What is VBA?

• Visual Basic for Applications

• Relatively simple coding language used in Excel and other Office applications

• Object-based programming

• Objects (nouns), properties (adjectives) and methods (verbs)

• Object.Property = X

• NotMyDog.Coat = TooHairy

• Object.Method

• VeryHungryCaterpillar.Eats OneApple, TwoPears, ThreePlums

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What is VBA?

• Objects (nouns), properties (adjectives) and methods (verbs)

• Range(“A1:C5”).Font.Name = “Arial”

Object Properties

• Selection.Copy

Object Method

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Recording Macros

Easy to start recording – click and go

Long form: View -> Macros -> Record Macro

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Common characteristics of recorded macros

Task VBA recording Recommended adaptation

Select a cell Range(“A1”).Select Range(“CellName”).Select

Select the next sheet ActiveSheet.Next.Select Sheets(“SheetName”).Select

Copy a range Range("C6").SelectSelection.Copy

Range(“C6”).Copy

Paste into a range Range("D6").SelectActiveSheet.Paste

orSelection.PasteSpecial Paste:=xlPasteAll, Operation:=xlNone, SkipBlanks:= _False, Transpose:=False

Range(“D6”).PasteSpecial xlPasteAll

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Common characteristics of recorded macros

Task VBA recording Recommended adaptation

Change the font to Arial With Selection.Font.Name = "Arial".Size = 22.Strikethrough = False.Superscript = False.Subscript = False.OutlineFont = False.Shadow = False.Underline = xlUnderlineStyleNone.ThemeColor = xlThemeColorLight1.TintAndShade = 0.ThemeFont = xlThemeFontNone

End With

Range(“A1”).Font.Name = “Arial”

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Using variables

• Variables allow you to store values while your code is run

• Useful for a range of purposes:

• Tracking the number of times a loop is run

• Storing a value temporarily while you make changes to the spreadsheet

• Best practice to declare (dimension) the variable before using it

• Dim VariableName as String

• Dim LoopCounter as Integer

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High level do’s and don’ts

Things to avoid

• Don’t use cell references (e.g. “C5”)

• Use Named Ranges instead of cell references (e.g. “Macro_Check”)

• Remove unnecessary / unintended macro steps

• Try to avoid using .Copy (minimise interaction with the clipboard)

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Things to do

• Instead of copying and pasting, use X = Y type code instead:

• Range(“Macro_Paste”).Value = Range(“Macro_Copy”).Value

• Range(“Macro_Paste”).Formula = Range(“Macro_Copy”).Formula

• Combine Select / Selection steps into one

• Range(“A1”).Select // Selection.Copy => Range(“A1”).Copy

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Things to do

• Pay attention to sheet context

• Range(“A1”) <> Sheets(“Sheet1”).Range(“A1”)

• Use comments

• ‘Single inverted comma at the front of a line

• Can use the Comment Block tool in the Edit toolbar

• Option Explicit

• Forces variables to be declared

• Helps identify cases where variable names are misused

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Simple loops and conditions

If… Then… Else

• Allows for conditional rules to be checked

• Syntax:

If <true/false condition> Then

<do something here>

Else

<do something else>

End If

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Do… Loop

• Repeats a set of code a variable number of times

• Syntax:

Do

<do something here>

Loop

• Optional formats:

• Do While <X is true> check a condition and perform loop if true

• Loop while <X is true> loop once then check and perform loop again if true

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For… Next

• Repeats a set of code a fixed number of times

• Syntax:

For x = 1 to 10

<do something here>

Next x

• x is an integer variable – a range of different items can be used

• The value x increments each time it loops through the code

• Can use some other formats too: For Each Sheet in Sheets()

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Copying and pasting code from onlineHow to choose between A or B

How to pick good code

• Does it follow good coding practice?• Is it well laid out using indenting and comments?

• Does it used named ranges instead of direct cell references?

• Are variables declared explicitly?

• Is it well regarded by the community? (Likes, upvotes, MVP blogs, etc.)

• Most importantly – can you follow what it’s doing?

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Questions?

VBA 101: Back to BasicsFeedback:

CBA Non-CBA

Downloads: https://www.sumproduct.com/Excel-Summit-2019/Excel-Summit-Sydney-2019

www.sumproduct.com | @timaheng | https://www.linkedin.com/in/timheng/

Thursday’s sessions

22

What’s New in Excel8:30 – 9:55

Rolling Budgets and Charts10:25 – 11:35 Excel 365 v Excel 2016

Dynamic Data4:00 – 5:00 Advanced Chart Tricks for the Non-Advanced User

Morning Tea and Networking Break9:55 – 10:25

Real & Unusual Needs / Uses for Excel11:40 – 12:40 Creating More Effective Charts

Lunch12:40 – 1:25

Painting to Present Your Data1:25 – 2:25 CTRL + ENTER: Start Using it Yesterday!

Excel Tips & Tricks2:30 – 3:30 Testing Models

Afternoon Tea and Networking Break3:30 – 4:00

Q&A Session (What’s on Your Excel Wish List?)5:00 – 5:30

Room A Room B

Friday’s sessions

23

Microsoft 365: Unlocking the Power of Your Enterprise Data8:30 – 9:30

Forecasting Tips10:00 – 10:55 Time Intelligence in Power Pivot

Three Real Business Solutions Using Power BI for Excel4:00 – 5:00 PivotTables and Slicers

Morning Tea and Networking Break9:30 – 10:00

VBA 101: Back to Basics11:00 – 11:55 Assessing Client Needs

Lunch12:55 – 1:35

Real-World Case Studies Using Power BI and Power Query2:35 – 3:30 Conditional Formatting

Out of the Box Use of Well-Known Excel Functions1:35 – 2:30 Deep Dive into All Six Joins in Power Query

Afternoon Tea and Networking Break3:30 – 4:00

Q&A Session (Part 2)5:00 – 5:30

Room A Room B

Data Model in Power BI: Different Approaches12:00 – 12:55 Going from Excel to PowerPoint