How to Record and Run a Macro
Part 1: Introduction to Macros
(page 2 of 2)
The Record Macro dialog box disappears and the Stop Recording toolbar appears. Excel is now recording your macro.
You will notice two buttons on the Stop Recording toolbar: Stop Recording and Relative Reference. We will discuss the Relative Reference button in Part 2. Just make sure the button looks like the graphic above. If the Relative Reference button is shaded and has a blue border around it, click it so the blue border disappears and the button appears like the one in the graphic.
It's showtime! Time to now record your macro. The recorder does not record live time, so take your time, be careful, and try not to make any mistakes. Follow the steps that you practiced earlier:
- Select A1 (even if it is already selected, click on it)
- Type: iCellini Computer Training (or your company name)
- Click the Enter button (the green check mark to the left of Formula Bar
- Format text as follows: size 14 font, bold, italic, blue font color
- Select A2
- Type the today function: =today()
- Click the Enter button on the Formula Bar
- Copy cell A2 (just click the copy button on the Standard toolbar or press Ctrl + c)
- Open the Paste Special dialog box (Edit --> Paste Special)
- Select the Values radio button
- Click OK to close the Paste Special
- Press escape to turn off the "marching ants" border around A2
- Move the focus to A4 by clicking on it
- Click the Stop Recording button on the Stop Recording toolbar
Let's look at the Macro dialog box and run our macro. First, click on the Sheet2 tab at the bottom. We will run our macro in a new worksheet. Click on the Tools menu, point to Macro, and click on Macros to open the Macro dialog box.
The CompanyName_Date macro should appear in the Macro dialog box. Click on the Run button. Your company name should be entered in A1, the current date should be entered in A2, and the focus should be D4.
Click on Sheet3. Let's test our shortcut key combination in a new worksheet. Hold down the Ctrl and Shift keys and press C. This key combination should run your macro.
Close and save your workbook. We will use it again in Part 3. Next, in Part 2, we will have a detailed discussion about Recording a Macro.