Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Getting User Input in a Dialog Box.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated June 28, 2025)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
If you need to get input from a user under control of a macro, one method you can use is to employ the InputBox function. This function displays a dialog box and allows the user to type a response. The result is a string, returned to your macro, which you can then process and use.
The syntax for the InputBox function is as follows:
sResponse = InputBox(sPrompt, sTitle, sDefault)
There are three parameters you can use with InputBox (each of them strings), although only the first one is absolutely required. In this syntax, sPrompt is the text you want displayed as the user prompt, sTitle is the text to display in the title bar of the dialog box, and sDefault is the default text string offered to the user in the dialog box. The user can edit or accept the default string, as desired.
As an example, the following code lines can be used to display a dialog box and ask the user for his or her name:
Dim sUserName as String Dim sPrompt as String Dim sTitle as String Dim sDefault as String sPrompt = "Please check your name and make any corrections" sTitle = "Name Entry" sDefault = "John Doe" sUserName = InputBox(sPrompt, sTitle, sDefault)
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2266) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Getting User Input in a Dialog Box.
Best-Selling VBA Tutorial for Beginners Take your Excel knowledge to the next level. With a little background in VBA programming, you can go well beyond basic spreadsheets and functions. Use macros to reduce errors, save time, and integrate with other Microsoft applications. Fully updated for the latest version of Office 365. Check out Microsoft 365 Excel VBA Programming For Dummies today!
Figuring out where Windows places certain items (such as the user's desktop) can be a bit frustrating. Fortunately, there ...
Discover MoreGot too much information in a single cell? Here's how you can use a macro to pull apart that information and put it into ...
Discover MoreMacros give you a great deal of control over creating, finding, renaming, and deleting files. This tip focuses on this ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2026 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here:
Comments