Unit III: Representation of Data and Information.: T3.2 User Forms and Applications

Advanced knowledge of spreadsheets
Unit III: Representation of data and

information.
T3.2 User forms and applications
Advanced knowledge of Spreadsheets

Gonzalo Vázquez Vilar
2018/2019
1
Advanced knowledge of Spreadsheets (T3.2)
Teaching Unit III
TU I TU II
A first contact Designing and

understanding data
TU III
Representation of data
and information
2
Unit 3: User Forms and applications

Structure and Basic
Operations
Working with cells

Block I: First contact and sheets, importing
data and references
Task automation*
Formulas and
functions
Tables and Pivot

Block II: Building, Tables
Course Syllabus interpreting and
exploiting data Data analysis: solver
and scenarios
Task automation*
Visualization and
dynamic charts
Block III: Representing User forms and

data and information applications
Task automation*
3
Overview
3.2.1.- Macros
o Tasks automation
3.2.2.- User Forms

o What are user forms useful for?
o Design and customization of user forms
o Kinds of user forms
3.2.3.- Applications
o Mail merge
o Import and export in other formats
4
3.2.1.- Macros
• What is a macro?
The macro scripts allow the user to perform repetitive tasks with minimum
effort. For example macros can be used for task automation, loading and
processing data, creating automatic reports, or presenting data in a
dynamic or adaptative fashion.
In Excel, macros are usually programmed in the language Visual Basic
Script (VBS) and allow to perform advanced tasks within the spreadsheet.
5
3.2.1.- Macros
Can be accessed from the Developer menu
6
3.2.1.- Macros
If the Developer menu is not available, it can be enabled in

File > Options
7
3.2.1.- Macros
For example, to add a button with an associated script:
1
2
8
3.2.1.- Macros
9
3.2.1.- Macros
The macro script can be edited in the VB Editor (Alt+F11)
10
3.2.1.- Macros
The macro script can be run by pressing the associated button
11
Overview
3.2.1.- Macros
o Tasks automation
3.2.2.- User Forms

o Mail merge
12
3.2.2.- User Forms
• What are user forms useful for?

“Emerging window that allows users to input information”
13
3.2.2.- User Forms
• Why should we use user forms?

1. They enable more powerful and useful macro scripts,
as they allow users to interact with the script.
2. They can be used for data input automation.
3. Allow to create customized reports and graphs.
14
3.2.2.- User Forms
• Types of user forms in Excel
MsgBox InputBox UserForm
15
3.2.2.- User Forms
• MsgBox
Shows a personalized message to the user, and enables some limited
interaction via Yes/No or Accept/Cancel buttons.
16
3.2.2.- User Forms
• InputBox
Shows an input box that allows the user to enter information in addition to
the Accept/Cancel interaction.
17
3.2.2.- User Forms
• UserForm
The fields and buttons of this form can be fully customized for a given task.
18
3.2.2.- User Forms
The different user forms can be created using the scrips in the
VB Editor (Alt+F11)
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Form MsgBox
• MsgBox
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Form MsgBox

Title = "Learning Excel"
Config = vbYesNo + vbQuestion
Ans = MsgBox(“Generate the monthly report?", Config, Title)
Usage and options of the MsgBox function can be found at:

https://docs.microsoft.com/es-es/office/vba/language/reference/user-interface-help/msgbox-function
https://docs.microsoft.com/es-es/office/vba/language/reference/user-interface-help/msgbox-constants
21
Form InputBox
• InputBox
Shows an input box that allows the user to enter information in addition to
the Ok/Cancel interaction.
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Form InputBox
Shows an input box that allows the user to enter text information.
Title = "Learning Excel"
CName = InputBox("Customer name?", Title)
MsgBox "Customer name: " + CName
Usage and options of the MsgBox function can be found at:

https://docs.microsoft.com/es-es/office/vba/language/reference/user-interface-help/inputbox-
function
23
Form UserForm
• UserForm
The fields and buttons of this form can be fully customized for a given task.
24
Form UserForm
It can be designed and customized from the VB Editor (Alt+F11) using:

Insert ➪ UserForm
The different controls are then inserted using the toolbox window.
3
1
25
Form UserForm
Control properties can be accessed by selecting each control:
26
Form UserForm
Some control properties:

• (Name): Name to refer to the control from the VB scripts
• Text: Text that appears in the control by default
• TextAlign: Text alignment
• TabIndex: Determines the focus order when the user press
the Tab key in the keyboard
• Font: Text font type
• ForeColor: Control elements color
• …
27
Form UserForm
Once created, it can be shown to the user using the command:

UserForm1.Show
Furthermore, the actions of the different elements and events in the form need to
be programmed using the VB scripting tool (e.g., the events of pressing a button
or updating a field)
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Formulario UserForm
Example:
UserForm1.tNombre.Value = ""
UserForm Content
name
Control name
in the UserForm
(Name)
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Form UserForm
Pressing the Cancel button:
Private Sub BCancel_Click()
Unload UserForm1
End Sub
Pressing the Finish button:

