Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, Excel in Microsoft 365, and 2021. 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: Working while a Macro is Running.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated February 5, 2022)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, Excel in Microsoft 365, and 2021
Macros are great for doing the mundane (or not so mundane) processing that is often necessary with Excel data. After you start to use them, you may find that running macros can consume quite a bit of time. While you are running them, there is very little else that you can do, since Excel won't allow you to do any other work while the macro is chunking away.
The best way to do additional work is to open another instance of Excel. As you are working on one workbook in the foreground, the other instance of Excel continues to work away at the macro in the background. This approach works because Windows allows multiple instances of a program, each in its own workspace. The only thing you cannot do is work in the foreground on the same workbook which the macro is using.
In order to open a second instance of Excel, simply follow the steps you followed to open the first instance. For example, if you started Excel by calling up the Start menu and then the Programs submenu, you could do the same thing to open the second instance.
You should realize that the macro running in the background instance of Excel will be affected by you working on a different instance of Excel in the foreground. This, again, is related to how Windows treats different programs. On most systems, the background programs are given a smaller percentage of the CPU's attention than the foreground program.
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (11031) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, Excel in Microsoft 365, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Working while a Macro is Running.
Program Successfully in Excel! John Walkenbach's name is synonymous with excellence in deciphering complex technical topics. With this comprehensive guide, "Mr. Spreadsheet" shows how to maximize your Excel experience using professional spreadsheet application development tips from his own personal bookshelf. Check out Excel 2013 Power Programming with VBA today!
Normally a macro is only calculated when you specifically tell Excel to calculate it. Some macros need to be calculated ...
Discover MoreVBA makes it easy to copy a worksheet from the current workbook into a brand-new workbook. You may want to delete some ...
Discover MoreIt is possible to create macros that send out reports, via e-mail, from within Excel. Frank did this and ran into ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2022-02-07 08:10:25
Philip
Note that for Mac-users this tip is not working. Mac won't allow multiple instances of Excel to open ...
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 © 2024 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, Excel in Microsoft 365, and 2021. 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:
Comments