What is Excel Visual Basic for Applications (Excel VBA)? - VBA Tutorial

Key page concepts.

• VBA is a computer language that comes free with Microsoft Excel.
• It is capable of commanding Excel's program elements as well as any other VBA compliant program.
• VBA is also known as a Macro, a throw back to Excel's former programming language.
• VBA code is typed in a procedure and that procedure then is run to command Excel.
• VBA possesses traditional programming elements like loops, logic, variables, and functions allowing you to develop sophisticated program apps.

What is VBA?

Visual Basic for Applications or VBA is a computer programming language which is used to automate Microsoft Excel's functionality and perform simple to complex tasks. VBA procedures are also referred to as Excel Macros, VBA Macros and Macros. Microsoft Excel as well as all major Microsoft Office products like Word, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook come standard with VBA. You do not have to purchase it.

Do not confuse VBA with VB.Net. VB.Net is VBA's "older sibling" and while it shares many of VBA's good attributes and a whole lot more, it is a lot more difficult to use and requires a lot of time and knowledge to master. VBA on the other hand is very easy to operate and learn and can be used as a jumping off point to get into VB.NET among other languages.

How VBA commands and controls Excel.

VBA controls Microsoft Excel by means of writing and running a procedure which is also referred to as a macro. VBA procedures > are written in the VBA Editor > which you can get to by pressing Alt+F11 in Excel.

Excel commands are typed in the computer code that tell Excel what to do and they are run in a sequence. In addition to just Excel commands, VBA also possesses other computer programming elements like logic, loops, variables, and functions that allow very sophisticated programs to be developed that rival and surpass many programs on the market today.

Using VBA with Excel, powerful analysis tools can be developed quickly and with minimum cost. We should know, we have been building Excel software for clients for 23+ years.

In order to use VBA with Microsoft Excel > effectively, Microsoft Excel’s operational capabilities must be well understood along with its program elements like data entry, filters, charts, copy/paste, PivotTables...etc. Advanced formula construction beyond the basics is not required since VBA eliminates the need to create those horrible mega formulas that you have probably seen before (unless you want to embed them like below).