Expert in Excel Seeking Excel/VBA Mentoror?

Question

I make excel models that are not very user friendly and I'm trying to make them more for commercial use. I need help learning how to streamline the models i have using VBA and don't really know where to turn. I want to learn while watching someone do it for me i.e. learn by example. I have bought books w/ examples but think I need to watch someone do it. Are there any tutor/mentoring programs that can do this?

Answer 1

There are some college courses you can take on Visual Basic programming and probably also on VBA. My start in VBA started as an interest/hobby. While taking a course in college on Microsoft Office I discovered that a person could program in Excel using VBA. Now, about 7-9 years later I'm pretty good at it, but still learning a lot. I never took a course in programming VBA. So, I pretty much taught myself. Over the past several years I've found a few good sources of help.

1.) Other Visual Basic programmers online through forums
2.) VB books
3.) The Macro Recorder
4.) Microsoft's help section
5.) The Object Browser in Visual Basic Editor used with the help button
6.) Referring back to my previous VBA code (make notes)
7.) Referring back to notes I print off and keep in a file folder

The way I first learned was by buying several VBA books and flipping through the indexes to find info to help me solve my immediate problem. I'd also go through Excel's VBE help files like crazy. Although many times the books and help files didn't make much sense. Then taking notes when I finally figured out the solution. If the problem took to long I'd do a web search and look for VB forums that talked about that topic or if I got really desperate I'd post a question on one of the forums where I could.

If there was one book I could recommend to you, I would recommend John Walkenbach's book:

Excel 2003 Power Programming with VBA

I'm currently in the process of reading it cover to cover. The book is very good at laying down the fundamentals step by step. And by learning the fundamentals it helps you learn why things are done the way they are and how they work. It's a thick book, but I'd recommend it for anyone looking to start in VBA in Excel.

If you are looking to flip through the index Iike I did when I was first learning, then I'd recommend Steve Holzner's book:

Visual Basic 6 Black Book

Although it may not be as useful as it once was since the .Net version of VB is becoming the new accepted version over version 6. Also keep in mind that although Visual Basic and Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) are similar, they are not exactly the same. So some VB statements won't work in Excel's Visual Basic Editor or will work a little differently.

If you are going to work in Access VBA programming, get a book on Visual Basic for use with databases and probably a good book on Access as well. To me, I think programming VBA in Access is a bit harder than in Excel.

If you want, you are more than welcome to add me as a contact. Who knows, maybe the three of us could start a group that passes our knowledge back and forth or even maybe start a free VB help site for Excel.

Good luck! And feel free to send questions my way if you need help.

Answer 2

If you don't mind paying, there are courses available or tutoring CDs. I did a community course in Advance Excel in 2004 and the teacher was really good.
I also wish to have someone to share, give advice/feedback, give challenging tasks to improve my skills (hence looks at questions asked in Yahoo Answers) etc

if only you live close by...?

Answer 3

Hmmmm.... it style of sounds like what you are attempting to do would desire to artwork. I in many situations use expressions like 'finished = finished + num' devoid of situation. Are you useful that's that line that's inflicting the situation? if so, the only situation i ought to think of to objective would be to declare yet another int variable to hold the linked fee from the cellular, and upload it to the gathering 'debt' with each and every bypass.