Hi Joel,

Use something like this. If something is scanned into column A, then this
macro will fire and you will get the message. Or you can call a macro to do
what you want with the scanned entry which is what I did by calling
StudentID, (which I have edited out here).

So in my example once a student ID number is scanned into column 1 the
macro StudentID is called and the date and time and student information is
entered in that row. The StudentID macro draws it's info from a data base
on sheet 2 and commits it to sheet 1.

I am not an expert but if you need help getting it set up you could send me
a sample workbook and I will give it a go. Provide plenty of details of
what you want to happen and where, etc. dump the xxx

Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
If Target.Column = 1 Then
Application.EnableEvents = False
'StudentID
MsgBox "I just scanned something"
Application.EnableEvents = True
End If
End Sub

Sub StudentID()
Dim FindVal As Variant
Dim fVal As Range

FindVal = Worksheets("Sheet1").Range("A65536").End(xlUp).Val ue
Set fVal = Worksheets("Sheet2").Columns("A").Find(FindVal)

If Not fVal Is Nothing Then
fVal.Offset(0, 1).Resize(1, 5).Copy _
Sheets("Sheet1").Range("D25000").End(xlUp).Offset( 1, 0)
ActiveCell.Offset(-1, 1) = Date
ActiveCell.Offset(-1, 2) = Time
End If
If ActiveCell.Offset(-1, 4).Value = "" Then
ActiveCell.Offset(-1, 3).Value = " No student data for this ID no."
ActiveCell.Offset(-1, 1) = ""
ActiveCell.Offset(-1, 2) = ""
End If
End Sub

HTH
Regards,
Howard

"Joel Ganger" <Joel wrote in message
...
I use a handheld scanner to read barcodes. How do I make excel
automatically
tab to the next cell after input.