The Problem (Q-score 11, ranked #33rd of 95 in the VBA Core archive)
The scenario as originally posted in 2010
the title exactly — is there a way to call an r process from an excel macro?
Why this Range / Worksheet targeting trips people up
The question centers on reaching a specific cell, range, or workbook object. In VBA Core, 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 — solid answer (above median) (+11)
Advisory answer — community consensus with reference links
Note: the verified answer below is a reference / advisory response rather than a copy-ready snippet.
I am unfamiliar with r process, but this link appears to be valid for your question.
http://www.unt.edu/rss/class/splus/UsingRWithinExcel.pdf
RExcel – Using R from within Excel
Overview
The Excel addin RExcel.xla allows to use R from within Excel. The package additionally contains some
Excel workbooks demonstrating different techniques for using R in Excel.
There are two types of servers, forground and background. The background server ist totally hidden from the
user, all interaction with R has to be done in Excel. The foreground server allows direct access to the R GUI
command line while working in Excel. The backgound server is installed with the R(D)COM server, the
background server depends on the {R}-package rcom, which has to be installed >from CRAN.
Usage
There are at least three different ways of using R from within Excel
Scratchpad mode
Writing R Code directly in an Excel worksheet and transferring scalar, vector, and matrix variables
between R and Excel
Macro mode
Writing macros using VBA and the macros supplied by RExcel.xla, attaching the macros to menu
items or toolbar items
Worksheet functions
R can be called directly in functions in worksheet cells
Scratchpad Mode
The RExcel menu contains the following items:
R Start
Initiates a connection to R
If necessary starts an R process to be accessed >from Excel
For the details of executing code at startup see section Startup
Close R
When this process is running, R Start changes to Close R
Run Code
Selecting a range (only one column wide) in Excel containing valid R code and then choosing this
menu item executes the selected code
Get
Gets the value of an R variable into the active Excel cell or range
Possible values are scalars and matrices of numbers or strings, or dataframes.
Put
Puts the values of the selected Excel range into an R variable.
Possible values are scalars and matrices of numbers or strings, or dataframes.
If a dataframe is to be put, the first row of the Excel range must contain the variable names for the
dataframe.
Put for dataframes only transfers data in visible rows and columns, hidden rows and columns will not
be transferred.
Copy Code
Puts the content of the selected range on the Windows clipboard, assuming that it is R code, and wraps
the code in VBA procedure calls to make it ready for inclusion in VBA macros
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 #33rd in its category — specialized fit
This pattern sits in the 91% tail relative to the top answer. Reach for it when your scenario closely matches the question title; otherwise browse the VBA Core archive for a higher-consensus alternative.
What changed between 2010 and 2026
The answer is 16 years old. The VBA Core 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.