Datasheet

The Excel Options dialog

box appears.

3 Click Customize Ribbon.

1 Click the File tab.

A menu appears.

2 Click Options.

Introducing Macros

ou can use macros to automate many of the tasks

you perform in Excel. For example, if you

frequently format your data in a particular way,

you can use Excel’s macro recorder to record the steps

you use to format your data. You can then play back the

recorded steps whenever you want to apply your format.

Most of the commands you can execute in Excel, you can

also record and play back.

The commands you use to create and execute macros are

located on the Developer tab. By default, the Developer

tab does not display in Excel. To display it, you must

select Developer in the Customize the Ribbon pane in the

Excel Options dialog box.

You begin recording macros by clicking Record Macro on

the Developer tab or by clicking the Record Macro button

on the status bar. Both options open the Record Macro

dialog box. For detailed instructions on how to use the

Record Macro dialog box, see the section “Record a Macro.”

When you record a macro, you can record it using an

absolute reference or a relative reference. If you record

using an absolute reference, when Excel plays back your

macro, it plays back the exact cells you clicked when you

recorded the macro. If you record using a relative

reference, Excel plays back the relative location of the

cells you used when you recorded your macro. Click Use

Relative References on the Developer tab to record using

a relative reference. To learn more about absolute and

relative references, see the section “Record a Macro.”

When you save a workbook that has macros, you must

save it as a macro-enabled workbook. Excel gives macro-

enabled workbooks an .xlsm extension.

Introducing

Macros

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