How to Use Macros in Excel: 15 Steps

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2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

In some cases, a worksheet contains an operation that must be repeated regularly. You can create a macro to easily repeat it without having to follow the steps again. Follow this guide to learn how to save time with Excel macros.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Use Macros in Excel (except Excel 2008 for Mac)

Step 1. Verify that macros are enabled in the settings

This setting is found in the "Security" section in most versions of Excel.

Step 2. Open the workbook that contains or will contain macros

Step 3. Verify that macros are enabled in that workbook

Step 4. Consider how you want to use the macro

You can run macros from a menu, link them to a workbook button, set them to run automatically when you open a worksheet, or link them to a keyboard command.

Step 5. Record or write your macro, to repeat the particular operations you want to automate, if there is not already a macro in your folder that you can use

To record the macro, find the "Record New Macro" command. The your operating system and your personal Excel configuration

Step 6. Open the macro menu, which you will usually find in the "Tools" section of Excel

Step 7. Test the macro you want to use, making sure it works correctly

Step 8. Assign the macro to any button, keyboard key, or auto-run on the worksheet

Step 9. Run the macro

Method 2 of 2: Use Macros with Excel 2008 for Mac

Step 1. Open the workbook where you want to insert the macro

Step 2. Open "Script Utility", which you will find in the "AppleScript" folder, inside your global "Applications" folder

(The global "Applications" folder is what you can see before opening your account root folder.

Step 3. Press the "record" button and perform the operations you want to insert into the macro

Step 4. Verify that the macro you recorded works correctly (Not all actions are automatable, which means that you cannot record them in an AppleScript)

Step 5. Save the AppleScript you recorded

Step 6. Run the AppleScript

Advice

If you create your own macros, it will be easier to find errors if you log each operation individually. Check each section independently, and you will be able to edit any that contain errors. When everything works fine, turn the macro into a single program.
If the macro was created on a different computer than the one you will be using it on, some changes will be required to run it correctly. Visual Basic for Applications (VBA, the programming language for Excel macros) is slightly different between the Windows and Mac versions.
If you want to automatically enable macros, some versions of Excel allow you to save a macro-enabled workbook as an XLSM file and set preferences for particular folders where macros will always be accepted.

Warnings

Viruses can hide in Excel macros. If a workbook contains an unfamiliar macro, verify that it was intentionally added by someone you trust.
Macros can also damage Excel files, accidentally or intentionally. Be sure to back up your spreadsheet before activating a macro.

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