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Description

Excel — Spreadsheet Macros: Recording, Programming and Securing Your Automations

Three days to turn a task repeated every week into a single button that runs it

  • 3 days — 21 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • Foundation
  • Up to 6 participants

The same processing task comes back every week on an export file. Unnecessary columns must be removed, then the formatting reapplied, then the result copied into a tracking workbook. The operation takes an hour and depends on one person alone. The day that person is away, reporting stops and nobody knows where to pick it up.

These 21 hours lay the foundations of spreadsheet automation. Participants record a first macro, then read back the code produced and streamline it. They declare variables, write loops and conditions, then move through sheets and ranges. Error handling and attaching a procedure to a button complete the programme.

Learning objectives

  • Record a macro, then read back and correct the generated code
  • Declare variables and choose the type suited to the data being processed
  • Write loops and conditions to move through sheets and ranges
  • Handle run-time errors and report the anomaly to the user
  • Attach a procedure to a button and distribute it in a shared workbook

What makes this programme different

Each participant automates a task they genuinely carry out every week
Recorded code is systematically reviewed and streamlined line by line
A deliberately faulty workbook is used to practise step-by-step debugging

Programme

1The Macro Recorder

Producing code without writing it

  • Absolute and relative recording of an operation
  • Where the code sits and how modules are organised
  • Reading the generated code and removing what is superfluous
  • Step-by-step execution and identifying a faulty line

2Variables and Procedure Structure

Writing cleanly from the outset

  • Declaring variables and selecting the type
  • Splitting code into short, callable procedures
  • Passing arguments between procedures
  • Indentation and comments that document the processing

3Loops, Conditions and Workbook Objects

Making the processing adapt

  • Conditions and tests on cell content
  • Loops over the rows of a range and over sheets
  • Referencing workbooks, sheets, ranges and cells
  • Copying, moving and deleting driven by code

4User Interaction and Error Handling

Making the macro usable by someone else

  • Input boxes and message boxes
  • Trapping a run-time error
  • Preliminary checks on the presence of the expected tabs
  • Turning off screen updating during processing

5Distribution and Maintenance

Living with your macros

  • Attaching a procedure to a button or a keyboard shortcut
  • Macro-enabled file formats and security settings
  • Minimum documentation for a successor
  • Taking over and correcting a macro written by someone else

Who is it for

Regular spreadsheet users, managers, management controllers, administrative staff and technicians who repeat the same processing tasks on files.

Prerequisites

Day-to-day spreadsheet practice and command of common calculation formulas.

Dates & locations

36 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.