Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 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: Understanding the Select Case Structure.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 2, 2021)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
Macros in Excel are written in a language called Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). Like any other programming language, VBA includes certain programming structures which are used to control how the program executes. One of these structures is the Select Case structure. This structure has the following syntax:
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 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:
Select Case expression
Case expression
program statements
Case expression
program statements
Case Else
program statements
End Select
When a macro is executing and this structure is encountered, Excel uses the expression to test each subsequent Case statement to see if the code under the Case statement should be executed. For instance, consider the following code:
Select Case DayOfWeek
Case 1
DayName = "Monday"
Case 2
DayName = "Tuesday"
Case 3
DayName = "Wednesday"
Case 4
DayName = "Thursday"
Case 5
DayName = "Friday"
Case 6
DayName = "Saturday"
Case 7
DayName = "Sunday"
Case Else
DayName = "Unknown day"
End Select
This code assumes you enter it with DayOfWeek already set to a numeric value. Let's say (for example's sake) the value is 4. In this structure, the only code that would be executed is the code under the Case 4 statement—in other words, the macro would set DayName to "Thursday." If DayOfWeek were set to some other value not accounted for by the Case statements (outside of the 1 to 7 range), then the code under Case Else would execute, and the macro would set DayName to "Unknown day."
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (11835) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Understanding the Select Case Structure.
Program Successfully in Excel! This guide will provide you with all the information you need to automate any task in Excel and save time and effort. Learn how to extend Excel's functionality with VBA to create solutions not possible with the standard features. Includes latest information for Excel 2024 and Microsoft 365. Check out Mastering Excel VBA Programming today!
If you need to know whether a particular value is odd or even, you can use this simple formula. Designed to be used in a ...
Discover MoreIf you use For ... Next loops in your macros, make sure you give a way to jump out of the loop early. That way you can ...
Discover MoreYou might want to display a value in a cell as an upward-counting value. This might seem difficult but can be done rather ...
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 © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments