RecalculateRange command: automatically recalculate a selected Excel range
XLTools Automation tool allows you to automate tasks in Excel by creating automation commands in a table, without having to create VBA macros.
This tutorial will take you through the setup of the RecalculateRange automation command. Use it when you need to regularly recalculate specific ranges as a part of your routine process.
Before you begin, add the Automation tool to Excel
Automation is one of the 20+ features within XLTools Add-in for Excel. Works in Excel 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, desktop Office 365.
Step-by-step example: how to use the RecalculateRange command
Say, you are doing a lot of calculations in multiple interconnected spreadsheets. Recalculating all spreadsheets takes a long time and slows you down, so you’ve switched to manual mode. But at some point you want to refresh some specific range.
You can do this with the RecalculateRange automation command. Follow the steps below to execute the command yourself.
Feel free to download the sample file used in this tutorial.
1. Insert the RecalculateRange command
Let’s take a look at the sample Excel spreadsheet with invoices. Columns "Outstanding" and "Payment Status" are based on formulas.
Switch to manual calculations mode:
Formulas tab in the Calculation group, find Calculation Options Open the drop down and select Manual.
Say, you have received payments from some customers and updated the payment information.
- See the green cells – the payment information that was updated.
- Note the yellow cells – the values displayed are incorrect now, because the spreadsheet is in manual calculations mode, so the formulas in yellow cells didn’t refresh.
Add a new worksheet Name it, for example, “AUTO”. This worksheet will hold automation commands.
Tip: it’s best to keep automation commands on a separate worksheet, not to interfere with data.Select a starting cell where to place the command, e.g. A1.
Open XLTools tab In the Automation group, open the drop-down list Select RecalculateRange.
See the table with the automation command is now added on the worksheet.
in the Calculation group, find 2. Specify parameters and define how to recalculate range
Once you’ve inserted the RecalculateRange command, specify its parameters. This automation table specifies which range to refresh.
| XLTools.RecalculateRange | |
|---|---|
| Range: | Invoices!D:E |
What the line in this command reads:
- Range: take the range D:E on the sheet Invoices and recalculate this specific range.
See other available options to use in parameters.
3. Execute the command and review the updated range
- Select the table of the automation command > In the Automation group, click Execute Commands.
- Review the updated range. The values in yellow cells are now correct, the formulas were recalculated.
Done! Now you can assign a custom button to this command.
If you need to run the command over and over again, add a custom button on the ribbon. So that next time you can execute the command in a click.
- In the Automation group, click Add Custom Buttons.
- Name the button, e.g. "Split by paid/due" Specify the range of the RecalculateRange command Click Save.
- Done! The custom button will appear on XLTools tab. Now every time you click this button, you will execute the command.
Parameters and available options
When you create automation commands in Excel, this file with commands must be located in the same destination as the source data:
- Add automation commands in the same workbook as your source data. We recommend that you place the commands on a separate worksheet not to interfere with your data.
- Or, add automation commands in a separate workbook. Save this automation file in the same folder as the source data.
Below are all parameters and available attributes for the RecalculateRange command.
Range:
This parameter specifies which data range should be processed.
- Required parameter, cannot be blank
- If you refer to a workbook, it can be open or closed
- The source workbook must be located in the same destination as the automation file
| Options | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Sheet1!A1:B2 | Range A1:B2 on Sheet1 in the active workbook |
| Sheet1!A:C | Entire A, B, C columns on Sheet1 in the active workbook |
| Sheet1!1:3 | Entire 1, 2, 3 rows on Sheet1 in the active workbook |
| A1:B2 | Range A1:B2 on the current worksheet |
| Sheet1! | Entire Sheet1 in the active workbook |
| Sheet1!Table1 | Table1 on Sheet1 in the active workbook, without table headers |
| Sheet1!Table1[Column1] | Column1 in Table1 on Sheet1 in the active workbook, without table headers |
| Sheet1!Table1[[Column1]:[Column3] | Columns 1, 2, 3 in Table1 on Sheet1 in the active workbook, without table headers |
| Sheet1!Table1[#All] | Table1 on Sheet1 in the active workbook, with table headers |
| Sheet1!Table1[[#All],[Column1]] | Column1 in Table1 on Sheet1 in the active workbook, with table headers |
| Sheet1!Table1[[#All],[Column1]:[Column3]] | Columns 1, 2, 3 in Table1 on Sheet1 in the active workbook, with table headers |
| [Book.xlsx]Sheet1!A1:B2 '[Book One.xlsx]Sheet1'!A1:B2 | Range A1:B2 on Sheet1 in the workbook Book. Book.xlsx must be located in the same destination as the automation file. |
| 'C:\Documents\[Book.xlsx]Sheet1'!A1:B2 | Range A1:B2 on Sheet1 in the workbook Book. Book.xlsx must be located in the specified file path location. |
Use standard rules of range referencing in Excel, for example:
E.g. if names of worksheets or workbooks contain spaces, enclose the name in single quotes, e.g.'Orders April'!A1:H10, or '[All Orders]Orders April'!A1:H10.
