How to Use Excel VBA Calendar Picker Efficiently in 3 Minutes

Written by Kasper Langmann

Excel VBA Calendar Picker is a powerful tool that can significantly improve your productivity when working with dates in Excel. This tool allows you to select dates from a pop-up calendar, rather than typing them manually. In this guide, we will explore how to use this tool efficiently in just three minutes.

Understanding Excel VBA Calendar Picker

Before we delve into how to use the Excel VBA Calendar Picker, it’s important to understand what it is and why it’s useful. VBA, or Visual Basic for Applications, is a programming language developed by Microsoft. It’s used to automate tasks in Microsoft Office applications, including Excel.

The Calendar Picker is a feature of Excel VBA that allows you to select dates from a calendar, rather than typing them manually. This can save you a significant amount of time, especially if you frequently work with dates in Excel.

Benefits of Using Excel VBA Calendar Picker

There are several benefits to using the Excel VBA Calendar Picker. First and foremost, it can save you a lot of time. Instead of typing dates manually, you can simply select them from a calendar. This is particularly useful if you frequently work with dates in Excel.

Another benefit of the Excel VBA Calendar Picker is that it can help to reduce errors. When you type dates manually, it’s easy to make mistakes. However, by selecting dates from a calendar, you can ensure that you’re entering the correct date.

How to Use Excel VBA Calendar Picker

Now that we understand what the Excel VBA Calendar Picker is and why it’s useful, let’s explore how to use it. The process is relatively straightforward, and with a little practice, you can become proficient in just a few minutes.

First, you need to enable the Developer tab in Excel. This tab is not visible by default, but you can easily enable it by going to File > Options > Customize Ribbon and checking the Developer box.

Inserting the Calendar Control

Once the Developer tab is enabled, you can insert the Calendar control. To do this, go to the Developer tab and click on the Insert button. From the drop-down menu, select More Controls.

In the More Controls dialog box, scroll down until you find the Microsoft Date and Time Picker Control. Select it and click OK. Then, click on the cell where you want to insert the Calendar control.

Using the Calendar Control

After inserting the Calendar control, you can use it to select dates. To do this, simply click on the cell with the Calendar control. A calendar will pop up, and you can select a date by clicking on it.

The date you select will be inserted into the cell. If you want to change the date, simply click on the cell again and select a new date from the calendar.

Advanced Tips for Using Excel VBA Calendar Picker

While the basic use of the Excel VBA Calendar Picker is relatively straightforward, there are several advanced tips that can help you use this tool more efficiently.

Customizing the Calendar Control

One of the most useful advanced features of the Excel VBA Calendar Picker is the ability to customize the Calendar control. You can change the size, color, and other properties of the control to suit your needs.

To customize the Calendar control, right-click on it and select Properties. In the Properties dialog box, you can change various properties of the control. For example, you can change the size by adjusting the Height and Width properties, or change the color by adjusting the BackColor property.

Automating Tasks with VBA Code

Another advanced feature of the Excel VBA Calendar Picker is the ability to automate tasks with VBA code. For example, you can write a VBA code that automatically updates other cells based on the date you select from the Calendar control.

To automate tasks with VBA code, you need to open the VBA editor by pressing Alt + F11. In the VBA editor, you can write code that interacts with the Calendar control. For example, you could write a code that automatically fills in the day of the week based on the date you select from the Calendar control.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Excel VBA Calendar Picker is a powerful tool that can significantly improve your productivity when working with dates in Excel. By understanding how to use this tool efficiently, you can save time, reduce errors, and automate tasks. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced Excel user, the Excel VBA Calendar Picker is a tool that’s worth learning how to use.