Micky noted that when she opens a particular workbook in Excel and displays the Developer tab on the ribbon, some of the tools are disabled (Macros, Visual Basic Editor, Record Macro). She wonders why they are disabled and how she can make them available.
There are any number of reasons why the options would not be available, but they all boil down to security settings for the workbook. For instance, when you first open the workbook, you may be notified that it contains macros and asked if you want to enable them. If you don't enable them, then the security setting on the workbook is set to a high enough level that the macros (and doing anything with the macros) are disabled.
If you weren't asked about enabling macros when you opened the workbook, it could be because of the security level you have set on Excel itself. Check the settings in the Trust Center (display the Excel Options dialog box, click Trust Center, and then click Trust Center Settings) to make sure that you allow macros.
If you prefer, you can display the Developer tab in Excel and then click the Macro Security tool. Excel displays the same Trust Center Settings dialog box mentioned in the previous paragraph. There are four settings for macros; if the "Disable All Macros without Notification" radio button is selected, then the macro capabilities of Excel will be disabled. You'll want to select one of the less stringent settings, probably "Disable All Macros with Notification." When you restart Excel, you'll be asked if you want to enable any macros that may be in the workbook.
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (6862) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Office 365.
Comprehensive VBA Guide Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is the language used for writing macros in all Office programs. This complete guide shows both professionals and novices how to master VBA in order to customize the entire Office suite for their needs. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2010 today!
Want to know when a workbook was last modified? Want to put that date within the header of your worksheet? Here's how to ...
Discover MoreWhen writing macros, you may want to position a message box at a specific location on the screen. This can't be done in ...
Discover MoreRenaming a worksheet within a macro is a relatively easy task. When you start renaming based on a range of names, though, ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2021 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments