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: Mouse Click Event in VBA.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated June 10, 2023)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
Supriyo asked if there is a mouse event handler in VBA. He wants a value inserted in a cell when that cell is clicked on.
The standard way to do this is with the SelectionChange event. Every time the selection changes in the worksheet, the event is triggered. The event doesn't just trigger when a cell is clicked on, but also if someone presses a cursor control key that results in a different cell being selected.
As an example, let's say that you wanted cell B5 to contain the value 10 whenever that cell is selected. To implement that, you could use the following:
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:
Private Sub Worksheet_SelectionChange(ByVal Target As Range)
If Not Intersect(Target, Range("B5")) Is Nothing Then _
Range("B5").Value = 10
End Sub
This code is added to one of the sheet objects in the Project Explorer area of the VB Editor. Double-click the worksheet you want the event handler to apply to, and then add the macro to the resulting code window.
When the SelectionChange event is triggered, the target (the cell range being selected) is passed to the handler. The macro then checks to see if the target range contains cell B5, and if it does, stuffs the value 10 into cell B5. If you want to make sure that the macro only stuffs information into B5 if only B5 (the single cell) is selected, you can use this version of the macro:
Private Sub Worksheet_SelectionChange(ByVal Target As Range)
If Target.Address = Range("B5").Address Then _
Range("B5").Value = 10
End Sub
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (3070) 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: Mouse Click Event in VBA.
Dive Deep into Macros! Make Excel do things you thought were impossible, discover techniques you won't find anywhere else, and create powerful automated reports. Bill Jelen and Tracy Syrstad help you instantly visualize information to make it actionable. You’ll find step-by-step instructions, real-world case studies, and 50 workbooks packed with examples and solutions. Check out Microsoft Excel 2019 VBA and Macros today!
Need to run a DOS command from within one of your macros? The answer is the Shell command, described in this tip.
Discover MoreDoes your macro need to make sure that the workbook being processed is saved to disk? You can add the saving capability ...
Discover MoreAdd a graphic to a worksheet as part of an Image object, and you can use some very handy event handlers to figure out the ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2024-06-23 06:51:42
Mike Berry
Good tip thanks Allen.
I note that this Event only fires when a Different Range is Selected.
Do you know of any way to fire an Event even if the Same Cell is Clicked On Twice in a Row ie WITHOUT the Selection actually changing?
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 © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments