PAD Select all cells in a worksheet and copy formatting only to another worksheet

[Azrael1018]

Thank you in advance.

This may be somewhat complex.

I do this every month to 64 worksheets.  Hence my desire to automate.

I have used PAD to download the raw csv of the reports I wish to modify.

e.g. 

I have a second spreadsheet that I copy formatting from:

I need to copy the formatting from the second spreadsheet to the first spreadsheet.

When doing manually I Ctrl-A second spreadsheet, switch to first spreadsheet Ctrl-Home and Alt-HVR.

Then I save the first spreadsheet as a .xlsx file.

I will also need to add some blank rows and columns and copy specific cells from second to first but I think I see how to do that.

Potentially complicating matters is my second spreadsheet has multiple tabs for formatting the different types of reports.

I think I know how to open both spreadsheets in PAD but I am confused how to copy the formatting from one to the other.

BTW (another problem), I tried to do it using Recorder. Nothing goes to my flow, as shown below in after "Recording"

I am sure I must be missing something, but I do not know what.

Just started with PAD this week.  Already got some relatively complex Web Automation flows done to download these files.  Now I need to process them.

Once again, thank you in advance.

David

[MichaelAnnis]

Hey David,

Excel VBA, would be a huge tool here, and much faster than anything PAD can do.  Unfortunately trying to click a cell in PAD takes a VERY long time.  It can do it, but it takes a good 10 seconds, so that's out.  Luckily, the VBA wouldn't even be that complex.

We are going to use PAD to get all the filenames, open the Macro workbook, and paste the filenames to A1.  Then, we will use one Macro to loop through all of the files: open the file, extract the type of report from B1 (assuming that is unique - I saw "Balance Sheet"), use a "Select Case" scenario from B1 to determine which tab we want, copy all cells from the tab , paste all formatting to the original file, and save the file where we want; it will do this for every single file.

Here is all you need for PAD:

1, get all the files you want to format into a single folder, such as C:\statements to format

2, Use the 'Get files' action to get all files to %Files%

3, Launch the Macro Workbook

4, Run the Macro

Done

If this is something you are interested in, I can help you build out the VBA Macro, but I want to make sure you are on board, before I spend the time on it.

Let me know,

Mike

[Azrael1018]

Hey Mike,

PAD can be quite slow to click, at least in Web apps.  I converted nearly all of my UI thingamajigs to Mouse Clicks with position.  Thus, I can see what you mean in Excel.

I have worked very sparingly with Excel VBA.  Mainly a few simple items using Record Macro.

I would happily accept your help.  Can we Direct Message on this board?  Or can you DM me to my email.

I did see your reply in my email but did not reply from Gmail as I did not know if I could do so direct to you.

Looking forward,

David

[MichaelAnnis]

Here's the Excel VBA if you want to get started before we chat.  

I have this set up so your formatting workbook would have another tab called "Files" that PAD would list the files in A1 to A [whatever] which will be defined by "LR" as Last row.  It will find that out on it's own, as long as they are all listed sequentially in column A starting at A1.

Your changes are going to be in "get the Case variable from A2 of the opened file"...I think yours is B2, so you will have to point that in the right place.

Next change, the "Select Case".  Give each Case for all possible strings found in B2, and each resulting tab name for "formattab".

That should be it.  Otherwise, it selects all on the format tab, paste formats on the current file, saves and closes the current file and loops to the next one.

Talk to you next week.  Best of luck!

Below is the macro code:

Sub FormattingWorkbooks()
'
' FormattingWorkbooks Macro
' open each file (listed in Files tab by PAD), identify type of workbook, copy formatting from proper tab, save and close workbook
'

'
Sheets("Files").Select
'get last row to limit the loop run
Dim LR As Long
Range("A1").Select
Selection.End(xlDown).Select
LR = Selection.Row

'dim all variables before loop
Dim filepathandname As String 'the file path and name for the current file in the loop index
Dim formatID As String 'the text identified in the file name used to decide which formatting tab to use
Dim formattab As String 'the formatting tab from the macro workbook to be used to format the current file
Dim AWB As Workbook 'active workbook from filename
Dim i As Integer 'the index for the loop run
i = 1 'the loop will start on A1

