Run a Macro from a Drop Down list [VBA]

Author: Oscar Cronquist Article last updated on November 13, 2019

This article demonstrates how to execute a VBA macro using a Drop Down
list. The Drop Down list contains two macro names Macro1 and Macro 2,
however, you can easily add more if you like.
The animated picture below shows a Drop Down list containing two text
strings, Macro1 and Macro2. When I select Macro1 in cell B2 a worksheet
event code reads the selected value and runs a macro.
The example macros display a message box with the message Macro1 or
Macro2 based on the selected value.
Watch this video where I explain how to run a macro
from a drop down list
Below are detailed instructions on how I did it.

Create a Drop Down list

 A Drop Down list is a Data Validation tool that lets you control what the
user can enter in a cell, however, remember that the Drop Down list is not
that great in restricting what the user can enter.
For example, you can easily copy a cell and paste it to the cell containing
the Drop Down list and Excel won't even warn you.
1. Select cell B2.
2. Go to tab "Data" on the ribbon.
3. Click the "Data validation" button and a dialog box appears.

4. Click on the Drop Down list below "Allow:" and select "List".
5. Type your macro names in Source: field, separated by a comma.
6. Click OK button.

Where to put the event code?

 Event code is VBA code that is triggered if a specific thing happens, for
example, if a worksheet is selected or a cell is selected, however, there are
many many more. The event code is triggered, in this example, if a cell
value is changed in worksheet Sheet1.
Remember that the worksheet_change event works only if you put it in a
worksheet module, here is how to access a worksheet module:
1. Right-click on the worksheet name located at the very bottom of your
Excel screen and a menu shows up.
2. Click "View code" on that menu, see image below, and the Visual
Basic Editor opens with the worksheet module visible for Sheet1.

3. The Visual Basic Editor opens. Copy VBA event code below.
4. Paste to worksheet module.
5. Exit VB Editor (Alt + Q).
Note, save the workbook with file extension *.xlsm (macro enabled) to
attach the code to your workbook. This will save the workbook and the
code so you can use it the next you open the workbook.

VBA Event code

'Event code, Target variable contains the cell or range that has been changed
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
 
'Interesect method returns a range object of a rectangular intersection of
two or more cell ranges
If Not Intersect(Target, Range("B2")) Is Nothing Then
 
    'Select Case statment performs one out of several groups of statements
based on a condition
    Select Case Range("B2")
 
        'If text in cell B2 is equal to Macro1 a macro named Macro1 is
executed
        Case "Macro1": Macro1
 
        'If text in cell B2 is equal to Macro2 a macro named Macro2 is
executed
        Case "Macro2": Macro2
 
    'Stops Select Case statement
    End Select
End If
End Sub
Here is the first macro named Macro1, it shows a message box with text
"Macro1".
Sub Macro1()
MsgBox "Macro1"
End Sub
The second macro named Macro2 shows a message box with text
"Macro2".
Sub Macro2()
MsgBox "Macro2"
End Sub
These macros are located in a code module that you need to insert
yourself.

Where to put macros?

1. Press keyboard shortcut keys Alt + F11 to open the Visual Basic
Editor.
2. Click "Insert" on the menu, see image above.
3. Click "Module" to insert a module to your workbook.
4. Copy and paste macros to code window.
5. Exit VB Editor and return to Excel.
Save your workbook with file extension *.xlsm.

What happens if the Drop Down list is

overwritten?
As I mentioned at the beginning of this article Drop Down lists have a major
disadvantage, it can easily be overwritten.
For example, copy another cell and paste it to the cell containing a Drop
Down list and the Drop Down list is now gone without a warning.
The event code is not even returning an error message, you can, however,
add an extra line to the event code that takes care of invalid values.
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
If Not Intersect(Target, Range("B2")) Is Nothing Then
    Select Case Range("B2")
        Case "Macro1": Macro1
        Case "Macro2": Macro2
        Case Else: MsgBox "Macro not available"
    End Select
End If
End Sub
This will not prevent the Drop Down list from being overwritten, it will only
return a message telling the Excel user that the value in cell B2 is not valid.
To prevent it from being overwritten you can use the code I found
here: Restrict paste into dropdown cells

Download Excel file

Run-a-macro-from-a-drop-down-list.xlsm

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Comments (22)

22 Responses to “Run a Macro from a Drop

Down list [VBA]”
1. Lisa R. says:

May 21, 2014 at 4:58 pm

 Thank you. This worked perfectly!
Reply

2. Sam says:

June 9, 2014 at 5:22 am

I know this is a little late, but THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!! I have been
trying to do this a few different ways via the change event and your method
has worked! Love that I can use named ranges as well!! Thanks again!
Reply

3. Isuru says:

August 18, 2014 at 8:29 pm

Excellent. Hats off to you..!!
This took care of the issue I had with Buttons being deleted when they
were hidden and saved. Thank you so much as you saved some major
time for me..
Reply

4. Carolyn Vermeulen says:

September 19, 2014 at 4:34 pm

This worked perfectly for one row in my excel, however, I need to copy this
same thing for multiple rows... how do I add to the code?
For example, I have a drop down list with 2 options, each performs a
different macro on that same row. (When I recorded the macro, I used
relative references in hopes that I could use this same macro on multiple
rows...
How do I add this to the VBA Event code?
I need the Event cell, in the example above was B2, to happen in multiple
cells in the same column, but only perform that macro on the row that the
drop down was changed... is that clear?
Thanks for any help I can get!!
 Reply

o Paul van Amelsvoort says:

October 9, 2014 at 8:23 am

Carolyn,
Have you solved your problem yet? Because im running into the same
problem!

o Oscar says:

October 10, 2014 at 9:05 am

Carolyn Vermeulen and Paul van Amelsvoort,
Try this workbook:
Run-a-macro-from-a-drop-down-listv2.xlsm
I need the Event cell, in the example above was B2, to happen in
multiple cells in the same column, but only perform that macro on
the row that the drop down was changed... is that clear?
Use Target address to perform the macro on the selected cell.

5. Mohamed Zaher says:

April 12, 2016 at 7:08 am

I want to create a macro to provide full details from other sheet based on
selected name from a drill down cell
I.e. if I have 10 staff visiting around 100 companies per day and I want to
select one staff then the full details of his visit came including date of visit,
name of the company etc.
Thanks in advance
Reply

6. Rose says:
 April 13, 2016 at 9:10 pm
The macro's worked great from the drop down list. I wanted to hide certain
rows for ease of use on a form. I tried adding a second drop down and vba
change coding, but without success. I am new to vba, so perhaps did it
incorrectly. So,instead of the second drop down list, I added a filter to the
form, but when the filter is used, the lines hidden by the original macro
unhide.
Is there a way to either run two different macro combinations from two
different drop lists, or alternately use the filter feature in conjunction with
one macro/drop down?
Thanks.
Reply

7. James says:

October 19, 2016 at 2:15 pm

This was really simple and worked perfectly. I used "Yes" and "No" on the
dropdown to run different macros. Many thanks.
Reply

8. Bruno says:

November 4, 2016 at 4:56 pm

Oscar, this works pretty well. I have added a "Select one option" that
appears on top of the other ones; however, if you select an option and run
the corresponding macro, the list shows the last option you selected, not
the first one. What should I do to always show the first option (in my case
"Select an option") even after selecting an option?
Reply

o Oscar says:

November 10, 2016 at 10:12 am

 Bruno
This event code shows always the first option.
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
If Not Intersect(Target, Range("B2")) Is Nothing And Target.Value <> "Please
select an option" Then
    Select Case Range("B2")
        Case "Macro1": Macro1
        Case "Macro2": Macro2
    End Select
    Range("B2") = "Please select an option"
End If
End Sub

9. Bruno says:

November 15, 2016 at 3:36 pm

Thanks Oscar! It works perfectly.
Reply

10. Lee Wood says:

February 2, 2017 at 10:52 am

Hi,
I am trying to use this code for various dropdown boxes on the same
worksheet.
Background:
I am working KPI's for several departments that I would firstly like to filter by
department name (this is what I used the above code for). Secondly, I
would like another dropdown box in a different cell that enables the user to
filter by month. However, I cannot seem to get this to work. The dropdown
opens but does not run the macros.
Any help would be appreciated.
Many thanks,
Reply

o Oscar says:
February 2, 2017 at 11:43 am
Lee Wood
Have you tried the downloaded excel file attached to this post?
It might give a clue what is wrong with you workbook.
Make sure you spell the macro name correctly in your vba code
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
If Not Intersect(Target, Range("B2")) Is Nothing Then
    Select Case Range("B2")
        Case "Macro1": Macro1
        Case "Macro2": Macro2
    End Select
End If
End Sub

Macro names used in above code:

Macro1
Macro2
I presume your macros work if you run them?
Are the macros in the same workbook?
Did you put your code in a code module?