Microsoft Excel 2010 ® ® Tutorial 8: Developing an Excel Application

Microsoft Excel 2010® ®

Tutorial 8: Developing an Excel Application

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New Perspectives on Microsoft Excel 2010 2

Objectives• Create an application• Create, edit, and delete defined names for

cells and ranges• Paste a list of defined names as

documentation• Use defined names in formulas• Add defined names to existing formulas

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Objectives• Create validation rules for data entry• Protect the contents of worksheets and

workbooks• Add, edit, and delete comments• Learn about macro viruses and Excel security

features• Add the Developer tab to the Ribbon

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Objectives• Create and run a macro• Edit a macro using the Visual Basic Editor• Assign a macro to a keyboard shortcut and a

button• Save and open a workbook in macro-enabled

format• Minimize the Ribbon

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Visual Overview

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Excel Application and Defined Names

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Planning an Excel Application• A spreadsheet written or tailored to meet

specific needs• The interface helps others use it• Typically includes reports and charts, a data

entry area, a custom interface, instructions, and documentation

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Naming Cells and Ranges• Use a defined name to:–Assign a meaningful, descriptive name to a

cell or range–Quickly navigate within a workbook to the

cell with the defined name–Create a more descriptive formula

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Creating Defined Names• Must begin with a letter or an underscore• Can include letters, numbers, periods and

underscores, but not other symbols or spaces• Cannot be a valid cell address, function name,

or reserved word• Can include as many as 255 characters– Short, meaningful names (5–15 characters)

are more practical• Are not case sensitive

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Creating Defined Names• Use the Name box to create defined names

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Creating Defined Names• Use the Selection dialog box to create defined

names by selection

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Creating Defined Names• Use the Name Manager dialog box to edit and

delete defined names

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Creating Defined Names• Use the Paste Names Command to generate a

list of names• Paste defined names in the Documentation

worksheet after the workbook is complete

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Using Defined Names in Formulas• Descriptive formulas are simpler to enter and

understand– If a range reference is used rather than a

defined name, defined names do not automatically replace the range reference in the formula

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Adding Defined Names to Existing Formulas• Defined names are not automatically

substituted for cell addresses in a formula• Replace cell addresses in existing formulas

with their defined names to make formulas more understandable

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Visual Overview

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Data Validation and Protection

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Validating Data Entry• Ensures that correct data is entered and stored in a

worksheet– Protects cells with formulas from accidental

deletion– Reduces repetitious keystrokes and mouse clicks

• Each validation rule defines criteria for data that can be stored in a cell or range

• Use Data Validation dialog box to specify validation criteria, input message, and error alert for the active cell

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Specifying Validation Criteria• When you create a validation rule, specify the

type of data allowed as well as a list or range of acceptable values (validation criteria)

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Specifying Validation Criteria

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Creating an Input Message• Reduces the chance of a data-entry error• Provides additional information about type of

data allowed for the cell• Appears as a ScreenTip next to selected cell

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Creating an Error Alert Style and Message• An error alert determines what happens after

a user attempts to make an invalid entry in a cell that has a validation rule defined

• Tree error alert styles: Stop, Warning, and Information

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Creating a List Validation Rule• Restricts a cell to accept only entries that are

on a list you create• Create the list of valid entries in the Data

Validation dialog box, or use a list of valid entries in a single column or row

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Protecting a Worksheet and a Workbook• Reduces data-entry errors by limiting access to

certain parts of the workbook• Prevents users from changing cell contents,

workbook organization, or viewing formulas

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Locking and Unlocking Cells• A cell’s locked property determines whether

changes can be made to that cell– Locked property has no impact as long as

worksheet is unprotected; after worksheet is protected, locked property is in control–Default: Locked property is turned on for

each cell, and worksheet protection is turned off

• Common practice: Protect the worksheet, but leave some cells unlocked

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Protecting a Worksheet• Specify the actions still available to users

