What is VBA?

Presented below is a brief introduction to VBA and how it is used to automate Microsoft Excel.

VBA is a computer language that is hosted in Microsoft Office products like Excel or Word and can be used to control any program that is VBA compatible.

What is VBA.

Visual Basic for Applications or VBA is a computer programming language which is used to automate Microsoft Excel's functionality and tasks. VBA programs 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 "big brother" 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.

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 and functions that allow very sophisticated programs to be developed that virtually rival and surpass many programs on the market today. Using VBA with Excel, powerful analysis tools can be developed quickly and with minimum cost.

In order to use VBA with Microsoft Excel effectively, Microsoft Excel’s operational capabilities must be well understood along with its program elements like sort, AutoFilter, Remove Duplicates...etc. Advanced formula construction beyond the basics is not required since VBA basically eliminates the need to create those horrible mega formulas that you have probably seen before.

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In the Excel VBA example above, Excel VBA is being used to place a formula with a Sum function below the table in column B and to format the table. The VBA code is pictured in the VBA Editor on the right-hand side. Excel commands like ActiveSheet, Cells, CurrentRegion, Columns, Font, Bold... can be seen in the code. They commands when run are in charge of formatting the table and placing the Sum function below it. The code adapts to any increase/decrease in table rows assuming you start with a fresh table.