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How to save and close workbook after inactivity for a certain amount of time?

In some times, you may accidently close a workbook when you are busy with other affairs for a long time which may lose some important data in the workbook. Is there any tricks to automatically save and close the workbook if you have inactivated it for a certain amount of time?

Auto save and close workbook after inactivity for a certain amount of time with VBA

arrow blue right bubble Auto save and close workbook after inactivity for a certain amount of time with VBA

There is no built-in function in Excel to solve this problem, but I can introduce a macro code which can help you to save and close workbook after inactivity in a certain time.

1. Enable the workbook you want to automatically save and close after inactivity for a certain seconds, and press Alt + F11 keys to open Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window.

2. Click Insert > Module to create a Module script, and paste below code to it. See screenshot:

Dim CloseTime As Date
Sub TimeSetting()
    CloseTime = Now + TimeValue("00:00:15")
    On Error Resume Next
    Application.OnTime EarliestTime:=CloseTime, _
      Procedure:="SavedAndClose", Schedule:=True
End Sub
Sub TimeStop()
    On Error Resume Next
    Application.OnTime EarliestTime:=CloseTime, _
      Procedure:="SavedAndClose", Schedule:=False
 End Sub
Sub SavedAndClose()
    ActiveWorkbook.Close Savechanges:=True
End Sub

 

doc save close workbook after inactivity 1

3. Then in the Project Explorer pane, double click This Workbook, and paste below code to the beside script. See screenshot:

Private Sub Workbook_BeforeClose(Cancel As Boolean)
    Call TimeStop
End Sub

Private Sub Workbook_Open()
    Call TimeSetting
End Sub

Private Sub Workbook_SheetChange(ByVal Sh As Object, ByVal Target As Range)
   Call TimeStop
   Call TimeSetting
End Sub

 

doc save close workbook after inactivity 2

4. Go to double click at the module you inserted in step 2, and press F5 key to run the code. See screenshot:
doc save close workbook after inactivity 3

5. Then after 15 seconds, there is a dialog popping out for remind you saving the workbook, and click Yes to save and close the workbook.
doc save close workbook after inactivity 4

Tips:

(1) In the first code, you can change the inactivity time to other in this string: Now + TimeValue("00:00:15")

(2) If you have never saved the workbook before, the Save As dialog box will come out firstly and ask you to save it.
doc save close workbook after inactivity 5

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Comments (11)
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PedroMatos
PedroMatos
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When I don't want to edit and I just want to consult, the file still closes. It shouldn't close. Should restart counting when I select cells. What is the solution?
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Pedro Matos
Pedro Matos
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When I don't want to edit and I just want to consult, the file still closes. It shouldn't close. Should restart counting when I select cells. What is the solution?
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Jason
Jason
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This is great. Any tips on adding a popup message box that will warn the user the sheet is about to close and give them the option to reset the timer?
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Xman
Xman
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I'm not sure what happened but this solution no longer works. Here is the fix to this solution that worked for me:

````
Dim resetCount As Long

Public Sub Workbook_Open()
On Error Resume Next
Set xWB = ThisWorkbook
resetCount = 0
End Sub

Private Sub Workbook_SheetChange(ByVal Sh As Object, ByVal Target As Range)On Error Resume Next
Reset
End Sub

Sub Reset()On Error Resume Next
Static xCloseTime
If resetCount <> 0 Then
ThisWorkbook.Application.OnTime xCloseTime, "SaveWork1", Schedule:=False
resetCount = resetCount + 1
xCloseTime = DateAdd("n", 15, Now)
ThisWorkbook.Application.OnTime xCloseTime, "SaveWork1", Schedule:=True

Else
resetCount = resetCount + 1
xCloseTime = DateAdd("n", 15, Now)
ThisWorkbook.Application.OnTime xCloseTime, "SaveWork1", Schedule:=True
End If
End Sub
````
This is using the same SaveWork1 As:
````Sub SaveWork1()
Application.DisplayAlerts = False
ThisWorkbook.Save
ThisWorkbook.Close

Application.DisplayAlerts = True
End Sub

