Driving MS Products Forward With The Help Of VBA

After you have spent time delving into Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) you may be interested in seeing how your knowledge on the software can have a positive impact on the workings of your company.

If you are familiar with macros and how they can be written via the Visual Basics Editor, it is likely that you are looking for opportunities to practise your new-found skills. Offices using Microsoft products, such as Word and Excel can all benefit from the tweaking that is possible through VBA. For example, you may wish to make certain calculations in Excel automated, which you can do by writing simple computer programmes - macros - via the Visual Basics Editor.

This cuts the amount of time you spend activating these functions automatically. Likewise, with Word, VBA gives you the opportunity to create new icons and actions that personalise the programme so it is tailored to your needs. If you have spent time in your company writing macros to make adjustments to MS Products, it is likely that you will be hoping to share the fruits of your labour among your colleagues, or if you are a computer programmer then you may be sending your macros to other firms for their own use.

In this instance, it is important that you have made sure that your macros are digitally signed and are accompanied by a digital certificate. On the other hand if you are receiving macros from others, or importing them for use in your company it is wise to check that they carry digital signatures in case your firm's security controls fail to pick up potentially damaging files. If you are sharing macros around your company and beyond, one of the first steps you can take to cut the chances of spreading harmful code is to make sure you have run the debugging tools available through the editor.

You can do this as you write the code making up the macros or when you have finished writing it. This can help to highlight potential problems with your computer programme, so you can rectify them before they are sent out. It is a good idea to digitally sign the macro once you have established that it is running correctly and contains no harmful codes. If you have already signed it, then make minor adjustments following debugging you risk removal of the digital signature, depending on the type of certificate you have for the software.


Certificates show that the macro came from the digital signer, so other networks who have you recorded as a trusted source will accept your programmes. There are several ways that you can get certificates in order to share your macros within your firm and beyond. You may like to create your own certificate, but this may not pass stringent security controls on some computers, which means your macros will be blocked.

If your computer programmes are destined to stay within your firm, then the company's IT department may immediately authorise the use of your macros via internal certification. You are still advised to carry out debugging and testing of your code so you do not unintentionally introduce malicious software to your firm's networks. Another option is to approach commercial companies that supply certification.

There are different kinds of classes available depending on whether you write software as an individual or if you are a member of a computer programming firm. Once you get the correct certification, you are free to send out your macros and help others to improve the running of their private and company networks.