The Excel VBA Handbook

Books and Courses Teach Excel VBA the Wrong Way

Here is an interesting question... Why do most people try to learn Excel VBA?

There may be many reasons but they all boil down to one thing. They want to create applications that will automate time consuming tasks and save hours, days or even weeks of repetitive work.

So obviously a book or course on Excel VBA will teach how to create an application like this, right? Actually no!

Most books and courses are simply reference guides. They explain all the parts of the VBA language but they leave it up to you to figure out how to put it all together.

And what this means is ...

Learning Excel VBA can be a very frustrating experience

Maybe you have bought a book on VBA and tried to learn by working through it.

Maybe you have taken a three day VBA course and tried to learn this way.

Maybe you've searched through countless websites to try and find the information you need.

Despite all this, the thought of building your first VBA application still seems overwhelming.

You may have even built your first application but found it a slow, painful and frustrating experience. Most people build their first VBA application by using Google for every single line of code.

The reason why people struggle to learn VBA is simple…

There is no guide for creating an Excel VBA application

It’s not only about creating an application.

You need to know how to build it the right way!

Most people write awful code in their first application. Over time some eventually get better. But this comes after much trial, error and frustration.

And many never get better.

Imagine…

— Skipping all this frustration and time wasting

— Learning VBA from someone who does it professionally

— Becoming a skilled VBA coder in a fraction of the time it takes most people

— Having access to the programming secrets and little-known techniques used by the top VBA coders.

How to Get Started Building Excel VBA Applications

The Excel VBA Handbook is an online course that teaches you how to build VBA applications from scratch. It will teach you to build any VBA application by taking you step-by-step through the creation of ten full VBA applications.

Unlike your typical VBA course, it will teach you practical and useful VBA code that you can use immediately. It will show you proven principles and little-known techniques that professionals developers use to create their own applications. It provides explanations in clear English that anyone can follow.

It will ultimately show you how to build any VBA Application in a fraction of the time you thought possible even if you've never written a line of VBA code in your life.

The Excel VBA Handbook will help you to…

Build VBA applications in 10% of the time.

Produce Bulletproof VBA code for any application.

Create applications that are suitable for use in a real-world business environment.

Reduce the time you spend fixing errors by up to 90%.

Learn concrete and demonstratable skills that will enhance your career opportunities.

Learn techniques you can apply immediately to any VBA application.

Amaze your colleagues as they wonder "How did you become such a genius at VBA?"

This is the only VBA resource that…

Walks you through the creation of VBA applications in an easy to follow step-by-step manner.

Provides thousands of lines of pre-written ready-to-use code.

Gives you a simple framework with which you can build any application in VBA.

Teaches you how to write easy-to-read professional quality code.

Shows you how to design, plan and build a full VBA Application.

Explains everything in plain English without the jargon.

“I have learned more about VBA than I could have imagined. Thanks heaps Paul!”

– John Ovens, Financial Analyst, Australia

The 9 Applications You Will Build

Match Results Reader

Learn how to build a simple framework for any VBA application. This application reads data from a closed workbook and writes it to the current worksheet. It may sound simple but it covers techniques you will use in 90% of your applications.

Major Topics Include:

Building a simple project framework, selecting a range of data, comparing text in different cells, opening workbooks, copying data between worksheets.

Sum Data Using the Dictionary

Building on what you did in the first application, this one takes things much further. We run through the data keeping a running total for each team. Using data like this is a very common requirement in many VBA applications. Learn how to use the Dictionary to easily maintain running totals for multiple items.

Major Topics Include:

Building a report, updating totals as the application runs, sorting a worksheet range, formatting cells, writing code to handle errors.

Send Worksheets By Email

Use Excel to send an Email with a worksheet attached. This application shows you how you can easily interact with Microsoft Outlook. If you are planning to have an email component in your application then you can pretty much copy and paste the code from here. How emails are sent does not vary much between applications.

Major Topics Include:

Sending an email, adding attachments to an email, Dealing with a collection of items, adding/deleting Worksheets, creating a new workbook.

