Mastering Excel Macros: Introduction

by Mark Moore

Excel macros. Everybody wants to learn them. You're not a programmer though. How is a non technical user going to learn how to program? You do want to use macros to make your work easier but are you really going to sit down with a huge programming textbook and work your way through every. single. boring. page? Like most people, you'll start with great enthusiasm and vigor but after a few chapters, the novelty wears off. It gets boring. I'm going to try and change that and make learning macro programming entertaining and accessible to non-techies. First of all, programming Excel macros is a huge topic. Let's eat the elephant one bite at a time. Instead of sitting down with a dry, heavy text, you will read very focused, to the point topics. You can then immediately use what you learned in the real world. This is the first lesson in the series. You will learn what macros are, how to access them, a tiny bit of programming theory (just so you have a clue as to what's going on) and how to record macros. As with all my other lessons, this one has a follow along workbook that you can use to work through the exercises.

Genres: Reference, Amazon, Software, Computers

45 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 30, 2014

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Reviews

[April Braswell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Descent 10p of content FREE Excel Macros intro but would only purchase a bigger trusted source text

I paged through it to get an overview before delving in and got to the end. Wow! That's all there is?
Much of the 24 pages, the first 10 were just fluff. Blank pages. TOC: 5 lines of chapter titles, took up 1 whole page as did a short 1 paragraph copyright statement. I know those are super important, but the cover was 1 page, the title page was another with 3 very short lines to it, copyright page, and then the TOC. Those 4 "pages" could have been 1 page.

Sure, it's free. I "purchased" this freebie 2 weeks ago just before Christmas because I actually have an odd background in using excel now for years and like to look at other ways I could leverage my beloved excel. The cover is consistent with the genre of excellent software teaching textbooks, so I actually expected it to be short and meaty.

Um, it was not.
Short, yes.
Meaty, no.

But not bad. Not sales pitch sales pitch sales pitch for 10 pages like some others in the "free" at Amazon arena.

His illustrations and certain things in the actual content 10 pages taking up a whole page really made sense. I didn't feel he was padding those pages at all the way some others in the free at Kindle space do. Those pages were good. Solid.

However, the ending last 3 pages were again all fluff. Which is just say, you think you're getting 24 pages of content, when really it's about 10 pages. The 10 pages were descent. Solid. Real stuff. Helpful and necessary illustrations.

And he does explain, a bit too at length, about how we wouldn't have purchased a longer book.

The problem is, for excel macros, that's exactly what I would have done. And I do get that to cover all his topics, he did a series of ebooks to make the topic more manageable and digestible. However, having provided only a truly cursory touching here on macros, I would never shell out $8.49 or $9.95 to him for additional coverage because he has set my expectation of him quite low. Based on this ebook, I imagine half of those ebooks will also be fluff. Let alone paying $99 to him for the online classes.

Free is fine for this as an initial touching on the topic. I'm trying to be kind because he doesn't come across as salesy and I think was genuinely trying to help. Just, I had hoped for so much more than 50% filler. Wow me at free, and I'd gladly pay for additional, deeper coverage.

Under deliver, and I'll look elsewhere for the deeper coverage from more established spreadsheet teaching sources.

Perfectly nice author.

I don't think he's trying to rip anyone off.

Just, not super helpful.

For real in depth coverage, keep searching. You know the publishing houses. That's where I'd likely go next.

Now I have to see how to delete this from my kindle library.

Worth the free download? Sure. Sip half a cup of coffee and have a light intro to the topic.

[Jose O. Lugo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only a book.

This is not only a simple book, it's a complete series of lessons divided into short lesson o topics in different books. They're very helpful for the one that's starting on excel.

[Himanshu · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very basic info provided

This book is very basic, I agree with the author that it's a long topic and can't be covered in this book, I suggest to visit YouTube or to take an online course to lean macros.

[Crystal Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not exactly what I was expecting to "master" macros.

[Wm Shore · Rating 2 out of 5]

Online file not avail

Disappointing online file not avail & after a week no reply to email re same. Maybe author has retired, hopefully he’s ok.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

You get what you pay for....

Just one quick lesson. It advertises online class. I’ll look for a “real” book that is less gimmicky. 3 stars...? It is free.

[Vikas Maurya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good introduction to Macros.

Good book to start learning macros. This first book will introduce you to very basics. Good book to start. All the best!!

[Angelina Teneva · Rating 1 out of 5]

or rather "how to record a macro"