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Microsoft Excel 2002
Tutorial 8 – Developing an Excel
Application
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Excel 2002 Tutorial 8
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Create validation rules for data entry
• You will want to prevent errors in your workbooks as much
as possible.
– You can specify the type of data that is allowed and/or a range
of acceptable values
– If a value is entered that does not meet the requirements, an
error message is displayed
– Setting a rule like this is a preventative measure that allows you
to validate data upon entry
• There are several different options in the Data Validation
dialog box allowing you to provide various rules related to
data entry.
• You can also provide an input message that will aid the user
in entering the data.
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Excel 2002 Tutorial 8
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The Data Validation dialog box
This figure shows the Data Validation dialog box. Note the three tabs on the dialog box.
Use the Settings tab to specify
the validation criteria.
Use the Input
Message tab to
specify a
prompt that
will aid the user
in entering
data.
Use the Error Alert tab to set what
style of error message you want to
appear when the validation criteria is
not met.
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Excel 2002 Tutorial 8
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The Allow list box options
The table below shows the options available in the Allow list box field
of the Data Validation dialog box, and a description of their purpose.
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Excel 2002 Tutorial 8
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The Input Message tab of the DataXP
Validation dialog box
On the Input Message tab of this
dialog box, you can create an input
message to display when a user
clicks on a worksheet cell.
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Excel 2002 Tutorial 8
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A worksheet with an
input message displayed
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This figure shows a portion of a worksheet with an Input
Message displayed for a date field. By prompting the user
for the correct information, you reduce the risk of error.
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Excel 2002 Tutorial 8
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The Error Alert tab of the Data XP
Validation dialog box
On the Error Alert tab of
this dialog box, you can
create a Stop alert that will
display if the user attempts
to enter something that
violates the validation rules
defined for the field.
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Excel 2002 Tutorial 8
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Protect the contents of worksheets and
workbooks
• Once you have a worksheet that you know is correct, you
may want to protect the worksheet so that users cannot make
changes.
– Setting the locked property will disallow any changes to a
particular cell
– The worksheet will have to be protected in order for the locked
property to have any affect
• You can also specify a password that must be entered in order
to remove worksheet protection.
• Finally, you can protect an entire workbook, which would
disallow changes to the workbook, such as adding or deleting
worksheets.
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Unlocking Selected Cells
To lock or unlock specific
cells, click the cells to
select them, click the
Format menu, click Cells,
and then click the
Protection tab, as shown
in this figure. Click the
Locked option box to
insert or remove the
check mark.
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Excel 2002 Tutorial 8
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The Protect Sheet dialog box
This figure shows the
Protect Sheet dialog box.
Notice that there are
many options on this
dialog box that you can
set to allow or disallow.
These rules will apply
only to the selected
worksheet.
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Excel 2002 Tutorial 8
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The Protect Workbook dialog box
To protect an entire workbook, click the Tools menu,
point to Protection, and then click Protect Workbook.
The dialog box shown here
will open. Select the option(s)
you want, and you can also
assign an optional password to
prevent anyone else from
changing the settings you
specify.
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Excel 2002 Tutorial 8
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Create and use range names
• It may be useful assign a name to a cell or cell range.
• This is called a range name and allows you to refer to
the cell or range of cells by their name instead of their
cell references.
– For example, you might assign a range name, Expenses,
to a group of cells that represent your expenses
– When you want to calculate with those cells, you enter
their Range Name in the formulas instead of the cell
reference
• You can later change the definition of the range
names.
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Excel 2002 Tutorial 8
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The Allow Users to Edit Ranges XP
dialog box
If you want to allow users to edit portions of a worksheet, you can set up ranges in
which the user can make edits. This is done on the Allow Users to Edit Ranges dialog
box as shown in this figure.
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The Define Name dialog box
The figure below is an example of the Define Name dialog box. It is in this dialog
box that you can establish range names and set their definition. The easiest
approach is to select the cells you want to have a name first and then open this
dialog box by clicking Name from the Insert menu and then clicking Define.
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View multiple range names
This figure shows the Define Name dialog box with multiple
ranges defined. If you click on a range name, the Refers to: box
at the bottom tells you what cells are defined for that range.
