How to Use the VBA Val Function Efficiently in 3 Minutes (Excel)

Written by Kasper Langmann

The Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) Val function is a powerful tool that can be used to convert a string into a numeric value. This function can be incredibly useful when working with Excel, especially when dealing with data that may not be in the ideal format. In this guide, you will learn how to use the VBA Val function efficiently in just three minutes.

Understanding the VBA Val Function

The VBA Val function is a built-in function in Excel that is categorized as a String/Text function. It can be used as a VBA function (VBA) in Excel. As a VBA function, you can use this function in macro code that is entered through the Microsoft Visual Basic Editor.

The syntax for the Val function in VBA is: Val(string). The function returns the numbers contained in the input string as a numeric value of appropriate type. The function stops reading the string at the first character that it can’t recognize as part of a number. So, it effectively discards all characters starting from the first non-numeric character.

Practical Applications of the VBA Val Function

Converting Text to Numbers

One of the most common uses of the VBA Val function is to convert text to numbers. This can be particularly useful when you are dealing with a dataset that includes numbers stored as text. By using the Val function, you can quickly convert these text values into numbers, allowing you to perform calculations and analyses.

For example, if you have the string “123abc”, using the Val function would return the number 123. This is because the function reads the string from left to right until it encounters a character that it cannot recognize as part of a number, in this case, the letter ‘a’.

Extracting Numbers from Alphanumeric Strings

Another practical application of the VBA Val function is to extract numbers from alphanumeric strings. This is particularly useful when you have a dataset that includes identifiers or codes that combine letters and numbers.

For instance, if you have the string “A123”, using the Val function would return the number 123. This is because the function ignores the initial non-numeric characters and starts reading the string from the first numeric character it encounters.

How to Use the VBA Val Function in Excel

Using the VBA Val function in Excel is straightforward. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to do it.

  1. Open the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications editor. You can do this by pressing Alt + F11.
  2. Insert a new module. You can do this by clicking on Insert in the menu, then selecting Module.
  3. In the module, you can write your VBA code that uses the Val function. For example, you could write a simple macro that converts a selected cell’s value to a number.

Here is an example of such a macro:

Sub ConvertToNumber()
    Dim str As String
    str = ActiveCell.Value
    ActiveCell.Value = Val(str)
End Sub

This macro gets the value of the currently selected cell, converts it to a number using the Val function, and then assigns the converted number back to the cell.

Common Errors and How to Avoid Them

While the VBA Val function is quite straightforward to use, there are a few common errors that you might encounter. Here are some tips on how to avoid them.

Error: Type Mismatch

This error occurs when you try to use the Val function on a cell that contains non-string data. To avoid this error, you should always ensure that the cell you are trying to convert contains a string.

Error: Overflow

This error occurs when the number you are trying to convert is too large for the data type that you are trying to store it in. To avoid this error, you should ensure that the number you are trying to convert fits within the range of the data type you are using.

Conclusion

The VBA Val function is a powerful tool in Excel that allows you to convert strings to numbers. By understanding how to use this function efficiently, you can save time and make your data analysis tasks easier. Whether you are converting text to numbers or extracting numbers from alphanumeric strings, the VBA Val function is a tool that you should definitely have in your Excel toolkit.