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

Author Sun Last modified

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

 

copy and paste vba code into code window

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

 

copy and paste vba code into Thisworkbook window

4. Go to double click at the module you inserted in step 2, and press F5 key to run the code. See screenshot:
toggle to the normal code module and run the code

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.
a dialog popping out

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.
save as window comes out

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