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Use VBA add-ins and macros that you developed for Office for Windows with Office for Mac.
Applies to: Excel for Mac | PowerPoint for Mac | Word for Mac | Office 2016 for Mac
If you are authoring Macros for Office for Mac, you can use most of the same objects that are available in VBA for Office. For information about VBA for Excel, PowerPoint, and Word, see the following:
I understand that 1. There is no such thing as an official Excel manual; 2. On-line Micrsoft help is sketchy; and, 3. There are books and web sites that offer help. I'm consderably past the basics of Excel 2011 for Mac. The most detailed account I have read is 'Learn Excel 2011 for Macintosh' by Guy Hart-Davis. Office 2011 for Mac is easy to use, but to unleash its full power, you need to go beyond the basics. This entertaining guide not only gets you started with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and the new Outlook for Mac, it also reveals useful lots of things you didn't know the software could do. Microsoft Excel for Mac 2011 represents the largest step forward for serious Mac spreadsheet jockeys in many years, more so than either Excel 2004 ( ) or Excel 2008 ( ). There are literally. This page will guide you through installing an Excel add-in file for Excel 2011 for Mac. Installation instructions for the Windows versions of Excel can be found here. What Is An Excel Add-in? An add-in file is an Excel file that contains macros (code) and has the extension “.xla” or “.xlam”. When opened, the worksheets in the file are. Excel 2011 for Mac is a step-by-step instructions created by Pamphlet Master as a complete guide on how to use Mac Excel 2011. This pamphlet will serve as your reference guide or training handout for all Mac Excel 2011 users.
Note
Outlook for Mac and OneNote for Mac do not support VBA.
Office 2016 for Mac is sandboxed
Unlike other versions of Office apps that support VBA, Office 2016 for Mac apps are sandboxed.
Sandboxing restricts the apps from accessing resources outside the app container. This affects any add-ins or macros that involve file access or communication across processes. You can minimize the effects of sandboxing by using the new commands described in the following section.
Creating an installer or putting user content
For instructions on creating an installer for your add-in, please refer to the article here: Installing User Content in Office 2016 for Mac
New VBA commands for Office 2016 for Mac
The following VBA commands are new and unique to Office 2016 for Mac.
| Command | Use to |
|---|---|
| GrantAccessToMultipleFiles | Request a user's permission to access multiple files at once. |
| AppleScriptTask | Call external AppleScript scripts from VB. |
| MAC_OFFICE_VERSION | IFDEF between different Mac Office versions at compile time. |
Ribbon customization in Office for Mac
Office 2016 for Mac supports ribbon customization using Ribbon XML. Note that there are some differences in ribbon support in Office 2016 for Mac and Office for Windows.
| Ribbon customization feature | Office for Windows | Office for Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Ability to customize the ribbon using Ribbon XML | Available | Available |
| Support for document based add-ins | Available | Available |
| Ability to invoke Macros using custom ribbon controls | Available | Available |
| Customization of custom menus | Available | Available |
| Ability to include and invoke Office Fluent Controls within a custom ribbon tab | Available | Most familiar Office Fluent Control Identifiers are compatible with Office for Mac. Some might not be available. For commands that are compatible with Office 2016 for Mac, see idMSOs compatible with Office 2016 for Mac. |
| Support for COM add-ins that use custom ribbon controls | Available | Office 2016 for Mac doesn't support third-party COM add-ins. |
idMSOs compatible with Office 2016 for Mac
For information about the idMSOs that are compatible with Office 2016 for Mac, see the following:
See also
Support and feedback
Have questions or feedback about Office VBA or this documentation? Please see Office VBA support and feedback for guidance about the ways you can receive support and provide feedback.
Mac Users Using Excel 2016 or Excel Online
Get the new Solver App for Excel 2016 and Excel Online this free Solver app works equally well in desktop Excel 2016 and Excel Online – and handles the smallest to the largest, most challenging optimization models. Users can obtain Solver immediately from Microsoft AppSource. Over 100,000 existing “cloud Solver” users will receive the new version automatically. When your model gets to big for the free add-in contact us about upgrading.
If you're still using Excel 2008 for Mac, you can download Solver for Excel 2008 here -- but we highly recommend an upgrade to Excel 2011, for many reasons including a better Solver!
Using the Excel 2011 Solver for Mac
Starting with Excel 2011 Service Pack 1 (Version 14.1.0), Solver is once again bundled with Microsoft Excel for Mac. You do not have to download and install Solver from this page -- simply ensure that you have the latest update of Excel 2011 (use Help - Check for Updates on the Excel menu).
To enable Solver, click ‘Tools’ then ‘Addins’. Within the Addin box, check ‘Solver.xlam’ then hit ‘OK’.
To use Solver, start Excel 2011 and create or open your workbook. When you're ready to use Solver, click the Solver button on the Data tab (the bundled version of Solver doesn't use the menu Tools Solver.) . The Solver Parameters dialog should appear, in the language of your Microsoft Excel 2011 installation. Click here for Solver Help, applicable to both Excel 2010 for Windows and Excel 2011 for Mac.
Use the Solver Parameters dialog to select your objective, decision variables, and Constraints. Then click the Solve button. Solver will seek the optimal solution to the problem. When it's finished, the Solver Results dialog will appear, and the final values of the decision variables will appear in your workbook in Excel. To pause or stop Solver while it's solving, press the ESC key, and click Stop (or Continue) when the Trial Solution dialog appears.
Caution:Don't make changes yourself in Excel or your workbook while Solver is solving. Changes in Excel while Solver is solving, will have unpredictable results, including crashes in Solver or Excel. See the FAQ about Solver as a Separate Application.)
If You Updated to Excel 2011 SP1 and Installed Solver from Solver.com
Manual Excel Mac 2011 Product
If you've previously updated to Excel 2011 Service Pack 1 and after doing this, you've also downloaded and installed the Solver package formerly available on this page, you'll be fine, but you can encounter a problem (involving which version of Solver gets loaded and used) which we can easily help you solve. Just email us at at support@solver.com.
Read the FAQ to learn how Solver for Excel 2011 was developed, special considerations in using this Solver versus the one in Excel 2008, and what to expect in the future.
The History of the Excel 2011 Solver for Mac
Before Microsoft began bundling the Solver with Excel for Mac, Frontline Systems worked with Microsoft's Mac Business Unit to bring you a faster, easier to use, and more powerful Solver. The version that we provided was free and 100% compatible -- your existing Solver models would work without any changes, whether they're from Excel 2004 or 2008 for Mac, or Excel 2003, 2007 or 2010 for Windows.
Matches New Solver for Excel 2010 for Windows
Solver for Excel 2011 for Mac has the same new features and user interface as Solver for Excel 2010 for Windows -- which is greatly enhanced over Solver for Excel 2007.
Manual Excel Mac 2011 2013
Includes New Evolutionary Solving Method
Based on genetic algorithms, this method complements Solver's linear programming and nonlinear optimization methods. Use it to find solutions for models with IF and LOOKUP functions.
Global Optimization for Nonlinear Models
Automatically run the GRG Nonlinear Solver from multiple, intelligently chosen starting points, to find better solutions when the old Solver would be 'trapped' in a local optimum.
New user interface matches Excel 2010
You may also be interested in:
- Try our Solver Tutorial to learn more about building Solver models and getting solutions.
- Premium Solver Platform for Mac offers far more power, speed and flexibility than the Standard Excel Solver while allowing all your existing models, even your VBA code, to be used as-is.
- If you are a developer of optimization or simulation applications, check our Solver SDK Platform. It's available for Windows and Linux -- but contact us for news about availability of the SDK for Mac OSX.