WHY IS THERE NO VERSION 13?

You probably noticed that the version numbers went from 12 in 2007 to 14 in
2010, making the number 13 conspicuously absent as a version number. This was
not an accident; Microsoft purposely skipped the number 13. You’ll often notice in
elevators of high-rise offi ce buildings and hotels that the fl oor buttons go from 12
to 14, without a fl oor number 13. Microsoft recognizes that its Offi ce applications
are used globally, and in some cultures, 13 is thought to be an unlucky number.
It made good business sense to avoid issues of possible reluctance from consumers
upgrading to “Offi ce 13,” or blame for inevitable version bugs by people who
believe that 13 is an unlucky number.
To save yourself time and extra mouse clicks, start by making sure that the VBA-related icons you’ll
be using most frequently are already displayed whenever you open Excel. The following steps are
shown for each of today’s four most popular versions.
Version 2003 continues to be used by a measurable percentage of individuals and employers
worldwide. For versions of Excel up to and including 2003, from your worksheet menu, click
View ➪ Toolbars ➪ Visual Basic, as shown in Figure 2-1. This displays the Visual Basic toolbar, as
shown in Figure 2-2, which you can dock just as you do with your other toolbars.
FIGURE 2-1
FIGURE 2-2

Composing Your First Macro ❘ 13

For versions of Excel after 2003 (that is, starting with Excel 2007), the Ribbon user interface has
replaced the menu interface, resulting in a different look to the VBA-related icons and a different set
of steps required to see them.
In versions 2007, 2010, and 2013, these VBA icons are located on the Developer tab. By default,
the Developer tab is not automatically displayed along with the other Ribbon tabs. You need to
complete a set of one-time steps to show the Developer tab and to keep it visible whenever you open
Excel. Although the steps to do this are easy, they are different for each version.
In Excel 2007, do the following:
1. Click the round Offi ce button near the top-left corner of your screen.
2. Click the Excel Options button located at the bottom of that menu, as shown
in Figure 2-3.
FIGURE 2-3
3. In the Excel Options dialog box, click the Popular item at the upper left, and select the
Show Developer tab in the Ribbon option, as shown in Figure 2-4.