Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. 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 If ... End If Structure.

Understanding the If ... End If Structure

by Allen Wyatt
(last updated January 14, 2017)

4

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 If ... End If structure. The most common use of this structure has the following syntax:

If condition Then
    program statements
Else
    program statements
End If

When a macro is executing, and this structure is encountered, Excel tests whatever condition you have defined. If the condition is true, then the program statements, the statements right after the Then keyword, are executed. If they are not true, then the statements after the Else keyword are executed. The Else keyword and any following program statements (which together make up an Else clause) are optional; you do not need to include them in your macro.

Regardless of whether the program statements in the If ... End If structure are executed, when Excel is done with the structure, the macro continues running with the statement following the End If keyword.

Note:

If you would like to know how to use the macros described on this page (or on any other page on the ExcelTips sites), I've prepared a special page that includes helpful information. Click here to open that special page in a new browser tab.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (12081) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Understanding the If ... End If Structure.

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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Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is eight more than 6?

2017-01-17 06:02:42

Michael (Micky) Avidan

Correction of a "small" TIPO:
If you have 2-3 tasks to perform - they can also be on a single command as long as they are separated by colons (:).
--------------------------
Michael (Micky) Avidan
“Microsoft® Answers" - Wiki author & Forums Moderator
“Microsoft®” MVP – Excel (2009-2017)
ISRAEL

2017-01-16 14:28:35

Adam

@Micky
that is an awesome comment you added there. Little piece of knowledge that has past over the bulk of us!

2017-01-16 09:12:22

Michael (Micky) Avidan

@Ben,
If you have 2-3 tasks to perform - they can also be on a single command שד ךםמע שד איקט שרק separated by colons (:).
--------------------------
Michael (Micky) Avidan
“Microsoft® Answers" - Wiki author & Forums Moderator
“Microsoft®” MVP – Excel (2009-2017)
ISRAEL

2017-01-15 19:26:11

Ben Davies

It's worth noting that if you only have one task to perform if the condition is true, then the entire code can be written on one line, and no "End if" is required. For example:

If wb is Nothing Then
Set wb = Workbooks.Add
End If

..can be written:

If wb is Nothing Then Set wb = Workbooks.Add

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