'loop for each filename in column A of files (A1 to A & LR)
Do
Sheets("Files").Select
filepathandname = Range("A" & i).Value
Workbooks.Open filename:=filepathandname
'get active workbook name for later window switch after copying cells from macro workbook
Set AWB = ActiveWorkbook

'get the Case variable from A2 of the opened file

formatID = Range("A2").Value
formatID = Trim(formatID) ' removes beginnning or ending spaces off the text
'select which formatting tab we are going to use based on the Case variable
Select Case formatID
Case "UNREALIZED GAINS AND LOSSES"
formattab = "UG"
Case "SECURITY CROSS REFERENCE"
formattab = "SecXRef"
Case Else
MsgBox ("Error - Format not found")
End Select

'copy formatting from format tab
Windows("Copy formatting.xlsm").Activate
Sheets(formattab).Select
Cells.Select
Selection.Copy
Windows(AWB.Name).Activate
Cells.Select
Selection.PasteSpecial Paste:=xlPasteFormats, Operation:=xlNone, _
SkipBlanks:=False, Transpose:=False
Cells.EntireColumn.AutoFit
Application.CutCopyMode = False
ActiveWorkbook.Save
ActiveWindow.Close
Windows("Copy formatting.xlsm").Activate
i = i + 1 'increase i to get the next filename until we reach LR
Loop Until i > LR
End Sub

[Benny_1857]

Hello David，

I have the same experience with you. My friend had a lot of heatting analysis data every month and each zip contains a csv file which need to adjust the column. After adjustment, it has 170 columns and 20,000+ rows.

Here is some suggestion I have. Hope will be useful for you.

Here I find several problem you need to solve before you use PAD solve your excel automation.

1. CSV transfer to XLSX
Currently, it is a very easy work to use Excel Power Query. Normally, for PAD could work more easily, you could ask excel get the csv file from folder and PQ will automatically identify the file. 
PQ is a low code tools for data cleaning in excel. From the picture I saw you even do not need to change anything from your csv file. If you need to insert columns or rows that could be adjust in PQ. Just loading after complete PQ adjustment then adjust the font and fill after the loading in excel sheet.

This is an automatic model in excel for your next 63 csv file. Everytime, you just need to load the csv file from this model and save as a new file name.

2 loading 64 file. This is why I suggest read the file from folder not file as file have different file name but we could put different csv file into same folder.

You need to have 3 folders. For instance, Folder A is csv Folder which you put 64 csv files in it. Folder C is xlsx folder which you put all completed transferred xlsx file. Folder B is a special one which is for your model to pick up csv file. So everytime, move one csv from A to B, use your PQ model file to read and load it. Then save as to C and clear the folder B at same time. After 64 times, all the csv files in A were moved to B one by one and cleared after transfered to xlsx and save as into C. Finally there only 64 xlsx in C.

(Also, you will need 2 support spreadsheet or excel to load the files name and path in folder A and changed the file name and path to folder C.

3. UI automation for Power Query automation. As in Excel, the refresh PQ is mannual, you could use UI automation to start it. Once the PQ completed according to the data size, you could use Image to recognize whether it completed or not to start next step.

4. Small tips, you could google how to remove the refresh link and set up column width

[Azrael1018]

OK.  I think I finally got the PAD working correctly to generate my .csv files.

I click OK and it continues.  Next I get below.

I understand this.  It is trying to put it in my Documents folder and I already ran it once, thus producing the file before.

However, I would like it to be put into a specific folder. ???

I click Yes.

Then it looks like it goes to the bottom of the file list and gives:

I click Debug, VBA window opens and I see:

I changed a few things in code.  Hopefully doing it correctly. You had "formatID" defined but had "formattab" in code.  I changed code to formatID.

The Balance sheet did format correctly.  However, it was the only sheet to work.

I have a "formatting Worksheet" for each of my nine properties.  I thought if I could get it to work for the first, it will work for the others.

Also, there is more things to add to macro.  I have 6 sheets per property.Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Income Statement vs Budget, Income Statement MTM , Statement of cash flows, and GLTB.

On the three Income Statement sheets, I need to insert 5 rows (7-11) and copy 5 rows (7-11) from the formatting sheets. (info on these added rows changes each month dependent on another workbook).

Complicating things further, the MTM I copy A7-A10 and then C7-M10 (drop off oldest month), then copy L7-L10 (old M7-M10) to M7 so newest month number can be put in.

To complicate even further, 4 of the properties the above works (7-11, etc), but 5 of the properties download differently. Instead of 7-11, I must insert, copy etc from 9-13.

Complex? Yes.  Incredible amount of time saving, though, once I can get it work.

Below is my VBA as it stands now:

Sub FormattingWorkbooks()
'
' FormattingWorkbooks Macro
' open each file (listed in Files tab by PAD), identify type of workbook, copy formatting from proper tab, save and close workbook
'

'
Sheets("Files").Select
'get last row to limit the loop run
Dim LR As Long
Range("A1").Select
Selection.End(xlDown).Select
LR = Selection.Row

'dim all variables before loop
Dim filepathandname As String 'the file path and name for the current file in the loop index
Dim formatID As String 'the text identified in the file name used to decide which formatting tab to use
Dim formattab As String 'the formatting tab from the macro workbook to be used to format the current file
Dim AWB As Workbook 'active workbook from filename
Dim i As Integer 'the index for the loop run
i = 1 'the loop will start on A1

'loop for each filename in column A of files (A1 to A & LR)
Do
Sheets("Files").Select
filepathandname = Range("A" & i).Value
Workbooks.Open Filename:=filepathandname
'get active workbook name for later window switch after copying cells from macro workbook
Set AWB = ActiveWorkbook

'get the Case variable from A2 of the opened file

formatID = Range("B2").Value
formatID = Trim(formatID) ' removes beginnning or ending spaces off the text
'select which formatting tab we are going to use based on the Case variable
Select Case formatID
Case "Balance Sheet"
formattab = "Balance Sheet"
Case "INCOME STATEMENT"
formattab = "Inc Stmnt"
Case "INCOME STATEMENT vs Budget"
formattab = "Inc Stmnt vs Budget"
Case "INCOME STATEMENT MTM"
formattab = "Inc Stmnt MTM"
Case "STATEMENT OF CASHFLOWS - IB"
formattab = "St Cash Flows"
Case "Account Number"
formattab = "GLTB"
Case Else
MsgBox ("Error - Format not found")
End Select

'copy formatting from format tab
Windows("Copy formatting.xlsm").Activate
Sheets(formattab).Select
Cells.Select
Selection.Copy
Windows(AWB.Name).Activate
Cells.Select
Selection.PasteSpecial Paste:=xlPasteFormats, Operation:=xlNone, _
SkipBlanks:=False, Transpose:=False
Cells.EntireColumn.AutoFit
Application.CutCopyMode = False
ActiveWorkbook.SaveAs , FileFormat:=51
ActiveWindow.Close
Windows("Copy formatting.xlsm").Activate
i = i + 1 'increase i to get the next filename until we reach LR
Loop Until i > LR
End Sub

Thank you,

David

[Azrael1018]

Sorry, I cannot get pics to upload.

first above is a Microsoft excel Error box:

Error - Format not found

Second is reference Microsoft sheet already exits.

3rd missing after "file list and gives"

MS VBA 

Run-time error '9':

Subscript out of range

4th missing "open and I see"

'copy formatting from format tab
Windows("Altoona Worksheet Template.xlsx").Activate
Sheets(formatID).Select  
Cells.Select
Selection.Copy
Windows(AWB.Name).Activate

[MichaelAnnis]

Ok, let’s set up a time later this week.  I sent you a PM and we can go through it on zoom. I was not able to read everything, but formatID was what you see and formattab was the resulting tab you get. 

select case [variable to iterate]
    Case [variable is]
    Result

End Select