Excel Macros Boot Camp: Excel VBA Macros for the Business User
A hands-on boot camp that takes business users from recording macros to writing real VBA. Automate variable-length reports, add loops, decisions, and error handling, respond to events, and build UserForms that read and write Excel data.
Scheduled dates
This course is available for private and onsite training - delivered for your team anywhere in the U.S., or virtually on your schedule. You can also ask us to add it to the public calendar, or let us know you’re interested and we’ll reach out when a date is set.
Course objective
Learn to automate simple and complex repetitive tasks using Excel VBA Macros. This boot camp expands beyond basic macros into the tools and techniques needed to build stronger Excel automation, including advanced macro recording, VBA code, custom functions, events, error handling, and user forms. Students will learn how to work with changing data, control Excel objects, apply decision-making logic, repeat complex tasks, and create interactive tools that read from and write to Excel data. By the end of class, students will be able to turn repetitive Excel processes into structured, reusable automation that saves time, reduces manual work, and extends what Excel can do beyond standard formulas and features.
Prerequisites
To ensure your success, we recommend that you have experience with basic macros, intermediate level formulas, charting, and data management tools such as sorting and filtering. Students can obtain this level of skill through our Level 1, 2 and 3 courses.
Course outline
- Review Advanced Macro Recording Techniques
- Record Macros for Different-Sized Data
- Use Navigation Techniques for Changing Data
- Know When to Use Relative References
- Use The VBA Editor to Improve Macros
- Review the Visual Basic Editor
- Understand the Excel Object Model
- Work With Properties, Methods, And Events
- Use Comments to Make Code Easier to Read
- Review Basic Code Structure
- Understand Variable Usage in Macros
- Work with Data, Variant, Object, and Array Variables
- Use Variables to Store and Update Values
- Review Constants in VBA
- Use Loops to Repeat Procedures
- Create For Next, Do, and For Each Loops
- Control When a Loop Continues or Stops
- Work with Known and Unknown Repetition
- Use IF Conditional Logic to Control Macro Procedures
- Test Multiple Conditions in VBA
- Use Select Case for Multiple Outcomes
- Control Which Code Runs Based on Results
- Identify Common VBA Error Types
- Use Debugging Tools to Locate Problems in Code
- Test Code with the Immediate Window
- Use On Error Statements and GoTo Labels
- Build Error Handlers for VBA Procedures
- Introduce Event-Driven VBA Procedures
- Use Workbook Events to Run Macros Automatically
- Use Worksheet Events to Respond to User Actions
- Connect Event Procedures to Workbook Activity
- Use Excel Worksheet Functions inside VBA Procedures
- Create User-Defined Functions in VBA
- Use the LAMBDA Function to Create User-Defined Functions without Code
- Reuse Custom Functions inside Worksheets and Macros
- Introduce UserForms as Custom Data-Entry Interfaces
- Add and Format UserForm Controls
- Create Forms That Read from Excel Data
- Create Forms That Write to Excel Data
- Build Cascading Dropdowns in UserForms