About Excel Macros

Excel macros are a special feature in Microsoft Excel that allow you to perform common tasks automatically. They work by "recording" your keystrokes, mouse movements and settings during a given session, and are then able to be "played back" when a common action needs to be taken. Although it may take some time to learn how to make and share macros, it is worth the effort as these macros can save the serious Excel user lots of valuable time.

Function

The primary function of Excel macros is to reduce time for those who spend a lot of time using Excel. These macros automate frequent or repeated actions. The latest version of Excel has several pre-loaded macros, but the most useful are those that are user-generated using Excel's unique macro-recording function.

Creating Macros

To create a macro, simply go to the "Tools" menu, and select the "Macros" sub-menu. From here, click on the "Record New Macro" option. Form here a "Record Macro" pop up will appear, asking you to name your macro. You will also need to set a keyboard shortcut and choose a location to save it. Once you have entered all your information, click "OK" and a new little pop-up will appear. This is the recording module, which allows you to pause, stop and resume recording.

Saving Macros

It is very important that you keep your macros saved in a place that you will remember, otherwise you will not be able to access or edit them at a later date. Although there is a default "My Macros" folder, if you use many different macros, then it is best to set up several macro folders by usage.

Sharing Macros

One of the best features of Excel macros is the ability to share them between computers. If you are working on a networked computer, simply enabling all macros on your computer will give you access to others' created macros. However, if you want to send a macro to someone, you can share it by uploading it to a server or attaching it to an email. As long as the recipient has a compatible version of Excel, she can save it to a designated macro folder and use it any time she likes.

Creating a Toolbar Icon

For your most frequently used macros, you can create a toolbar icon that allows for one-click access. To do this, simply go to the "Tools" menu and click "Customize." Then go to the "Commands" tab and under "Categories," find the "Macros" tab. Then drag a custom button to your toolbar and then click "Modify Selection." Click on "Assign Macro" to bring up the "Assign Macro" dialog box, choose a name for your macro, and then click "OK." You will now be able to click on this button one time to enable your macro.

Resources

• Microsoft Office help

Photo Credit

Function X

[dtech86]

on 2/25/2009 I use excel macros often for complex spreadsheet tasks. I find them very helpful in pulling in data from a database. I think anyone with programming experience should take advantage of macros.