If you’re new in the programming world, it might not be easy to decide where to start since there are multiple good options. It could help determine what your goals are and what kind of work you’d like to do. One popular option that you have is VBA, is it really worth learning VBA in 2021?

VBA is worth learning if you plan to work mostly with MS-office programs and want to automate the Excel process and exchange data to and from Office applications. If you want to focus on a broader work environment, other languages such as Python could be more useful. 

Below is the scorecard, based on surveying over one thousand analytics professionals, for VBA in the field of data analytics: 

Overall Rating	90/100
Ease Of Use	95/100
Ease Of Installation	95/100
Affordability	90/100
Usefulness	70/100

Further in this article, we will discuss some important considerations to make before investing a ton of time in learning VBA, and various advantages and disadvantages of learning this language. Therefore, if learning VBA is something your have been thinking about, read on and I am confident that you will find this article helpful.

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Pros of Learning VBA

Listed below are the primary advantages of learning VBA:

• All MS-office programs widely accept VBA, and Microsoft programs are still used a lot.  
• Irrespective of whether you would like to work as a freelancer or as an employee at a company; there are plenty of projects that you will find where VBA would prove to be the ideal language of choice. 
• After learning it, you will have acquired specialist expertise.
• Many corporate computers already have Microsoft programs built into them. Therefore, from the company standpoint, there is not much of an additional investment required to use VBA for automating different analytics projects and reports. 
• If you work with Excel a lot or are planning to, VBA can be super helpful. It makes the entire process of working with Excel a lot faster. 
• No additional software is needed to install before using, unlike many other programming languages. 

Cons of Learning VBA

Listed below are primary disadvantages of learning VBA:

• VBA is generally not recognized as a programming language by the professional programmer community. 
• VBA restricts itself to Microsoft programs; if you want to focus on broader programming, VBA might not be the perfect match for you.
• If you really want to be a program software developer, just learning VBA won’t get you there, although it could be a good stepping stone. 
• VBA hasn’t been updated since 2008, apart from some small technical adjustments. Excel, however, does get updated a lot, so you do have the risk of writing a VBA code that stops working at some point. 

5 Things To Consider Before Learning VBA 

When determining whether learning VBA is the right move for you or not, there are several factors that you should consider. These are –  

You Should Have Realistic Expectations Regarding What You Can Do Using VBA

Going in with realistic expectations of what you will and will not be able to use VBA for will be the best way to go. This article goes into this very specifically, so you will be able to make an accurate decision based on the provided information.  

You Should Consider Your Future Goals Before Learning VBA

If you’re planning to use VBA for Microsoft programming purposes only, it could be a good choice for you. It automates a lot of the process, and it can exchange data to and from Office applications. Considering the fact that Microsoft does most of the work, some argue that learning VBA doesn’t make you a software developer. There is a good chance that you won’t receive the recognition that you’re looking for from other software developers in the field. 

You Should Be Aware That VBA’s Application Is Limited To Microsoft Applications

If you desire to become a software developer that wants to focus on more than just Microsoft, VBA might be too limiting. Learning VBA will only prepare you for this section of programming and not much more. Keep in mind that learning VBA doesn’t have to be the ending point in your learning path; it could be a way of starting your journey. 

You Should Be Clear On Your Professional Goals Before Learning VBA

If you’re working as an employee at a company and you’re looking to make yourself more indispensable, learning VBA could be worth it. Using VBA when you and your colleagues work with Excel can be beneficial since it makes working with Excel so much faster and easier.

Understand That VBA Might Be A Good First Language, Irrespective of Your Future Goals

Even if you’re expecting to work with other programs besides Microsoft or if you’re planning to become a software developer that wants to focus on broader work opportunities, VBA might still be a good starting point. It could give you decent basic knowledge necessary for future work. 

Why Leading VBA Is Worth It?

Listed below are the primary reasons that make learning VBA worth it:

VBA Knowledge Will Improve Your Job Prospects

After acquiring all you need to know about VBA, you will have specialist knowledge of a topic that many corporations could use. Since their computers most likely already have Microsoft programs on them and they haven’t learned to use VBA, corporations are likely to hire someone like yourself. 

VBA Is A Beginner Friendly Language  

If you don’t have any experience as a programmer, VBA might be a good place to start since it’s a relatively easy language to learn. There is a lot of help within the VBA community, and it isn’t too complex. Additionally, you don’t need to install any extra programs to learn VBA or afterward before being able to actually use it. 

VBA Can Sizably Improve Your Productivity

If you’re working with Excel a lot, VBA can improve your productivity dramatically. VBA can save you hours of time, otherwise spent doing tedious tasks. 

The Downsides of VBA 

Listed below are the primary downsides of VBA when compared to the other popular programming languages:

VBA’s Application Is Limited To Microsoft Programs

One can argue that learning VBA is limiting (to Microsoft programs), and other languages are more useful to learn. If you are not sure what you want to apply your new skills to yet, keeping your options open might be more beneficial. In that case, choosing VBA wouldn’t be advised. 

VBA Alternatives Are Considerably More Versatile

If by now, you have determined that VBA isn’t the best fit for you, there might be some other options that are a better match. One of these options could be Python, a more broad programming language. Unlike VBA, it wasn’t created for one specific purpose or task. VBA can still be useful to learn, but it hasn’t been updated since 2008 (apart from some small technical necessities). 

VBA Has Not Been Updated Since 2008, But Excel Is Frequently Updated  

Unlike VBA, Excel is updated constantly. This means that the VBA code you have written suddenly doesn’t work anymore. Also, be aware that the Excel version you’re using isn’t one that’s too old; otherwise, the same problem could occur. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is VBA still relevant in 2021?

Excel is a program that is still worked with a lot by many companies/people, so it is still relevant to learn VBA in 2021. Additionally, Excel is a program that has been worked with for a long time, which can be considered evidence that it will not just disappear, as some worry about when debating whether or not to learn VBA. 

Q: Is VBA useful to learn when I want to learn skills for more than Microsoft/Excel purposes?

It is still useful to learn VBA because it is a great starting point for people who aren’t familiar with the programming world yet. You will be able to use what VBA teaches you when you’re expanding your skillset further; it’s a great way to start learning more about programming.  

Q: I want to be self-employed or work on a freelance basis. Is VBA a skill that could be useful for me? 

Yes, being self-employed might be an option when you have VBA on your resume. However, if you want to build an impressive resume (both for freelance work or if you’re looking for a steady job), learning other programming languages might be necessary in order to be a better fit for various jobs. This all depends on the type of jobs you will be looking for in the future. 

Conclusion

VBA can be a great tool when applied to MS programs such as Excel; if that’s a program that you work with a lot or are planning to work with, it is definitely recommended that you learn VBA. Even if you’re thinking about more than just MS programs, it could be a great way to get acquainted within the software development industry. 

BEFORE YOU GO: Don’t forget to check out my latest article – 6 Proven Steps To Becoming a Data Scientist [Complete Guide]. We interviewed numerous data science professionals (data scientists, hiring managers, recruiters – you name it) and created this comprehensive guide to help you land that perfect data science job.

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