Build An Excel Table Of Country Data

Worksheet tables are a very useful and important part of Excel. Learn how to convert your worksheet data into a beautifully formatted table. Automatically sort or filter the table based on cell entries.

Major Topics Include:

Creating a worksheet table, adding/removing table columns, using worksheet events to automatically update items, using PasteSpecial to paste formats or formulas.

Create A Historical Currency Chart

Charts can add a lot to your Excel projects. Learn how to maniplate them using VBA. Create a Chart of daily prices for a user selected currency. In this application you will see how to use the Windows File Dialog to allow the user to select a file and how to create your own UserForm.

Major Topics Include:

Creating a custom UserForm, adding/deleting a Chart, Inserting a chart trendline, using the Windows File Dialog to allow the user to select a file.

Read From An Access Database

If you are using data in Excel then a database is never too far away. Being able to connect to a database can greatly enhance the potential of your application. In this project we will read data from an Access database and write it to a worksheet. Next, we will write data from a worksheet back to the database. Even though we use an Access database, this code will work for any major database including SQL Server and Oracle. The only difference is the connection string.

Major Topics Include:

Connecting to a database, reading and writing between a Database table and a worksheet, deleting all records in a database table, using optional parameters in a sub or function.

Create A Formatted Financial Report

If you use VBA for any length of time you will at some stage be asked to create a formatted report. Learn the two ways to do this - using code or using a template. Here we do both so you can use either in your own code.

Major Topics Include:

Reading from multiple workbooks/worksheets, formatting a report, using a template to format a report, adding sparklines to cells, measuring how long a VBA application takes to run.

Create A Pivot Table Of Book Royalties

Pivot Tables are one of the most powerful parts of Excel. Discover how to easily build a pivot table using VBA. Turn raw book royalties data into easily readable data.

Major Topics Include:

Creating/deleting a Pivot table, adding rows/columns/filters and values to a pivot table, groupings dates by week.

Read And Write Data To Text Files

Reading from a text file to a worksheet and vice versa is a common task in VBA. This application reads and writes using files of both fixed and delimited types.

Major Topics Include:

Opening text files,read and writing between text files and worksheets, parsing strings, padding strings. copying files.

My name is

Paul Kelly

I have written over a million lines of code in a 20 year software development career. I have worked for the largest insurance company in the UK, was a senior software consultant for the Worlds biggest Car Rental Corporation and have worked with many other well known companies.

For the last number of years I have been involved in building advanced Excel applications and training Excel users to get the most from Excel Macros in very competitive environments.

Based on my experience with Excel users I wrote a book in 2014 which became a best-seller on Amazon. Following on from this I created a blog to share my knowledge of VBA. It receives well over a million visitors every year.

My vision is to take people who are enthusiastic about learning VBA and help them become masters of the craft.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I get stuck?

You can post a question from anywhere in the course or you can email me directly at paul@ExcelMacroMastery.com

Will I really be able to build VBA applications?

Will I really be able to build VBA applications when I complete this course?

Absolutely. Even if you tried and failed to learn VBA many times before. The following is just one of countless testimonials that I have received:

"As I got better and better at using Excel, I still found that VBA code was virtually impossible for me to use unless it was a simple macro. Your course 'The VBA Handbook' was my breakthrough. By working through the step-by-step logic of building VBA applications, I could see how the applications came together and apply them in real time to projects I’ve been working on. If anyone is frustrated with learning VBA one command at a time, then this course is the answer.” – Jeff Prager, Data Analyst.

How long do I have access to the material?

Once you have enrolled, you have ongoing access. The course is self-paced and you may take as long as you need to complete it.

Can I use this code in my own projects?

Absolutely 100% Yes. You can use the code however you like - personal or commercial. You can alter it any way you like.

What format does the course come in?

The course is a fully digital product and includes text and videos.

What if I don't like it?

Then you can get a full refund within 30 days of purchase. No questions asked! Simply reply to your receipt email.

How do I know if this is right for me?

If you can answer yes to one or more of the points below, then I’d say you’re perfectly qualified to jump into VBA Applications and get the most out of it:

You are going to build a real world application in the near future and you’re feeling overwhelmed.

You’ve spent a significant amount of time trying to learn VBA but still feel disheartened when trying to create an application.

Your new position requires creating a VBA application and you feel you’re lacking the knowledge and skills.

You enjoy VBA but find creating applications a slow and frustrating experience.

You want to master VBA in the shortest time and most efficient way.

You would like to create a VBA application for your own work but don’t know where to start.

You have created applications in the past but you feel there is a lot of room for improvement.

You want to improve your career opportunities by gaining a greater understand of VBA than any of your peers.

Who this is not for

If you’re not willing to put in the time and effort then the VBA Handbook is not for you. Just like any worthwhile skill, VBA requires work and practise. You can read the books and watch the videos all day but you have to be willing to put the effort in and go ahead and build the applications for yourself. Remember the only way to learn how to build VBA applications is by building VBA applications.

What Customers Have Said

BTW, really getting a lot out of the handbook. I am only through the first application but have used the info to get a large chunk of a work project done, and I didn't know ANY VBA a few weeks ago. Pricey, but well worth it..

Jonathan Barwick

I wished to thank you for creating the only VBA related product (and I've bought and tried quite a few) that helped me create a useful end product to meet a real business need.

Lynn C. Loi

Your approach of stubbing an application outline, implementing just what you need, then going back to refine details is perfect, holding a lantern up for one to find their way,AND leaning additional features & gotchas about Ranges & references as you go. Brilliant. Your product was worth every dime!

Drew Georgopulos

Just a quick note to say that the handbook is very enlightening when coming to write vba. Together with your webinars and website this is by far the best learning tool I have come across. You have certainly opened my eyes to what can be achieved.

Les Lockett

I have almost finished all applications in the VBA handbook. There is no doubt that it was the best programing book I have read so far.

Stefan Dobre

Secondly, just a word of thanks for an excellent and informative VBA Handbook. I am learning so much about structuring my code and making it easy to follow. And man that Dictionary part! Not to speak about the “FilterorSort” executing whenever one of the selected cells are changed! And and and ...! Fantastic stuff – Thank you.

Prinsloo Potgieter

Thank you for the VBA Handbook. It is one of the best courses I have taken! It is very practical and provides great and inspiring examples. The course is not VBA course, but VBA programming course. I love your practical approach. There are many courses that teach the language, but not so many courses teach programming.

Maciej Dolinski

I first encountered Paul on Udemy and wish I had come across him many years earlier. I have learned more about VBA than I could have imagined. After completing the Udemy course I purchased his VBA Handbook and completed the exercises. Thanks heaps Paul.

John Ovens

By the way, VBA Essentials was the best code learning experience I have ever experienced.

Richard Cerrone

I have just started going through your Excel VBA Handbook, which is fantastic and will indeed help me greatly. I already love your methodology … simple and organised – excellent!

Ingelise Morales

Thanks again for the course. It’s great. I am finding it so helpful – you have managed to combine some critical training features: Constant repetition of the fundamental features that need to become ingrained, such as structure of approach. Sufficient speed of development module to module to maintain constant growth and interest. Relevance to most commercial challenges - Databases, Email, Interaction with other programs, display of result.

Malcolm Cruickshankstrong

The Excel VBA handbook

Books and Courses Teach Excel VBA the Wrong Way

Learning Excel VBA can be a very frustrating experience

There is no guide for creating an Excel VBA application

How to Get Started Building Excel VBA Applications

The Excel VBA Handbook will help you to…

This is the only VBA resource that…

The 9 Applications You Will Build

Match Results Reader

Sum Data Using the Dictionary

Send Worksheets By Email

Build An Excel Table Of Country Data

Create A Historical Currency Chart

Read From An Access Database

Create A Formatted Financial Report

Create A Pivot Table Of Book Royalties

Read And Write Data To Text Files

Paul Kelly

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if this is right for me?

Who this is not for

What Customers Have Said

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