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Using Range Names in a chart
This figure shows a chart that has been
defined using range names to specify the
data. Note that the workbook name must
precede the range name.
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Macro viruses and Excel's securityXP
features
• Because a macro is a program, a virus can be attached to
the macro.
– A macro is attached to a workbook and just opening the workbook
can cause the macro to be run
– If a macro has an attached virus, running the macro will likely
infect the computer being used to view the workbook
• The first line of defense is to be sure you know where the
workbook came from and whether the source is
trustworthy.
• Excel allows you to specify security for any workbook
opened within Excel.
• There are three levels of security: high, medium, and low.
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The Security dialog box
This figure shows the Security dialog
box. Before making a selection, you
should read the explanatory
information associated with each
choice. Notice that Low security is
not recommended and should rarely
be selected.
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Excel 2002 Tutorial 8
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Create macros using
the macro recorder
• One way to create a macro is to use the Excel macro recorder.
– When you start the macro recorder, all of your keystrokes are
recorded and saved
– Once you have completed the keystrokes you want recorded,
you can close the macro
– Once the macro has been created, you can replay the macro at
anytime
• The macro can be stored in the workbook, making it available
whenever the workbook is opened.
• You can also store the macro in a new workbook or in the Personal
Macro workbook, which makes it available anytime Excel is
running.
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The Record Macro dialog box
When you create a macro, you need to give it a name. The figure below
shows the Record Macro dialog box. In this figure, the macro is named
Report30. Notice also the assignment of the “a” key as the shortcut key
and that the macro will be stored in the active workbook.
New Perspectives on Microsoft
Excel 2002 Tutorial 8
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The Macro dialog box
The following figure is another example of the Macro dialog box. In this dialog
box, three macros have been created. Notice the Run button. To run a macro,
you select the macro you want from the list and press the Run button.
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Excel 2002 Tutorial 8
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Edit and print a macro using theXP
Visual Basic Editor
• All macros are small programs written in Visual Basic for
Applications (VBA), which is the programming language
for Office XP applications.
• You can create a new macro or edit an existing macro in
the Visual Basic Editor. In the editor:
– You can see the VBA statements that make the macro work
– You can view and edit the commands
• The body of a macro is enclosed between the “Sub” and
“End Sub” statements.
• The body consists of the statements that will be performed
when the macro is run.
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Excel 2002 Tutorial 8
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The VBA editor
• Learning to program in VBA is an extensive
process.
• However, you can read through an existing macro
and get an idea of how the macro works.
• You can print the macros so that you can review
the printout.
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The Visual Basic editor
This figure shows the Visual Basic
Editor with the NewData procedure
displayed in the editor window.
The macro
begins with the
“Sub NewData()”
statement and
end with the
“End Sub”
statement.
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Excel 2002 Tutorial 8
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Update a macro in the VBA editor
This figure shows a macro that has had a statement inserted to turn off
screen updating. Once you learn VBA syntax, you can write entire macros
using the editor instead of using the macro recording mechanism.
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Excel 2002 Tutorial 8
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Assign a macro to a keyboard shortcut
• You already learned how to invoke a macro
through the macro menu.
• Another option is to assign a shortcut key to the
macro.
• When the shortcut key is pressed, the macro is
run.
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Excel 2002 Tutorial 8
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Assign a macro to a button
• You can create a button on the workbook that will
invoke a macro.
• To create a macro button, you must first display
the Forms toolbar.
• Then, select the button tool on the toolbar.
• The button is assigned to a particular macro and,
when it is pressed, the assigned macro runs.
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Excel 2002 Tutorial 8
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The Forms toolbar
In this figure, you see the Forms toolbar. Notice the button tool on the right side of the
toolbar. This button tool will create a command button on your worksheet.
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Excel 2002 Tutorial 8
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A macro button on a worksheet
Once you have placed the command
button on the worksheet, as shown
in the figure below, you can assign
the button to a macro.
This makes it possible for the user to invoke
the macro simply by pressing the button. In
this figure, the text on the button is Button 8,
however, this text can be altered to reflect how
the button is to be used.
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Add multiple macro buttons
This figure shows a worksheet
that has had macro buttons
added to run a 30-day report,
a 60-day report, or a 90-day
report.
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