Setting up Excel to work with VBA macros

ShareThis

Excel has built-in security features to protect users from running harmful code.  These features are turned on by default when Excel is first installed.

Excel 2007 introduced a new user interface for navigating through the program, and additional hurdles for running macros, so the set-up for Excel 2007 (and following, hopefully) differs somewhat from Excel 2003 and earlier.

The basic steps for each are outlined below, with links to pages containing more detailed step-by-step instructions.

Excel 2007 Macro Setup

• Enable the Developer tab on the Ribbon Interface

• Select a Trust Center option to enable execution of unsigned macros

• Depending on the option selected, enable macros each time you open your workbook containing VBA code

• Save files in the Macro Enabled Workbook format

• For access to statistical analysis and other relevant functions, install the Analysis ToolPak

Excel 2003 (and earlier) Macro Setup

• Set Macro Security to allow execution of unsigned macros

• For access to statistical analysis and other relevant functions, install the Analysis ToolPak

Once you have enabled macro execution, you will need to open the Visual Basic editor where you'll enter the VBA code.  If you're already familiar with this process, you can skip directly to the Simple Coin Toss example.