If you want to get begin using Excel VBA, the best way to do so is to read these two books:
- Excel VBA Programming For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))
by John Walkenbach
- VBA and Macros for Microsoft Excel
by Bill Jelen and Tracy Syrstad
They will give you the foundation that you need to use Excel in powerful and just as importantly in reliable ways. If you choose to read them, make sure that you type out all of the examples in these books yourself in the Excel VBA IDE (what you see when type Alt-F11).
Excel VBA Programming For Dummies by John Walkenbach
This is the book with which to get started, especially if you do not know the first thing about programming. Walkenbach does an excellent job of holding your hand through the basic concepts that you need to know. As well, he sells a power utility pak that uses VBA to give Excel powerful and useful features. For extra money, you can see the code for it. I strongly recommend purchasing the pack and paying to see the code. You will see lots of examples of how to write practical applications for Excel in VBA.
VBA and Macros for Microsoft Excel Bill Jelen and Tracy Syrstad
WARNING: They have written similar books written since then, but previewing them on Amazon makes me think that they are missing key content. You need to buy the one written in 2004.
This book will take you to the next level. It is aimed at people who are more intermediate than beginner. It will show you just how powerful VBA in Excel can be. This is the book that allowed me to start getting my head around the VBA Object Model and writing VBA Classes.
While you should read the whole book, you should pay very close attention to the following chapters:
- R1C1 Style Formulas
- Names
- Event Programming
- User Forms
- Automating Word
- Event Programming
- Creating Classes Records and Collections – this one is the most important
- Handling Errors
I feel that these books are essential for getting started. You can buy them from the links below or at the top of the post:
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I realize that this is now an old post, but you should compare the books by Michael Alexander. I really enjoyed The Excel Analyst’s Guide to Access (now dated), and am using Excel 2016 Power Programming with VBA [part of a series edited by John Walkenbach]. I’ve found Michael Alexander’s explanations of code clearer than Walkenbach’s or Jelen’s.