Getting Started with Macros

Macros can be stored in a single workbook file, available only to sheets in that workbook, or they can be stored in a global file so that they are available to all workbooks. We'll start by recording a basic macro and storing it in the Personal Macro Workbook.

Opening a File

We'll start by launching Excel.

Step1. Launch Excel.

Excel loads and displays recent documents that have been opened, as well as several templates. For our workshop, we'll need to open a file called macroex.xlsx.

Step2. To open an existing file,

Click Open Other Workbooks

NOTE for MacOS Users: To begin to open the file, in the left panel of the initial screen, Click Open, Click

NOTE for MacOS Users: Skip foward to the heading, "Setting the Location for Opening Your File".

We need to open the file from our computer.

Step3. To choose to open the file from this computer,

Click

We can now browse the machine for a file to open.

Step4. To browse for the files,

Click

You see the Open dialog box.

We need to specify the name and location of the file to open.

Setting the Location for Opening Your File

When the dialog box opens, it lists a default location from where the file will be opened. All of our exercise files are contained in the epclass folder, located on the desktop. We'll want to change our location to this folder.

We will start at the desktop, since our exercise file folder, epclass, is located there.

Step1. To move to the desktop,

Click

The current location is now set to the desktop. All of our exercise files are contained in the epclass folder, located on the desktop.

Step2. To open the epclass folder,

Double-Click

The epclass folder contents are now visible.

We will need to open the Excel Macros subfolder of the epclass folder that contains all of the necessary documents.

Step3. To open the correct folder,

Double-Click the Excel Macros folder

Step4. To open the first workshop file,

Double-Click macroex.xlsx

You see four different worksheets, each of which contains a database listing expenses for a different year.