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: Declaring Variables.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated December 31, 2022)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365
If you have ever programmed any macros, you are probably familiar with how you define variables using the Dim keyword. For instance, you can define an integer variable with the name MyVar as follows:
Dim MyVar As Integer
This is very straightforward, and will work fine in your code. To save a few lines in your code you may be tempted to define multiple variables per line:
Dim x, y, z As Integer
In some versions of the BASIC language, this will define and initialize three variables, each as an integer. In VBA it also appears to run properly, and no error is generated. However, there is a small problem—only the last variable (z) is actually defined as an integer. You can see how this works by using the following code:
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:
Sub DimTest()
Dim x, y, z As Integer
Dim sTemp As String
sTemp = "x is type " & VarType(x) & vbCrLf
sTemp = sTemp & "y is type " & VarType(y) & vbCrLf
sTemp = sTemp & "z is type " & VarType(z)
MsgBox sTemp
End Sub
When you run the macro, the message box shows that the variable type for x and y are 0, which means that the variable is a variant (the default data type for undeclared variables). Only the last message box (for z) shows a variable type of 2, meaning an integer.
The solution is to make sure that you declare your variables one per line, or using the full syntax for each variable, as in the following:
Dim x As Integer, y As Integer, z As Integer
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (12427) 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: Declaring Variables.
Excel Smarts for Beginners! Featuring the friendly and trusted For Dummies style, this popular guide shows beginners how to get up and running with Excel while also helping more experienced users get comfortable with the newest features. Check out Excel 2019 For Dummies today!
If you create a user form in VBA that includes checkboxes, you may want to make the checkboxes larger. You can't adjust ...
Discover MoreWhen using a macro to process information in a worksheet, you may want that macro to figure out how many columns are ...
Discover MoreWant to easily control which records get imported from a text file into Excel? It's easy to do when you write the macro ...
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 © 2026 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments