Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, and 2013. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Recording a Macro.

Recording a Macro

by Allen Wyatt
(last updated July 20, 2013)

1

If you have a repetitive task that is a good candidate for a macro, you can use the macro recording capabilities of Excel to turn your actions into a macro. To record a macro, follow these steps:

  1. Display the Developer tab of the ribbon.
  2. Click the Record Macro tool. Excel displays the Record Macro dialog box. (See Figure 1.)

    3. Figure 1. The Record Macro dialog box.

  3. In the Macro Name field, provide a name you want used for your macro. You can accept the default name, if you desire, but if you plan on using the macro more than once or twice, you will want to use a more descriptive name. The name you provide must not include any spaces.
  4. In the Description box you can provide an optional comment about your macro.
  5. Use the Store Macro In drop-down list to specify where you want the macro stored.
  6. Click OK.

Excel starts recording everything you do. The actions you take become steps in the macro, and will be repeated when you later execute the macro. When you have finished the steps you want recorded in your macro, again display the Developer tab of the ribbon and click the Stop Recording tool. (This tool is only available when you are actually recording your macro.) The macro is then saved and available for use at any time.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (5683) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, and 2013. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Recording a Macro.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He  is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

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What is 2 + 1?

2015-07-08 08:06:48

Mike

Hi Allen,

Naive question. I do this all time, but in 2007 all I get are Activiate lines like:

ActiveSheet.ChartObjects("Chart 1").Activate
ActiveChart.Axes(xlValue).MajorGridlines.Select
ActiveSheet.ChartObjects("Chart 1").Activate
ActiveSheet.ChartObjects("Chart 1").Activate
ActiveChart.Axes(xlCategory).Select
ActiveSheet.ChartObjects("Chart 1").Activate
ActiveChart.Axes(xlValue).MajorGridlines.Select
ActiveSheet.ChartObjects("Chart 1").Activate
ActiveSheet.ChartObjects("Chart 1").Activate
ActiveSheet.ChartObjects("Chart 1").Activate
ActiveSheet.ChartObjects("Chart 1").Activate

(the above formatted major gridlines and the minor Catergory gridline).

Is there a setting that will allow the parameters to be visible?

Thanks

Mike Virostko

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