Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365. 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: Item Not Available in Library.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated June 24, 2023)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365
Ravi has placed some VBA controls and code in a worksheet. When he shares the workbook with other users and they open it, the functions don't work and report an error "item not available in library." Ravi is wondering how he can get rid of this error.
The first thing to check is whether your macros are actually in the workbook you are sharing with others. Open it on your system, go to the Visual Basic Editor, and make sure that the macros are in the project associated with the workbook being shared. If not, you will want to move the macros to the workbook.
A more likely cause of this problem, however, is that your macros are referencing a function or feature that is in a module that you have access to but that the other people do not. An easy way to check this out is to go to their system (if possible) and open the workbook. Then go to the Visual Basic Editor and choose Tools | References. Go through the list of available modules and see if there are any that are prefaced with the word "missing." These are modules that are required for your macros, but are missing on the current system.
If you find missing modules, or perhaps modules that the user needs to reference in VBA in order to use your macros, then it might be best to rewrite your macros so that they don't use those modules. This may be easier said than done, but it may (again) be the easiest, cleanest way to let others use your macros.
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (11806) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Item Not Available in Library.
Dive Deep into Macros! Make Excel do things you thought were impossible, discover techniques you won't find anywhere else, and create powerful automated reports. Bill Jelen and Tracy Syrstad help you instantly visualize information to make it actionable. You’ll find step-by-step instructions, real-world case studies, and 50 workbooks packed with examples and solutions. Check out Microsoft Excel 2019 VBA and Macros today!
You can create macros that are automatically executed whenever certain events occur within a worksheet. This tip details ...
Discover MoreGrab some info from a source other than Excel, and you may find the need to delete a certain pattern of rows from a ...
Discover MoreMake your macros too long, and Excel may just refuse to run them at all. This tip explains what the limit is for macros ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2023-06-24 10:23:54
J. Woolley
Consider packaging your macros with their Tools | References as an Excel Add-in; however, each user will need to install your add-in.
See https://sites.google.com/view/MyExcelToolbox/
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 © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365. 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