How to Call VBA Function from Excel Cells? [duplicate]

Question

I am a VBA newbie, and I am trying to write a function that I can call from Excel cells, that can open a workbook that's closed, look up a cell value, and return it.

So far I know how to write a macro like this:

Sub OpenWorkbook()     Dim path As String     path = "C:\Users\UserName\Desktop\TestSample.xlsx"      Dim currentWb As Workbook     Set currentWb = ThisWorkbook       currentWb.Sheets("Sheet1").Range("A1") = OpenWorkbookToPullData(path, "B2") End Sub   Function OpenWorkbookToPullData(path, cell)      Dim openWb As Workbook     Set openWb = Workbooks.Open(path, , True)      Dim openWs As Worksheet     Set openWs = openWb.Sheets("Sheet1")      OpenWorkbookToPullData = openWs.Range(cell)      openWb.Close (False)  End Function 

The macro OpenWorkbook() runs perfectly fine, but when I am trying to call OpenWorkbookToPullData(...) directly from an Excel cell, it doesn't work. The statement:

    Set openWb = Workbooks.Open(path, , True) 

returns Nothing.

Does anyone know how to turn it into a working VBA function that can be called from Excel cell?

Answer 1

Here's the answer

Steps to follow:

1. Open the Visual Basic Editor. In Excel, hit Alt+F11 if on Windows, Fn+Option+F11 if on a Mac.

2. Insert a new module. From the menu: Insert -> Module (Don't skip this!).

3. Create a Public function. Example:

   Public Function findArea(ByVal width as Double, _                          ByVal height as Double) As Double     ' Return the area     findArea = width * height End Function 

4. Then use it in any cell like you would any other function: =findArea(B12,C12).

Answer 2

The issue you have encountered is that UDFs cannot modify the Excel environment, they can only return a value to the calling cell.

There are several alternatives

1. For the sample given you don't actually need VBA. This formula will work
   ='C:\Users\UserName\Desktop\[TestSample.xlsx]Sheet1'!$B$2

2. Use a rather messy work around: See this answer

3. You can use ExecuteExcel4Macro or OLEDB