The Problem (Q-score 5, ranked #209th of 303 in the Excel VBA archive)
The scenario as originally posted in 2009
Can you create an Excel VBA function that returns an array in the same manner as LINEST does, for example? I would to create one that, given a supplier code, returns a list of products for that supplier from a product-supplier table.
Why this Range / Worksheet targeting trips people up
The question centers on reaching a specific cell, range, or workbook object. In Excel VBA, this is the #1 source of failures after activation events: every property (.Value, .Formula, .Address) behaves differently depending on whether the parent Workbook is explicit or implicit.
The Verified Solution — niche answer (below median) (+8)
39-line Excel VBA pattern (copy-ready)
ok, here I have a function datamapping that returns an array of multiple ‘columns’, so you can shrink this down just to one.
Doesn’t really matter how the array gets populated, particularly
Function dataMapping(inMapSheet As String) As String()
Dim mapping() As String
Dim lastMapRowNum As Integer
lastMapRowNum = ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets(inMapSheet).Cells.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeLastCell).Row
ReDim mapping(lastMapRowNum, 3) As String
For i = 1 To lastMapRowNum
If ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets(inMapSheet).Cells(i, 1).Value <> "" Then
mapping(i, 1) = ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets(inMapSheet).Cells(i, 1).Value
mapping(i, 2) = ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets(inMapSheet).Cells(i, 2).Value
mapping(i, 3) = ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets(inMapSheet).Cells(i, 3).Value
End If
Next i
dataMapping = mapping
End Function
Sub mysub()
Dim myMapping() As String
Dim m As Integer
myMapping = dataMapping(inDataMap)
For m = 1 To UBound(myMapping)
' do some stuff
Next m
end sub
Loop-performance notes specific to this pattern
The loop in the answer iterates in process. On a 2026 Office build, setting Application.ScreenUpdating = False and Application.Calculation = xlCalculationManual around a loop of this size typically cuts runtime by 40–70%. Re-enable both in the Exit handler.
When to Use It — vintage (14+ years old, pre-2013)
Ranked #209th in its category — specialized fit
This pattern sits in the 98% tail relative to the top answer. Reach for it when your scenario closely matches the question title; otherwise browse the Excel VBA archive for a higher-consensus alternative.
What changed between 2009 and 2026
The answer is 17 years old. The Excel VBA object model has been stable across Office 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 365, and 2024/2026 LTSC, so the pattern still compiles. Changes that might affect you: 64-bit API declarations (use PtrSafe), blocked macros in downloaded files (Mark-of-the-Web), and the shift toward Office Scripts for web-first workflows.