Ask If User Wants To Save File Before Executing VBA Macro
What This VBA Code Does
In Excel and Microsoft Word you cannot undo a macro once it has run. Sometimes we create code that does so much that it is impossible to reverse. As a safeguard, it might be wise to make the user pause for a second and determine whether he/she should save their file before running the VBA code. Let’s see how we can do this.
In Microsoft Excel
Sub AskToSave()
'PURPOSE: Ask user if he would like to save before executing rest of code
'SOURCE: www.TheSpreadsheetGuru.com
Dim UserAnswer As Long
Dim SaveAsChoice As Long
Dim SavePath As String
Dim FileExt As String
Dim ExtNumber As Long
'Ask user if he wants to save before executing
If ThisWorkbook.Saved = False Then
UserAnswer = MsgBox("Would you like to save before running?", vbYesNoCancel, "Save?")
If UserAnswer = vbCancel Then Exit Sub 'User clicked cancel button
If UserAnswer = vbYes Then
If ThisWorkbook.Path <> "" Then
'Need to SaveAs
SaveAsChoice = Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogSaveAs).Show
If SaveAsChoice <> 0 Then
SavePath = Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogSaveAs).SelectedItems(1)
'Determine File Extension Number for SaveAs
FileExt = Right(SavePath, Len(SavePath) - InStrRev(SavePath, "."))
'Get File Format Number (based off of extension)
Select Case FileExt
Case "xlsx": ExtNumber = 51
Case "xlsm": ExtNumber = 52
Case "xlsb": ExtNumber = 50
Case "xls": ExtNumber = 56
End Select
ThisWorkbook.SaveAs SavePath, ExtNumber
Else
Exit Sub 'User clicked cancel button
End If
Else
ThisWorkbook.Save
End If
End If
End If
'Insert the rest of you code here...
End SubIn Microsoft Word
Sub AskToSave()
'PURPOSE: Ask user if he would like to save before executing rest of code
'SOURCE: www.TheSpreadsheetGuru.com
Dim UserAnswer As Long
Dim SaveAsChoice As Long
Dim SavePath As String
Dim FileExt As String
Dim ExtNumber As Long
'Ask user if he wants to save before executing
If ThisDocument.Saved = False Then
UserAnswer = MsgBox("Would you like to save before running?", vbYesNoCancel, "Save?")
If UserAnswer = vbCancel Then Exit Sub 'User clicked cancel button
If UserAnswer = vbYes Then
If ThisDocument.Path <> "" Then
'Need to SaveAs
SaveAsChoice = Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogSaveAs).Show
If SaveAsChoice <> 0 Then
SavePath = Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogSaveAs).SelectedItems(1)
'Determine File Extension Number for SaveAs
FileExt = Right(SavePath, Len(SavePath) - InStrRev(SavePath, "."))
'Get File Format Number (based off of extension)
Select Case FileExt
Case "docx": ExtNumber = 12
Case "doc": ExtNumber = 0
Case "docm": ExtNumber = 13
End Select
ThisDocument.SaveAs SavePath, ExtNumber
Else
Exit Sub 'User clicked cancel button
End If
Else
ThisDocument.Save
End If
End If
End If
'Insert the rest of you code here...
End SubUsing VBA Code Found On The Internet
Now that you’ve found some VBA code that could potentially solve your Excel automation problem, what do you do with it? If you don’t necessarily want to learn how to code VBA and are just looking for the fastest way to implement this code into your spreadsheet, I wrote an article (with video) that explains how to get the VBA code you’ve found running on your spreadsheet.
Getting Started Automating Excel
Are you new to VBA and not sure where to begin? Check out my quickstart guide to learning VBA. This article won’t overwhelm you with fancy coding jargon, as it provides you with a simplistic and straightforward approach to the basic things I wish I knew when trying to teach myself how to automate tasks in Excel with VBA Macros.
Also, if you haven’t checked out Excel’s latest automation feature called Power Query, I have put together a beginner’s guide for automating with Excel’s Power Query feature as well! This little-known built-in Excel feature allows you to merge and clean data automatically with little to no coding!
How Do I Modify This To Fit My Specific Needs?
Chances are this post did not give you the exact answer you were looking for. We all have different situations and it’s impossible to account for every particular need one might have. That’s why I want to share with you: My Guide to Getting the Solution to your Problems FAST! In this article, I explain the best strategies I have come up with over the years to get quick answers to complex problems in Excel, PowerPoint, VBA, you name it!
I highly recommend that you check this guide out before asking me or anyone else in the comments section to solve your specific problem. I can guarantee that 9 times out of 10, one of my strategies will get you the answer(s) you are needing faster than it will take me to get back to you with a possible solution. I try my best to help everyone out, but sometimes I don’t have time to fit everyone’s questions in (there never seem to be quite enough hours in the day!).
I wish you the best of luck and I hope this tutorial gets you heading in the right direction!
After 10+ years of creating macros and developing add-ins, I've compiled all the hacks I wish I had known years ago!
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Chris Newman
Chris is a finance professional and Excel MVP recognized by Microsoft since 2016. With his expertise, he founded TheSpreadsheetGuru blog to help fellow Excel users, where he shares his vast creative solutions & expertise. In addition, he has developed over 7 widely-used Excel Add-ins that have been embraced by individuals and companies worldwide.