Another day, another confused post on LinkedIn, asking whether VBA is being replaced. It’s a superficially plausible question, one that sounds thoughtful to the untrained ear. But in truth, it betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of what VBA is, why it exists, and how it fits within the broader context of Excel, enterprise technology, and programming paradigms.

Let’s be clear: the question is flawed at its core. It conflates unrelated technologies and tries to pit them against each other as if they were equivalents. They are not. This isn’t just a matter of opinion, it’s a matter of understanding what purpose each technology serves and who it’s meant for.

VBA Is Not Going Anywhere – Because It’s Not Supposed To

VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) is a non-programmer’s programming language. The clue is in the name … Basic, as in Beginner’s All-Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code. It was created not for software engineers, but for Excel power users who needed to automate tasks, manipulate the Excel object model, and build solutions within a familiar interface.

There is no evidence (none) that Microsoft is planning to replace VBA with another language serving the same demographic and purpose. Why would they? The user base that once tinkered with BASIC in the 1980s has shifted demographically. Today’s broad audience leans toward no-code or low-code solutions, not a reinvention of beginner-friendly programming languages.

If Microsoft were to build a new technology tightly integrated with the Excel object model for non-programmers, it would already have to compete with… well, VBA. And VBA works. Perfectly, for what it was intended. That’s why it’s still here.

Office Scripts? JavaScript? Python? Power Query? Not The Same Thing

Let’s walk through the list of so-called “replacements”:

• Office Scripts: A JavaScript-based automation tool intended for the web version of Excel. It’s geared towards developers, not Excel power users. It hasn’t gained significant traction, and the solutions it enables are far more complex than equivalent VBA ones.
• Python in Excel: Useful for heavy data crunching, yes. But it lacks integration with the Excel object model and is targeted at data scientists, not your average business analyst building reporting tools.
• Power Query / Lambdas: Extremely powerful for data transformation. But again, these are function-based tools with different use cases and steep learning curves. They do not replace VBA’s procedural programming model or its control over Excel’s UI and events.

None of these are replacements. They are different tools for different jobs. Asking whether they “replace” VBA is like asking whether the steering wheel has replaced the engine.

The Real Question Paul Is Asking

Let’s reframe Paul’s post accurately: “Do you think VBA will die in social media discourse, replaced by trendier tools like Python, Power Query, Office Scripts, and Lambdas?”

Answer: yes, it already has. But that’s not a technological insight – it’s a social media trend. It reflects what gets clicks, not what gets work done.

Unfortunately, confusing popularity on LinkedIn with technological relevance is common among self-proclaimed experts. That’s what’s happening here. The implication is that if people talk less about VBA online, it must be obsolete. That is patently absurd.

The real tragedy is this: while influencers speculate about the end of VBA, they ignore its actual role in transforming enterprise spreadsheets. VBA, coupled with ADO and a simple database, can enable robust, scalable, client-server spreadsheet architectures that solve real-world problems. Right now.

Will the Engine Be Replaced by the Airbags?

To drive the point home, consider this analogy. What Paul is asking is akin to suggesting that, now that we have airbags, satellite navigation, and climate control, perhaps the engine will be phased out. After all, it’s not as trendy. Maybe we’ll run our cars purely on in-car entertainment systems?

This is what happens when someone with shallow understanding tries to sound like a thought leader. It’s embarrassing—and dangerous. Because while the noise drowns out reality, actual Excel users, FP&A teams, and enterprise problem-solvers are left without proper guidance.

The Missed Opportunity

There is a massive, overlooked opportunity today: migrating from standalone, siloed Excel files to enterprise-grade, database-connected, end-to-end solutions. That transformation can be achieved now—with the tools we already have. VBA is not just relevant to that transition; it is central to it.

So, let’s stop asking ridiculous questions about VBA’s “replacement” and start asking better ones, like: How do we better train users to architect scalable, secure Excel systems that create real business value?

That’s the conversation worth having.

VBA Is Not Being Replaced

This article argues against the notion that VBA (Visual Basic for Applications), a language designed for non-programmers to automate tasks in Excel, is being replaced by other technologies like Office Scripts, Python, or Power Query. The author contends that these tools serve different purposes and target different user groups, making them complementary rather than substitutive. The text suggests the focus should shift from speculating on VBA’s “replacement” to discussing how to leverage existing tools, including VBA, to build scalable and valuable Excel-based business solutions. Ultimately, the article posits that the idea of VBA being obsolete is a misunderstanding, often driven by social media trends rather than technological reality.