Excel Macros: what they are and your first one in 5 minutes

A macro is a saved set of actions you can replay. You do a task once while Excel watches; afterwards one keypress does it again. No programming needed to start.

When a macro is worth it

• You do the same 10 clicks every day (format a report, clean an export).
• The task must be done exactly the same way each time.
• Someone else needs to do it without learning the steps.

Your first macro: 5 steps

1. Show the Developer tab: right-click the ribbon › Customize the Ribbon › tick Developer.
2. Developer › Record Macro. Name it TidyReport. Shortcut: Shift + T (gives Ctrl+Shift+T). OK.
3. Do the task: bold row 1, autofit columns (double-click a column edge), freeze the top row.
4. Developer › Stop Recording.
5. Open a messy sheet and press Ctrl + Shift + T.

Full walkthrough: record a macro.

Where macros live

Inside the workbook. Save as .xlsm (Macro-Enabled) or the macro is lost. To have a macro available in every file, store it in the Personal Macro Workbook when recording.

The code behind it

Recording writes VBA code. Alt + F11 opens it. You can read it, tweak a value, and learn from it — see open the VBA editor.

Safety

Macros can delete data and files. Run only macros you wrote or trust. Excel blocks them by default for that reason — enabling macros explains the yellow bar.

Check it worked

Developer › Macros lists TidyReport. Select it and click Run — same result as the shortcut.