Excel training, Excel VBA training, Excel Consulting, and Excel Software Design

What is a VBA Project and What is the VBA Editor?

The VBA Editor is where you type, edit and debug your VBA code. A VBA project organizes your code in a workbook.

Microsoft Excel Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is one the most advanced versatile programming environments on the market today for developing advanced business, engineering and scientific tools. Below is a brief introduction to the VBA Editor and a VBA project and how they are used to develop Excel VBA programs.

What is the VBA Editor and What is a VBA Project?

VBA code is typed, edited, viewed, debugged and run in the VBA Editor.
- Each major Microsoft Office product has a VBA Editor
- The VBA Editor can be activated in all the major Microsoft Office programs by pressing the Alt+F11 keys on your keyboard
VBA code is typed in a module within a project in the VBA Editor
- A VBA project is defined as a collection of VBA modules and other programming elements
- A VBA project is part of a file. If you are in Microsoft Excel then it will be part of a workbook file. If you are in Word, then it will be part of a Word document.
- A Project is automatically created when you create a file in a Microsoft Office product. For example, when a new workbook file is created in Microsoft Excel, a new VBA project is automatically created and associated with that workbook.
Projects are viewed in the Project Explorer window in the VBA Editor
- The Project Explorer window is presented in the picture below and is labeled Project - ..... It is in the upper left hand side of the window and looks like file tree.
- If you have multiple files open at once then you will see multiple projects in the Explorer window.
  - For example, in the VBA Editor for Excel pictured below, there are two projects visible in the Explorer window since two workbook files are open at once in Excel.
When first starting, it is better to have just one file open so you do not get your projects confused.

VBA Editor and VBA Project

As previously stated, VBA code is stored within a module in a project
- To view a module, just double click on its icon in the Project Explorer window
  - For example, if you wanted to view the VBA module called Module3 then just double click on it with your mouse
- A VBA module will resemble a Word document in both organization and typing
- A VBA module will appear in its own window within the VBA Editor when you double click on it to view it
A workbook can contain only 1 VBA project
You add VBA modules, code and other elements to a VBA project when you need them

Next Excel Training Dates - Public Training and Live Online Courses

Our next public Excel training workshops and live online Excel courses are listed below. For all of the dates and times, please visit our Training Schedule page using the link above in the main menu.

Business, Engineering and Science
Beginning Excel Training for Business Professionals	Intermediate Excel Training for Business Professionals	Advanced Excel Training for Business Professionals	Beginning Excel VBA Training for Business Professionals	Intermediate Excel VBA Training for Business Professionals	Advanced Excel VBA Training for Business Professionals	Advanced Excel Training for Engineers / Scientists	Beginning Excel VBA Training for Engineers / Scientists	Intermediate Excel VBA Training for Engineers / Scientists	Advanced Excel VBA Training for Engineers / Scientists	Microsoft Excel Dashboards Training for Combined Audience
Next Date: See Schedule	Next Date: See Schedule	Next Date: See Schedule	Next Date: See Schedule	Next Date: See Schedule	Next Date: See Schedule	Next Date: See Schedule	Next Date: See Schedule	Next Date: See Schedule	Next Date: See Schedule	Next Date: See Schedule