Private Sub BFinish_Click()
SaveFields
Unload UserForm1
End Sub
Pressing the Next Client button:

Private Sub BNext_Click()
SaveFields
UserForm1.tNombre.Value = ""
UserForm1.TApellidos.Value = ""
UserForm1.TEmail.Value = ""
End Sub
30
Form UserForm
Private Sub SaveFields()
Range("A2").Select ' Select A2 as the active cell
Do Until IsEmpty(ActiveCell) ‘ We repeat until we find an empty cell
ActiveCell.Offset(1, 0).Select ‘ One row down
Loop
ActiveCell.Value = ActiveCell.Row - 1 ‘ We create the id number
ActiveCell.Offset(0, 1).Select ‘ (one column right)
ActiveCell.Value = UserForm1.tNombre.Value ‘ We copy the name field,
ActiveCell.Offset(0, 1).Select ' (one column right)
ActiveCell.Value = UserForm1.TApellidos.Value ‘ surname field
ActiveCell.Offset(0, 1).Select ' (one column right)
ActiveCell.Value = UserForm1.TEmail.Value ‘ and email.
End Sub
1 2
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UserForm Controls
• Label / group box

• Text field
• Combo box / combo list
• Check box / option button
• Button / Toggle button
• Tab bar
• Scroll bar / spin button
• Image
32
UserForm Controls
The controls of the UserForm can be also inserted directly in the spreadsheet:
33
UserForm Controls
Form Controls
• Native Excel controls
• Maximum compatibility
ActiveX Controls
• More flexible and customizable
• They allow to include additional controls
from external developers
• Due to security reasons, ActiveX is not
enabled by default by many users
(it should be avoided, if possible)
34
UserForm Controls
Form Controls
• Native Excel controls
• Maximum compatibility
ActiveX Controls
• More flexible and customizable
• They allow to include additional controls
from external developers
• Due to security reasons, ActiveX is not
enabled by default by many users
(it should be avoided, if possible)
35
UserForm Controls
Toy example: CommandButton
36
UserForm Controls
Toy example: CommandButton
Online interface to generate a quote
37
UserForm Controls
Once the UserForm controls have been created, they need to be assigned to a macro
script using the contextual menu. This script defines the behavior of the control.
38
Task
1. Create an empty spreadsheet with the fields ID, Name and Surname.
2. Using the VB Editor, create a UserForm that looks similar to the one above.
3. Insert also a CommandButton in the spreadsheet that opens this form.
4. Add the VB code such that:
• Pressing “Cancel” closes the window disregarding the info in the text fields.
• Pressing “Finish” closes the window after saving the info in the text fields as a
new entry in the spreadsheet.
• Pressing “Next Client” creates a new entry in the spreadsheet with the info in
the text fields, and then resets the form to show the text fields empty.
39
Overview
3.2.1.- Macros
o Tasks automation
3.2.2.- User Forms

o Mail merge
40
• What is an application
Several macro scripts and forms working together to
perform advanced tasks such as:
1. Data acquisition
2. Advanced data processing
3. Automatic reports and customized graphs
4. Interface with other programs
5. …
41
• Excel scripting and developing tools are quite powerful…

• Example: Coding in Excel allows even elaborated games:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=532_BZjDSpY
42
• We study now in detail two tools that serve as an

interface with external applications:
o Mail merge
o Import and export in external formats
43
Mail merge
• A spreadsheet can serve as a data source for a mail merge

process in an external application, such as Microsoft Word.
• Example:
44
Mail merge
• The target of the mail merge process is a document which features:

1. The content, which is common to all the entries in the spreadsheet, plus
2. Fields which will be replaced by the actual data from the table.
45
Mail merge
1
46
Mail merge
47
Mail merge
48
Mail merge
49
Mail merge
• The data from the spreadsheet can be merged with certificates,

letters, invoices, badges, post labels…
50
Task
ID Name Family name Affiliation Payment

101 Manuel Iglesias Cobo Acciona 100 €
102 Inés Martínez Gómez Banco Santander 100 €
103 Luis Tomás Ramos City 100 €
104 Julio del Río Pinto Investia 100 €
105 Clara Rodríguez Jiménez ACL 100 €
106 Pedro Rico Blanco SolarTree 150 €
107 Oscar Martín Rey iEnergy 150 €
108 Raúl Arce Villar GreenTea 150 €
1. We are hosting a meeting with the participants listed in this table

2. Use the information of this table and mail merge to generate in Word:
• Attendance certificates for the participants
• Badge labels to identify the participants
51
• We study now in detail two tools that serve as an

interface with external applications:
o Mail merge
o Import and export in external formats
52
Importing data
From
• Text files
• XML file
• Databases
• Online sites
• Other sources
•…
53
Exporting data
Output format can be selected from the menu: File > Export
54
Import and Export in customized formats

• If existing export formats are not adequate, it is even possible
to use VB script macros to generate a format adapted to a
specific task.
(However, we will not study this option in this course)

