Vangest – Excel VBA Production Management Tool
Overview
Vangest is a Microsoft Excel VBA-based management tool designed to support production monitoring, machine-hour control, reporting automation and KPI visualization.
The workbook uses VBA macros, UserForms, automated PDF exports, Outlook integration and Power BI access to simplify operational reporting across different production areas.
Main Features
User Authentication
- Login system with user/password validation
- User registration form
- Restricted access to management menus
- Workbook auto-save on exit
Production Area Management
The system organizes machines by production area:
| Area | Description |
|---|---|
| Small Moulds | Small mould production machines |
| Medium Moulds | Medium mould production machines |
| Large Moulds | Large mould production machines |
| DT2 / Automation | Automation and complementary production areas |
VBA Automation
Main VBA Functionalities
| Module / Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Login Form | Validates user access |
| Registration Form | Adds users to the workbook database |
| Menu Form | Central navigation interface |
| Weekly Hours Form | Inserts machine-hour values |
| PDF Export | Exports predefined Excel ranges to PDF |
| Outlook Automation | Creates and sends emails with reports attached |
| Power BI Shortcut | Opens the associated Power BI dashboard |
| Cache Cleaning | Clears temporary or calculated values |
| Sheet Creation | Creates yearly sheets based on templates |
Report Generation
The workbook can generate PDF reports for:
- Small Moulds
- Medium Moulds
- Large Moulds
- DT2 / Automation
- General listings
- Weekly machine-hour summaries
Generated reports are exported from predefined Excel ranges and can be automatically attached to Outlook emails.
Outlook Integration
The VBA macros include Microsoft Outlook automation for:
- Creating email messages
- Defining recipients
- Adding subjects
- Writing automatic message bodies
- Attaching generated PDF reports
- Sending weekly reports
Example report subjects include:
Small Mould Semana
Medium Mould Semana
Large Mould Semana
DT2 Mould Semana
Power BI Integration
The workbook includes a shortcut to open a Power BI dashboard file:
Vangest.pbix
This allows the user to access KPI visualizations linked to the Excel-based production data.
Technologies Used
| Technology | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Excel | Main platform |
| VBA | Automation logic |
| UserForms | Graphical user interface |
| Outlook VBA Automation | Email reporting |
| Power BI | KPI visualization |
| PDF Export | Report generation |
| Excel Charts | Data visualization |
Workbook Structure
Vangest.xltm.xlsm
├── Registos
├── Gráficos
├── Small Moulds
├── Medium Moulds
├── Large Moulds
├── Automation / DT2
├── UserForms
└── VBA Modules
Main Workflow
User Login
↓
Select Production Area
↓
Choose Machine
↓
Insert Weekly Values
↓
Update Excel Records
↓
Generate Reports
↓
Export PDF
↓
Send by Outlook
↓
Open Power BI Dashboard
Key Functional Areas
Data Registration
- Weekly machine-hour input
- Machine selection through ComboBoxes
- Area-based categorization
- Automatic workbook saving
Reporting
- PDF report generation
- Weekly report exports
- Automatic file naming with date/time
Dashboard Support
- Excel chart-based analysis
- Power BI file launching
- KPI reporting support
User Management
- Login validation
- User registration
- Permission-based access logic
Requirements
| Requirement | Description |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Excel | Required to run the workbook |
| VBA Macros Enabled | Required for automation |
| Microsoft Outlook | Required for email automation |
| Power BI Desktop | Required to open .pbix dashboards |
| Windows OS | Recommended environment |
How to Use
- Open the workbook.
- Enable macros.
- Login using a valid user.
- Access the main menu.
- Select the desired production area.
- Insert machine-hour values.
- Generate reports.
- Export PDFs.
- Send reports through Outlook.
- Open Power BI dashboard if needed.
Security Notes
This workbook contains VBA macros and should only be used in a trusted environment.
Before execution:
- Verify the source of the file
- Enable macros only if trusted
- Review email recipients before sending reports
- Confirm PDF outputs before distribution
Future Improvements
- Replace hardcoded paths with dynamic configuration
- Add database integration
- Improve user authentication
- Add role-based permissions
- Create automatic backup system
- Improve error handling
- Add configuration sheet for email recipients
- Migrate reporting logic to Power BI or web dashboard
Disclaimer
This workbook was developed as an internal production management and reporting automation tool.
Users remain responsible for validating inserted data, exported reports and email recipients before official use.
Author
José Garcia
Data Scientist
Process Digitalization & Automation