VBA & Macro Problems

How to Send Outlook Emails from Excel VBA When a Cell Changes

Camila Milosovich Oct 23, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to automatically send an Outlook 365 email to multiple recipients when a specific cell's value changes from blank to 'Create'.

How to Send Outlook Emails from Excel VBA When a Cell Changes

Product: Microsoft Excel / WPS Spreadsheet
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Automating email notifications, such as invoice alerts, based on real-time spreadsheet data updates.
Observed behavior: A VBA script must be implemented using a change event to trigger the Outlook email creation, ensuring it includes a defined subject, body, and link.

Before you start

Ensure that Microsoft Outlook is installed and configured with an active email account on your computer, and verify that macros are enabled in your workbook.

Solution 1Recommended

Use the Worksheet_Change Event to Trigger an Email

Implement a VBA macro that monitors a specific column and triggers an Outlook email creation when the target text is entered.

To accomplish this, you must use the Worksheet_Change event directly inside the specific sheet's module rather than a standard module. This code uses Late Binding to create the Outlook object, meaning you do not need to manually enable reference libraries.

Open the VBA Editor

Press ALT + F11 on your keyboard to launch the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) editor.

Access the Target Worksheet Module

In the Project Explorer pane on the left, double-click the specific worksheet (e.g., Sheet1) where you want to monitor the cell changes in column G.

Add the Worksheet_Change Code

In the code window, paste a `Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)` procedure. Add a condition check like `If Target.Column = 7 And Target.Value = "Create" Then` to restrict the trigger to column G only.

Create the Outlook Object

Within the IF statement, initialize the email using `Set OutApp = CreateObject("Outlook.Application")` and `Set OutMail = OutApp.CreateItem(0)`.

Configure Email Details and Send

Define your recipients, subject, and message body using `.To`, `.Subject`, and `.Body` (or `.HTMLBody` for links). Conclude the block with `.Display` to review the draft, or `.Send` to dispatch it immediately.

Use the Worksheet_Change Event to Trigger an Email

Prevent Multiple Triggers: It is highly recommended to add `If Target.Cells.Count > 1 Then Exit Sub` at the very beginning of your code to prevent the macro from crashing if a user pastes data into multiple cells at once.

Advanced Automation

Run VBA Macros Seamlessly in WPS Spreadsheet

WPS Spreadsheet offers powerful compatibility with Microsoft Excel VBA macros. You can easily write, test, and execute scripts to automate your workflow, including sending automated emails via Outlook.

1. Open your Workbook in WPS Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Office and open your .xlsm macro-enabled workbook containing the notification data.
2. Access the Developer Tools: Navigate to the 'Developer' tab on the ribbon and click on 'Visual Basic' or simply press ALT + F11 to open the editor.
3. Paste and Run Your Macro: Insert your Worksheet_Change VBA code in the relevant sheet module, save the workbook, and test the target cell to trigger your Outlook email.

Highly compatible with Microsoft Excel VBA syntax and objectsSupports COM objects like Outlook.Application for cross-app automationLightweight and fast execution of complex automated tasksFamiliar Developer environment for easy script migration

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't my Worksheet_Change macro run when I type 'Create'?

Macros might be disabled in your Trust Center settings, or you may have accidentally disabled background events. You can re-enable events by typing `Application.EnableEvents = True` into the Immediate Window of the VBA editor and pressing Enter.

Can I format the email body with HTML instead of plain text?

Yes. Instead of using `.Body` in your VBA script, use the `.HTMLBody` property. This allows you to include standard HTML tags for text formatting, line breaks (<br>), and clickable hyperlinks.

How do I send the email to multiple recipients?

In your VBA code, you can assign multiple email addresses to the `.To` or `.CC` properties by separating each address with a semicolon (;). For example: `.To = "user1@example.com; user2@example.com"`.

Do I need Outlook installed on my computer for this macro to work?

Yes, this specific VBA method relies on the `Outlook.Application` COM object. It requires the desktop version of Microsoft Outlook to be installed and logged into an active email account on the device running the script.

Excel & Data Problems