In Excel: paste Sub Macro1() into the VBA editor (Alt + F11 → Insert ▸ Module), press F5 to run, and save as .xlsm to keep the macro.
VBA macro: Date Function
Sub Macro1()
' date function — replace the body with your steps
Dim ws As Worksheet
Set ws = ActiveSheet
' ... your code here ...
End SubHow to run this macro
- Press Alt + F11 to open the VBA editor.
- Insert > Module.
- Paste the code above.
- Press
F5, or close the editor and run it from Developer > Macros. - Save the file as .xlsm so the macro is kept.
Press Alt + F11 to open the VBA editor.
Insert ▸ Module.
Paste the code above.
Press F5 (or close the editor and run it from Developer ▸ Macros).
Save the file as .xlsm so the macro is kept.
What this does
The Date Function macro lets you date function in Excel without repeating the steps by hand. Paste the Sub Macro1() code into the VBA editor (Alt + F11 → Insert ▸ Module) and run it from Developer ▸ Macros or by pressing F5 inside the editor. Once the macro runs, Excel executes every step programmatically — what might take several manual passes through your data completes in a single click. Because the code is stored in the workbook, you can reuse the Date Function macro any time the same task arises without rebuilding the steps from scratch. Keep the inputs visible and clearly labelled and the whole thing stays auditable — anyone who opens the file later, including you, can see at a glance exactly what feeds the result and change one assumption without hunting through the formula. Treat “date function in excel vba” as a small repeatable workflow rather than a one-off click you hope to remember next time. Use a small test block before the live file, so any surprise in the affected formula shows up while it is still harmless. When this is a ribbon command, the selection matters more than the button: confirm the range, apply the command, then spot-check the output before saving. That turns a workflow that saves repeating the same clicks every week into a method you can reuse, explain, and defend when the workbook leaves your screen.
A worked example
Scenario: you have a workbook with 500 rows of sales data and you need to date function. Without a macro you would scroll through every row manually, which is error-prone and slow. Instead, open the VBA editor (Alt + F11), insert a Module (Insert ▸ Module), paste Sub Macro1() into the code window, and press F5 to run. The macro processes all 500 rows in under a second, date function exactly as specified by the code. On a Mac, use Option+F11 to open the editor if Alt+F11 does not respond. Use Sub Macro1() every time you need to date function reliably at scale. The macro eliminates the most common sources of error in manual work: missed rows, wrong column references, and inconsistent criteria. Once the code is tested and trusted, you can run it repeatedly with one click — zero cognitive overhead, zero variation in output. If there is any chance you will reuse this, drop it into a small template tab right now: a labelled input area on the left and the formula beside it, checked once against the tool above. Next time the same question comes up, the answer is a single paste away instead of a rebuild from memory.
In Google Sheets
Google Sheets handles this almost identically to Excel. The formula syntax above is the same, and the menu lives under a slightly different label rather than a ribbon tab. Use the platform toggle at the top of the page to switch every keyboard shortcut between Windows and Mac, and expect at most cosmetic differences in naming. Keep this page bookmarked for the next time the same question comes up. Better still, rebuild the example once in your own sheet — doing it yourself, with the tool above to check against, is what turns a copied formula into a technique you own. Here is the takeaway for “date function in excel vba”: copy the answer if you are busy, but if you have a spare few minutes, rebuild the example in Excel yourself with the tool above open beside it. That single pass — type it, run it, watch the result move when you change an input — is what turns a formula you found into a technique you trust. Keep your inputs labelled and referenced, never hard-coded, and the same sheet stays correct and auditable as it grows. Done that way, you will not need to look this up again, and you will be the person others ask.
Common mistakes
- Saving as .xlsx instead of .xlsm — Excel strips all VBA code when you save in the non-macro-enabled format. Always choose "Excel Macro-Enabled Workbook (.xlsm)" from the Save As dialog.
- Running the macro on the wrong sheet — Sub Macro1() acts on ActiveSheet by default. If you have multiple sheets open, click the correct sheet tab first before pressing Run.
- Macros are disabled — if you see a security warning bar, click Enable Content. If there is no bar at all, set File ▸ Options ▸ Trust Center ▸ Trust Center Settings ▸ Macro Settings to "Disable VBA macros with notification", which is the safe default that still lets you approve a file per workbook. Do not select "Enable all macros": it removes the only warning you get before a hostile workbook executes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I run the Date Function macro?
Press Alt + F11 to open the VBA editor, insert a Module (Insert ▸ Module), paste Sub Macro1() into the code pane, and press F5. Alternatively close the editor and run it from Developer ▸ Macros ▸ select "Macro1" ▸ Run.
Why won't my macro run — macros are disabled?
Excel blocks macros by default for files downloaded from the internet. Click the yellow security bar and choose "Enable Content" — that trusts this one workbook and is all that is normally needed. Leave File ▸ Options ▸ Trust Center ▸ Trust Center Settings ▸ Macro Settings on "Disable VBA macros with notification" rather than switching to "Enable all macros", which Microsoft itself marks not recommended. If the bar is red instead of yellow, the file carries Mark of the Web: close Excel, right-click the file, open Properties and tick Unblock. Also ensure the file is saved as .xlsm, not .xlsx.
Can I undo what the Date Function macro did?
No — VBA actions generally cannot be undone with Ctrl+Z because they bypass Excel's undo stack. Always test Sub Macro1() on a backup copy of the workbook before running it on live data, or add explicit validation logic inside the macro before the destructive step.