Learning VBA myself

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rayonline

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Topic # 152251 21-Sep-2014 20:12

I am just doing non senior level office work - Data Analyst / General Analyst type work and I figured this VBA might be useful for the future.

For now I am just accessing databases and using pretty simple commands in Excel. I have got a few books from the library. How do people like me use VBA? Do you use the record macro function and then edit the macro or do you write the VBA from scratch? Also - from what I read the analysis in Excel just using the equations works but I heard from an IT guy he said some people prefer typing codes than using Excel normally ... I can see the benefits of VBA if you want it to automate itself to non techy users like admin staff and for yourself - those repetitive tasks if you do the same work week after week etc etc .. . So for myself I can see the benefits of VBA as in more indepth defining rows and columns things like that..... b/c if I did it it would be quite manual labour and repetitive esp with the large orgs with the large spreadsheets and databases.

I like your view on this.

timmmay

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Reply # 1133271 21-Sep-2014 21:06

When business people access databases bad things happen... perhaps you could tell us what you're trying to achieve, we can work out how it's done properly, and you can learn that?

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rayonline

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Reply # 1133272 21-Sep-2014 21:11

Right now, I don't need it but training for a skill for future. Now, I just use a database to bring up info, compare diff years of financial figures and check variances etc... they have been developed by a programmer at work. The software itself for me is locked down. I don't do anything with Access, I mean I think I only have the "HOME" ribbon haha nothing else.

With Excel, simple commands. Change date format from YearMonthDate to DMY for eg ... use a command to join column A with B. I think that is the conctendate or something command. Maybe copy A1 and paste to A2 and to A3 and to A4 but for thousands of rows that would be too time consuming for me to do it manually.

But as to the future. I dunno. What do Business Analysts do with them? Various analysis and financial analysis.... for reporting writing...

Hammerer

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Reply # 1133312 21-Sep-2014 22:37

If you are going to focus on VBA with a view to using those skills in a more technical role then you should also master Excel and probably learn SQL.

You can do a lot with VBA but there are significant limitations that should mean that it has less of a future. Microsoft are deprecating its use so it is not being integrated with new tools and technologies. A big issue is that there is no web support in general and, in particular, not for web-based Office 365. It is almost entirely document-based so it is not a good development platform because it is difficult to manage distribution and source/version control. For these and other reasons I'd steer clear of it unless I was forced to use it.

LesF

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Reply # 1133319 21-Sep-2014 22:49

You should be familiar with the MSDN site, for example,
VBA language reference: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/gg264383(v=office.15).aspx
and because Excel macros are tightly tied to the Excel object model, Excel developer reference: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/ee861528(v=office.15).aspx

Recorded macros can sometimes be helpful but often will record a different series of actions than what you envisioned you were performing, altho the outcome may be the same.