I recommend starting with a few simple actions such as adjusting the font style or changing the color of the cell so you can get the feel for how it works. The macro recording has begun, and now it’s time to perform the actions you want to record. Type a brief description about what your macro will do in the Description box.If you want it to be available whenever you use Excel, select Personal Macro Workbook from the drop-down menu. Usually, you’ll want to store your macro in This Workbook, which is what we’ve selected in our example. In our illustration, we’ve designated Ctrl+Shift+R as our shortcut key. By using Shift, you can expand your options (i.e., you could use Ctrl+Shift+Z instead). Be sure to choose a letter not already being used as a shortcut key as it will replace the original (i.e., don’t use Ctrl+Z unless you want to lose your shortcut for Undo). In the graphic on this page, we’ve named our macro “Format_Report.” Spaces are not allowed, but you can use an underscore instead. Navigate to the Developer tab and select the Record Macro button in the Code group OR click the button in the bottom left corner of your screen that looks like a spreadsheet with a red dot in the top left corner.Once you’ve added the Developer tab, follow these steps to create an Excel macro: Check out our blog on How to Add and Remove Tabs from the Office 2013 Ribbon to learn how.

To get started with creating macros, you’ll first want to add the Developer tab to your ribbon.

Excel’s Record Macro dialog box with sample selections.

What is a macro in excel 2013