````
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Joe
Joe
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If you are working in a separate workbook at the point where close time is reached then it will close that workbook and not the inactive one. This can be solved by adjusting the code to: - corrected and tested from the below comment - use this code:

Enter into "This Workbook"

Private Sub Workbook_BeforeClose(Cancel As Boolean)
Call TimeStop
End Sub
Private Sub Workbook_Open()
Call TimeSetting
End Sub
Private Sub Workbook_SheetChange(ByVal Sh As Object, ByVal Target As Range)
Call TimeStop
Call TimeSetting
End Sub


Enter into "module":

Dim CloseTime As Date
Sub TimeSetting()
CloseTime = Now + TimeValue("00:10:00")
On Error Resume Next
Application.OnTime EarliestTime:=CloseTime, _
Procedure:="SavedAndClose", Schedule:=True
End Sub
Sub TimeStop()
On Error Resume Next
Application.OnTime EarliestTime:=CloseTime, _
Procedure:="SavedAndClose", Schedule:=False
End Sub
Sub SavedAndClose()
ThisWorkbook.Close Savechanges:=True
End Sub


you can change the time setting by changing CloseTime = Now + TimeValue("00:10:00") - this is set to 10 minutes, change the("00:10:00") to whatever time you want and it works.
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Rajesh rana
Rajesh rana
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hi i want insert this code to an other code like expiration code with this code how i can do....?
code is...following
Private Sub Workbook_Open()

Dim exdate As Date
Dim i As Integer

'modify values for expiration date here !!!
anul = 2019 'year
luna = 5 'month
ziua = 16 'day

exdate = DateSerial(anul, luna, ziua)

If Date > exdate Then
MsgBox ("The application " & ThisWorkbook.Name & " has expired !" & vbNewLine & vbNewLine _
& "Expiration set up date is: " & exdate & " :)" & vbNewLine & vbNewLine _
& "Contact Administrator to renew the version !"), vbCritical, ThisWorkbook.Name

expired_file = ThisWorkbook.Path & "\" & ThisWorkbook.Name

On Error GoTo ErrorHandler
With Workbooks(ThisWorkbook.Name)
If .Path <> "" Then

.Saved = True
.ChangeFileAccess xlReadOnly

Kill expired_file

'get the name of the addin if it is addin and unistall addin
If Application.Version >= 12 Then
i = 5
Else: i = 4
End If

If Right(ThisWorkbook.Name, i) = ".xlam" Or Right(ThisWorkbook.Name, i) = ".xla" Then
wbName = Left(ThisWorkbook.Name, Len(ThisWorkbook.Name) - i)
'uninstall addin if it is installed
If AddIns(wbName).Installed Then
AddIns(wbName).Installed = False
End If
End If

.Close

End If
End With

Exit Sub

End If

'MsgBox ("You have " & exdate - Date & "Days left")
Exit Sub

ErrorHandler:
MsgBox "Fail to delete file.. "
Exit Sub

End Sub
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seb
seb
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brilliant thanks
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Torin
Torin
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If you are working in a separate workbook at the point where close time is reached then it will close that workbook and not the inactive one. This can be solved by adjusting the code to:

Dim CloseTime As Date
Dim WKB As String
Sub TimeSetting()
WKB = ActiveWorkbook.Name
CloseTime = Now + TimeValue("00:00:15")
On Error Resume Next
Application.OnTime EarliestTime:=CloseTime, _
Procedure:="SavedAndClose", Schedule:=True
End Sub
Sub TimeStop()
On Error Resume Next
Application.OnTime EarliestTime:=CloseTime, _
Procedure:="SavedAndClose", Schedule:=False
End Sub
Sub SavedAndClose()
Workbooks(WKB).Close Savechanges:=True
End Sub
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Pulsater
Pulsater     Torin
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I sometimes run into a "Running time Error" when open the workbook that has this code built into it. Anyway to write this code better for it to be more stable?
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Ro
Ro     Torin
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I noticed the same thing. And found the same solution :-)
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Excel
Excel
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The above code is not working when a cell is active. That is

1. enter a value in the cell (don't press Enter or tab)

2. minimize the excel.

In this case the code is not working.
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