The Problem (Q-score 7, ranked #68th of 303 in the Excel VBA archive)
The scenario as originally posted in 2013
I want to allow a user to select a range that is likely to be in a different workbook.
I have attempted to do this with inputbox(“”,type:=8) which works to select data in the workbook but refuses to allow me to select a range in a different workbook.
Hence I would like a dialog box that allows me to perform this task.
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 — strong answer (top 25 %%) (+18)
26-line Excel VBA pattern (copy-ready)
Since I was free, I created an example for you
Create a Userform and place a ComboBox, A RefEdit Control and a Label
Next paste this code in the Userform
Private Sub UserForm_Initialize()
Dim wb As Workbook
'~~> Get the name of all the workbooks in the combobox
For Each wb In Application.Workbooks
ComboBox1.AddItem wb.Name
Next
ComboBox1 = ActiveWorkbook.Name
End Sub
'~~> This lets you toggle between all open workbooks
Private Sub Combobox1_Change()
If ComboBox1 <> "" Then Application.Workbooks(ComboBox1.Text).Activate
Label1.Caption = "": RefEdit1 = ""
End Sub
'~~> And this lets you choose the relevant range
Private Sub RefEdit1_Change()
Label1.Caption = ""
If RefEdit1.Value <> "" Then _
Label1.Caption = "[" & ComboBox1 & "]" & RefEdit1
End Sub
This is what you get when you run the Userform
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 — classic (2013–2016)
Ranked #68th in its category — specialized fit
This pattern sits in the 95% 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 2013 and 2026
The answer is 13 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.