Requesting instructional guidance

[SanDiego]

Hi all,

New here. Just got exposed to Pivot Tables via the "Pivot Table Data Crunching" book. Mucho better than the "orange" book, for me. In it the reader is exposed to Macro's, VBA, and a little more.

After reading the book, I consider myself a lite user of Excel and now know that it has lots to offer. With the office using MS office, I am insterested in strengthening my skills in Excel and Access. I see where VB is a part of both. In what direction would you point someone to learn how to effectively use these programs without undergoing a college IT program? Is it better to learn Access first? Visual Basic by itself, then Excel? Or just jump in the deep end and go for it? I just want to logicaly learn how the programs work, their common foundations and linkages so I can make better use of them.

I am looking for honest replies, not necessarily pushed products. People who have learned the hard way not to do something or do it this way and are willing to share their hard earned experience with a willing student.

Thanks

 

[phxsportz]

Personally,
I started using these products about 2 weeks ago. I just jumped into Excel & VBA directly. I have found these boards to be invaluable with many expert users willing to share their wisdom and experience.

I did go plunk down the $ 18.95 on "The Absolute Beginners Gude to VBA" from Barnes & Noble and have found it a very easy to read & follow referrence book

It's by Que Publishing ISBN 0-7897-3976-6

Good Luck

 

[Smitty]

Welcome to the Board!

Access and Excel are great programs, both extend past anything you'll learn in a book or a class. As for the VBA portion, it really depends on what you want to do; some of the best minds here (and in the world) eschew VBA unless completely necessary, while some rely on it. It's up to you, but I'd say that you shouldn't do in VBA what you can do natively in either program.

There are some great free tutorials out there (hint: Google), and this board and its members are also a tremendous resource. So is the MSKB.

Microsoft's Template Gallery is a good place to get ideas for both Access and Excel, and Access' database templates are a cool learning tool.

The best resource for VBA is probably the macro recorder, just note that it records a lot of unnecessary junk, which you'll quickly learn to sort through. It's a bit less friendly in Access than Excel, but that's just my opinion.

I use all three daily and I still learn stuff everyday.

Hope that helps,

Smitty

 

[SanDiego]

Thank you both for the replies. I had a few tech folks mention starting with VBA. That probably confirms their programming background. The comments about the expert advice on the forums speaks volumes, especially when I saw the number of pages.

I believe the toughest part of commencing the journey of learning is to have a destination in mind and then choosing the type of method to get you there. If work/destination calls for Access, Excel or VB, then I have to choose the plane, train, or automobile to get there. Every now and then it does help to ask for directions, especially in new surroundings. So, like the first reply, I'll jump in with both feet and do what it takes to keep the head above water.

Appreciate the advice.