Microsofts Excel spreadsheet program has been around for quite a while, and has been enhanced over the years. One of the enhancements is the ability to create macros. Macros in Excel are written in the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) language. By using macros, a user can take advantage of the Excel interface to create powerful applications with user-friendly front ends.

This book is divided into four parts. The first part, The Intuitive Approach, jumps right into several short programming examples, which range from simplifying data entry to data analysis, providing an overview of the types of applications that can be created using VBA macros. There is also an overview of what is new in the various versions of Excel, and of what to watch for to ensure that your macros stay compatible among the different versions.

Part 2, Fundamentals, covers the VBA programming environment. Readers with previous VBA experience could skip this section, but those without VBA experience (even those with VB experience) will want to read it.

Part 3, Applications, is about creating macros that make use of the power of Excel. Smart forms, charts, drawings, database connections, data analysis, and Internet access are some of the topics covered in this section.

Part 4, Reference, covers objects in Excel VBA, and takes a peek at Excel 2003. The object reference is slightly different because it lists the lower-level object in the center, with the upper-level objects on the left, and the most important properties and methods listed on the right. This is a very useful presentation for quickly finding information on an object.

Overall, this is an excellent book for intermediate to advanced programmers who need to create macros for Excel. The examples are rather sparse on code and heavy on explanations, but the reference section is very useful. A CD-ROM is not included; instead, the examples can be downloaded from the publishers Web site. The author also maintains his own Web site, with updates and information. If you need to write Excel macros, this should be one of the books on your shelf.