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: Telling which Worksheets are Selected.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated January 20, 2024)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
When writing a macro that does some type of processing on different worksheets, you may need to figure out which worksheets were selected by a user before the macro was run. The way you do this is to use the SelectedSheets property. (Well, it is technically a property, but it acts in many ways like a collection.) The following simple macro displays the names of each worksheet that is currently selected:
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:
Sub ShowSheets()
Dim aSheet As Variant
For Each aSheet In ActiveWindow.SelectedSheets
MsgBox aSheet.Name
Next aSheet
End Sub
Once you understand how to get the worksheet names, they can be put into an array or used in any other way deemed necessary.
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2783) 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: Telling which Worksheets are Selected.
Solve Real Business Problems Master business modeling and analysis techniques with Excel and transform data into bottom-line results. This hands-on, scenario-focused guide shows you how to use the latest Excel tools to integrate data from multiple tables. Check out Microsoft Excel Data Analysis and Business Modeling today!
One way you can use macros in a workbook is to have them automatically triggered when certain events take place. Here's ...
Discover MoreIf you use For ... Next loops in your macros, make sure you give a way to jump out of the loop early. That way you can ...
Discover MoreWhen writing macros, you may want to position a message box at a specific location on the screen. This can't be done in ...
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.
Comments