55
Task
1. Create a text file with the following content:
Especie / Nombre común / Distribución / Hábitat / Longitud (cm)

Otus scops / Autillo / África y Eurasia / Áreas con árboles planifolios / 19-20
Bubo bubo / Búho real / Eurasia y norte de África / Terrenos con riscos o páramos / 60-75
Athene noctua / Mochuelo europeo / Eurasia y norte de África / Terrenos abiertos / 21-23
Strix aluco / Cárabo común / Eurasia y norte de África / Bosques y terrenos arbolados / 37-39
Asio otus / Búho chico / Eurasia y Norteamérica / Bosques y terrenos arbolados / 35-37
Asio flammeus / Lechuza campestre / África, América y Eurasia / Páramos y herbazales / 37-39
Aegolius funereus / Mochuelo boreal / Eurasia y Norteamérica / Bosques de coníferas / 24-26
2. Use “Get data from text file” to import this tabla in Excel. Note that the field
separator symbol is “/”
3. Export this table as a webpage with the title “Búhos de España”:
56
Forms
Applications UserForm
MsgBox
Messages and basic interaction
Advanced tools which allow (Yes/No, Acept/Cancel…) UserForm
the development of (designed in the VB Editor)
interactive tasks InputBox
Text input and buttons
UserForm controls
They require macro (inserted in the spreadsheet)
programming via the UserForm Their events activate
VB scripting tool Customizable forms for
advanced applications macros in VB source code
Interaction with the user via
forms and events
Examples:
• Data acquisition
• Advanced data processing
• Customized reports and
interactive graphs
User forms and applications
• Mail merge
Excel applications enable an advanced
• Import / export tools
interaction with the spreadsheet user.
57
References and specific resources

• Quick start: Create a macro
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/inicio-rápido-crear-una-macro-741130ca-080d-49f5-9471-
1e5fb3d581a8
• Assign a macro to a Form or a Control button
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/asignar-una-macro-a-un-botón-formulario-o-control-d58edd7d-cb04-
4964-bead-9c72c843a283
• Visual Basic (VB) Language Reference
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/office/vba/language/reference/user-interface-help/visual-basic-language-
reference
• MsgBox function
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/office/vba/language/reference/user-interface-help/msgbox-function
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/office/vba/language/reference/user-interface-help/msgbox-constants
• InputBox function
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/office/vba/language/reference/user-interface-help/inputbox-function
• UserForm object
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/office/vba/language/reference/user-interface-help/userform-object
• Mail merge
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/combinar-correspondencia-con-una-hoja-de-cálculo-de-excel-
858c7d7f-5cc0-4ba1-9a7b-0a948fa3d7d3
58

Unit III: Representation of Data and Information.: T3.2 User Forms and Applications

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Advanced knowledge of spreadsheets

Unit III: Representation of data and

Advanced knowledge of Spreadsheets

Teaching Unit III

A first contact Designing and

Unit 3: User Forms and applications

Working with cells

Tables and Pivot

Block III: Representing User forms and

3.2.2.- User Forms

Can be accessed from the Developer menu

If the Developer menu is not available, it can be enabled in

For example, to add a button with an associated script:

3.2.2.- User Forms

3.2.2.- User Forms

• What are user forms useful for?

3.2.2.- User Forms

• Why should we use user forms?

3.2.2.- User Forms

• Types of user forms in Excel

MsgBox InputBox UserForm

3.2.2.- User Forms

3.2.2.- User Forms

3.2.2.- User Forms

3.2.2.- User Forms

Shows a personalized message to the user, and enables some limited

Usage and options of the MsgBox function can be found at:

Usage and options of the MsgBox function can be found at:

It can be designed and customized from the VB Editor (Alt+F11) using:

Control properties can be accessed by selecting each control:

Some control properties:

Once created, it can be shown to the user using the command:

Pressing the Finish button:

Pressing the Next Client button:

• Label / group box

Toy example: CommandButton

Toy example: CommandButton

Online interface to generate a quote

3.2.2.- User Forms

• Excel scripting and developing tools are quite powerful…

• We study now in detail two tools that serve as an

o Import and export in external formats

• A spreadsheet can serve as a data source for a mail merge

• The target of the mail merge process is a document which features:

• The data from the spreadsheet can be merged with certificates,

ID Name Family name Affiliation Payment

102 Inés Martínez Gómez Banco Santander 100 €

103 Luis Tomás Ramos City 100 €

104 Julio del Río Pinto Investia 100 €

105 Clara Rodríguez Jiménez ACL 100 €

106 Pedro Rico Blanco SolarTree 150 €

107 Oscar Martín Rey iEnergy 150 €

108 Raúl Arce Villar GreenTea 150 €

1. We are hosting a meeting with the participants listed in this table

• We study now in detail two tools that serve as an

o Import and export in external formats

Import and Export in customized formats

(However, we will not study this option in this course)

Especie / Nombre común / Distribución / Hábitat / Longitud (cm)

References and specific resources

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