• A protected worksheet can be unprotected–Require a password to turn off protection

only if you are concerned that users might make changes

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Protecting a Workbook• Keeps a worksheet from being modified–Protecting the structure prohibits renaming,

deleting, hiding, or inserting worksheets–Protecting the windows prohibits moving,

resizing, closing, or hiding parts of the window

• Default: Protect only the structure of the workbook, not the windows used to display it

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Unprotecting a Worksheet and a Workbook• A worksheet must be unprotected to edit its

contents• A workbook must be unprotected to change

its structure

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Inserting Comments• Use comments to:– Explain contents of a particular cell–Provide instructions to users– Share ideas and notes from several users

collaborating on a project

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Visual Overview

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Working with Macros

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Automating Tasks with Macros• Macros perform repetitive tasks consistently

and faster than you can• After the macro is created and tested, tasks

are done exactly the same way each time• Use Developer tab to create and run macros

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Protecting Against Macro Viruses• Virus–Computer program designed to copy itself

into other programs with the intention of causing mischief or harm

• Macro viruses– Type of virus that uses a program’s own

macro programming language to distribute the virus

• Microsoft Office 2010 provides several options for levels of security

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Macro Security Settings• Control what Excel will do about macros when

the workbook is opened

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Macro Security Settings• Set macro security in the Trust Center

• Use Trusted Locations to define file paths for files considered trustworthy

• Use a digital signature to identify the author of a workbook that contains macros

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Recording a Macro• For simple macros, use the macro recorder to

record keystrokes and mouse actions as they are performed

• For sophisticated macros, enter a series of commands in the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) programming language

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Running a Macro• Either use the specified shortcut key or select

the macro in the Macro dialog box

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Options for Fixing Macro Errors• Rerecord the macro using the same macro

name• Delete the recorded macro; record it again• Run the macro one step at a time to locate the

problem; use one of the previous methods to correct the problem

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Working with the Visual Basic Editor

• Components–Code window contains the VBA code–Project Explorer window displays a treelike

diagram consisting of every open workbook–Menu bar contains menus of commands

used to edit, debug, and run VBA statements

• Accessed through Macro dialog box or Visual Basic button in Code group on Developer tab

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Working with the Visual Basic Editor

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Understanding the Structure of Macros• Each macro (sub procedure) begins with Sub

followed by the name of the sub procedure and a set of parentheses (the arguments)

• Comments about the macro follow the statement and do not include any actions

• The body of the macro follows the comments• End Sub statement indicates the end of the

sub procedure

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Understanding the Structure of Macros• A Code window can contain several sub

procedures• Each procedure is separated from the others

by SubProcedureName() statement at the beginning, and End Sub statement at the end

• Sub procedures are organized into modules

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Editing a Macro Using the Visual Basic Editor• The Visual Basic Editor provides tools to assist

in writing error-free code• As you type a command, the editor provides

pop-up windows and text to help you insert the correct code

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Creating Macro Buttons• A macro can be assigned to a button placed

directly in the worksheet• Clicking a button (with a descriptive label) can

be more intuitive and simpler than trying to remember combinations of keystrokes

• Form Controls

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Creating Macro Buttons

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Saving Workbooks with Macros• Default Excel Workbook format is a macro-free

workbook (.xlsx file extension)• To save the workbook with the macros, save

the file as a macro-enabled workbook (.xlsm file extension)

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Opening a Workbook with Macros• First time a workbook opens, a Security

Warning appears in Message Bar providing the option to:– Enable macros so they can be run, or –Open the workbook with the macros

disabled

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Customizing the Ribbon• Minimize the Ribbon–Makes more space for a worksheet–Only Quick Access Toolbar and tab names

display

• Create new tabs and groups• Hide tabs or commands • Rename tabs or commands

Documents

Microsoft Excel 2010 ® ® Tutorial 8: Developing an Excel Application