Excel VBA Programming For Dummies, 4th Edition (2015)
Part VI. The Part of Tens
Chapter 23. (Almost) Ten Excel Resources
In This Chapter
Using the VBA Help system
Getting assistance from Microsoft
Finding help online
This book is only an introduction to Excel VBA programming. If you hunger for more information, feel free to feed on the list of additional resources I’ve compiled here. You can discover new techniques, communicate with other Excel users, download useful files, ask questions, and lots more.
Most of these resources are online services or Internet resources, which tend to change frequently. The descriptions are accurate at the time I’m writing this, but I can’t guarantee that this information will remain current. That's how the Internet works.
The VBA Help System
I hope you’ve already discovered VBA’s Help system. I find this reference source particularly useful for identifying objects, properties, and methods. It’s readily available, it’s free, and (for the most part) it’s accurate. So use it.
If you're using Excel 2013 or later, you must be connected to the Internet to use the VBA Help system. (Previous versions don't have this requirement.) You can, however, download the VBA Help system from Microsoft’s site. Do a web search for download excel vba documentation, and you’ll find it.
Microsoft Product Support
Microsoft offers a wide variety of technical support options (some for free, others for a fee). To access the Microsoft Office support services, go here:
http://support.microsoft.com
Another great resource is the Microsoft Developer Network site (MSDN). It has lots and lots of information aimed at the developer (yes, that is you!). Here is a link to the main site, where you can search for Excel-related information:
http://msdn.microsoft.com
Websites
Several websites contain Excel-related material. A good place to start your web surfing is my very own site, which is named The Spreadsheet Page. After you get there, you can check out my material and then visit my Resources section, which leads you to dozens of other Excel-related sites. The URL for my site is
http://spreadsheetpage.com
Excel Blogs
You can find literally millions of blogs (short for weblogs) on the web. A blog is basically a frequently updated diary about a particular topic. Quite a few blogs are devoted exclusively to Excel. I maintain a list of Excel blogs at my site:
http://spreadsheetpage.com/index.php/excelfeeds
When I have a question about any topic (including Excel programming), my first line of attack is Google, which is currently the world’s most popular search site:
http://google.com
Enter a few key search terms (along with the word Excel or VBA) and see what Google finds. I’m able to find an answer about 90 percent of the time.
Bing
Bing is Microsoft's answer to the Google search site. Some people prefer it over Google; others don't. If you haven't tried it, the URL is
http://bing.com
Local User Groups
Many large communities and universities have Excel user groups that meets periodically. If you can find a user group in your area, check it out. These groups are often excellent resources for making contacts and sharing ideas.
My Other Books
Sorry, but I couldn’t resist the opportunity for a blatant plug. To take VBA programming to the next level, check out my Excel 2013 Power Programming with VBA or Excel 2016 Power Programming with VBA (both published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.).