Macros?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Brien
  • Start date Start date
B

Brien

I have been asked to streamline some time consuming data analysis (as I
have mentioned with a different thread about a different question) and
I'm wondering if Macros can help me.

The manual process involves creating Excel documents from 4 CSV
documents, then lots of cutting and pasting of values from one location
to another. Then a few calculations are made and put into pretty graphs
before being exported to word as a finished document.

How much of this can be automated? Are macros the way to go? As far as I
can tell, Macro's are embedded in a document aren't they? How can I
create a macro of the entire process and then let a new document be made
to do the whole thing again with 4 different CSV files? And then
again, from scratch etc.

I hope this is making sense. I'm new to this and been thrown in at the
deep end. My brain is hurting.

Brien
 
Brien,

The short answer is "Yes", though your brain will likely hurt a bunch more
before you are done. I do such things as that all the time, and macros can
convert what might have started as a day's worth of work into - literally -
a few seconds of run time. Macros can do anything that you can, though
translating your workflow to a workable macro requires some experience and
specific knowledge. Given that, I would recommend that you consider hiring
an experienced consultant - there are quite a few MVPs (not me, but others)
who do just that sort of thing all the time. Post back if you are
interested, and I will send you their email addresses.

If you are interested in doing it yourself, then you have a wonderful
opportunity to learn a lot of VBA in a short time. The macro recorder will
get you code to look at, and then you can post very specific questions here
along the lines of "How do I get Excel to open four user-selected CSV files
at a time using a macro?"

HTH,
Bernie
MS Excel MVP
 
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