# Excel: How do I run a VBA script when a cell is updated? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 16, 2009, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-how-do-i-run-a-vba-script-when-a-cell-is-updated/486124 "2009-02-16T17:57:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2009, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-how-do-i-run-a-vba-script-when-a-cell-is-updated/486124/1 "2009-02-16T17:57:31Z")
I am trying to get a date to autofill when a cell is updated. So lets say I enter “6100” in cell D3 I want cell E3 to autofill the date (and then stay that way and not recalc till another amount is input in D3). I see people all over wanting this and it seems unusually difficult. Anyway, I found the follow VB script: \*Private Sub Worksheet\_Change(ByVal Target As Range) If Target.Column = 1 Then Intcolumn = Target.Column introw = Target.Row Cells(introw, Intcolumn + 1) = Now() End If End Sub\* I assume that will work but for the life of me cannot sort how to get it to run. My Google-fu fails since it seems everyone who knows this stuff just assumes something as basic as making it work is something we all know. Help! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Anaglyph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Anaglyph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaglyph)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2009, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-how-do-i-run-a-vba-script-when-a-cell-is-updated/486124/2 "2009-02-16T18:25:23Z")
I can’t give you the answer off hand, but i would post the question [here](http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.excel/topics?hl=en&lnk) ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2009, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-how-do-i-run-a-vba-script-when-a-cell-is-updated/486124/3 "2009-02-16T18:41:10Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I am trying to get a date to autofill when a cell is updated. > > So lets say I enter “6100” in cell D3 I want cell E3 to autofill the date (and then stay that way and not recalc till another amount is input in D3). > > I see people all over wanting this and it seems unusually difficult. Anyway, I found the follow VB script: > > \*Private Sub Worksheet\_Change(ByVal Target As Range) > If Target.Column = 1 Then > Intcolumn = Target.Column > introw = Target.Row > Cells(introw, Intcolumn + 1) = Now() > > End If > > End Sub\* > > I assume that will work but for the life of me cannot sort how to get it to run. > > My Google-fu fails since it seems everyone who knows this stuff just assumes something as basic as making it work is something we all know. > > Help! 😃 Well, one of the problems appears to be that the script you have only works in column A, and if you want it to work in column D you have to change the ```auto If Target.Column = 1 Then ``` to ```auto If Target.Column = 4 Then ``` If you’re looking for the place to insert this code, I can help you out, if you let me know which version of Excel you’re using. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2009, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-how-do-i-run-a-vba-script-when-a-cell-is-updated/486124/4 "2009-02-16T18:57:43Z")
> [@Dervorin](#): > > Well, one of the problems appears to be that the script you have only works in column A, and if you want it to work in column D you have to change the > > ```auto > > If Target.Column = 1 Then > > ``` > > to > > ```auto > > If Target.Column = 4 Then > > ``` > > If you’re looking for the place to insert this code, I can help you out, if you let me know which version of Excel you’re using. Thanks. It is Excel 2007. Think I got it to work with an Iterative function. _=IF(A1=“”,“”,IF(B1=“”,NOW(),B1))_ Had to change a setting that allowed it to do a circular lookup but seems to be working. I’d still like to know how to get that VB stuff working though. Thanks again. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2009, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-how-do-i-run-a-vba-script-when-a-cell-is-updated/486124/5 "2009-02-16T19:15:43Z")
Excel 2007, right. _cracks knuckles_ First make sure you’ve got the Developer tab displayed: [Microsoft Support](http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/HA101730521033.aspx) Then change to the Developer tab and click on the Visual Basic button Right-click Sheet1 (or whatever sheet you’re working with) and click on View Code Paste the entire macro in (including the Private Sub and End Sub lines) into the right-hand pane. Click Save in the Visual Basic Editor and then close it. Go back to your worksheet and check. With your original macro, any changes in column A should give you an instant update in column B. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2009, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-how-do-i-run-a-vba-script-when-a-cell-is-updated/486124/6 "2009-02-16T20:07:53Z")
> [@Dervorin](#): > > Excel 2007, right. _cracks knuckles_ > > First make sure you’ve got the Developer tab displayed: [Your request has been blocked. This could be due to several reasons.](http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/HA101730521033.aspx) > Then change to the Developer tab and click on the Visual Basic button > Right-click Sheet1 (or whatever sheet you’re working with) and click on View Code > Paste the entire macro in (including the Private Sub and End Sub lines) into the right-hand pane. > Click Save in the Visual Basic Editor and then close it. > Go back to your worksheet and check. With your original macro, any changes in column A should give you an instant update in column B. Thx! I’ll give it a go.