Excel To EXE, Make Secure Windows Applications From Excel
What you'll learn
- Create Secure Windows Application (EXE files) Directly From Your Excel Workbooks!
- Super Protect Your Excel Formulas Beyond Excel Native Functionality
- Convert VBA To Binary Code, Hidden within the EXE
- Create Activation Keys For You App So You Control Who Can Use It (and How Long)
- Master Advanced Licensing Features
- Hardware Lock Your Application To a Particular PC
- Enable Dongle/USB Protection
- Set Up a 'Nag Screen' and Demo/Trial Modes with Expiration Date, Number of Uses or Days!
- Optionally Allow Users To Save Secure Encrypted Files, Only Usable with Licensed EXE
- Control Excel Versions Your App Will Open With (Office 2000 and up!)
- Build EXE for 32-bit, 64-bit or Universal EXE That Works With Any Excel Bitness!
- Access External Files Using Special Codes or Simple Hyperlinks
- Utilize Hidden Companion Files, Buried Deep In Your EXE
- Disable Visual Basic Editor or Locl the Project BEYOND Excel Native Capabilities
- Remove Worksheet Tabs, Rendering them Completely Invisible
- Disable Loading/Saving Other Workbooks BEFORE or AFTER App Is Loaded...
- Deactivate Print Operations, PDF and XPS Operations
- Completely Hide and Disable All Ribbons & Toolbars
- Remove Right-Click (context menu) and Double Click Options
- Disable 'Cell Copy and Cust To Clipboard" Commands
- Shut Off and Hide The Excel Formula Bar
- Only Allow Whichever Add-ins You Specify (Or None At All!)
- Load Customized Ribbon and Quick Access Toolbar Files To Your App Experience
- Design Custom Splash Screen or Logo At Startup for NNN Seconds (Free Design Resources too!)
- Hide Default 'Loading Workbook' Dialog Box in Excel
- Replace Excel Icon With Your Own Icon (Within Application AND In Windows Explorer)
- Set EXE Version Info and File Properties, such as FileVersion, LegalCopyright, Trademarks, ProductName, ProductVersion
- Expand To Other Languages With Editable Translation Files
- Create an End User License Agreement (EULA) that Must Be Accepted Prior To Use! (Samples Provided)
- Digitally Sign Your Application using Microsoft Authenticode Code Signing Certificate
- Free Online Resources and Training for Stock Images, Design Tools, Icons and More...
- Special Tips, Tricks and BONUS Macros To Interact With EXE and Windows Environment!
Requirements
- You should already have Microsoft Excel (preferably version 2007 and up).
- You'll need a tool called XLSPadlock to unlock much of the Security potential and cool tricks, but we will cover this in lecture 3.
- If you want to use the Installation Maker program, you'll need to get that but we cover this in detail in section 8.
- XLSPadlock is a Windows Application and the course is regarding making Windows Executables (EXE), so one would have to use Bootstrap, Parallels or some virtualization of Windows if using a Mac...
Description
Microsoft Excel is the most widely used software for business and personal projects, ranging from simple calculators and models to advanced dashboards and even enterprise level applications with advanced forms and procedures! But while Excel is rich in features and Easy to use, it lacks one major component. SECURITY.
Excel passwords were designed to prevent accidents & user-error, but can easily be retrieved with cheap password cracking software.
In my course, I show you how to turn your Excel workbooks into actual Windows Executable programs (EXE FILES) using my secret Excel weapon – XLSPadlock! This course includes a complete walkthrough of XLSPadlock along with little known Excel security techniques.
At the basic level, we’ll protect your Content from theft with unique formula protection techniques and then learn to convert your confidential VBA code into binary and store it in the executable, making it impossible to discover!
Then, we’ll learn about Licensing and Locking your Secure Application with:
Activation keys
USB/dongle protection
Hardware locking (to a particular PC)
Using a key generator to create trial versions of your software that expire after a number of
uses
days or
specific expiration date
and even create a nag screen each time the trial version opens!
You’ll learn Advanced Save Options (such as) whether users can use secure save files (that only work with a licensed copy of your EXE) OR to disable saving entirely!
You can control which Excel versions are allowed, and can build 32-bit, 64-bit or BOTH binary types into a single EXE!
I’ll teach you how to restrict native Excel features, like right-click options, copy/paste, removing excel ribbons, controlling add-ins allowed, disable Visual basic access a number of ways.
I'll demonstrate all the EXE Customizations, including making a professional splash screen that pops INSTEAD of the 'Excel loading' dialogue, creating and implementing custom icons, and customizing EXE version, title, authorship and copyright info.
We’ll demo how to make a simple End User License Agreement that MUST be accepted before someone can use your app! Lastly, we'll take you through adding a Code-Signing Certificate to show end-users your software is from a Trusted Verified Publisher.
I'm also including special code samples you can use to interact with the EXE to access hidden companion files, read version info or even interact with other Windows files or workbooks in a secure way.
You’ve got to protect your proprietary content!
Don't distribute another Excel file without maintaining absolute control of who’s using it and how - Grab my course on Building Secure Excel Apps today!
Who this course is for:
- This Excel course is for anyone who wants to learn Excel security secrets and create real Windows Applications (EXEs) directly from Excel files. No prior programming knowledge is needed.
- This course is probably not for you if you’re looking to learn unrelated Excel VBA code as that is covered in other courses, specifically on the topic of programming. We will, however, make sure you know how to use any code we provide inside and out and many tricks to make your Excel projects into professional, polished and secured Apps.
- If you're using Excel for Mac, you will have to virtualize Windows within Mac using programs like Parallels or Bootcamp, as XLSPadlock doesn't have a Mac version.
Featured review
Instructor
- 4.4 Instructor Rating
- 19,477 Reviews
- 143,440 Students
- 10 Courses
Dan Strong is a renowned software instructor and efficiency solutions specialist with over 16 years of highly diversified experience in report generation, data analysis, automation, and various other Information Technology (IT) tasks. He is a passionate Excel VBA programmer and has been using Excel since his early teens. He has developed various programs that have improved the lives of those who use them. Dan's passion for teaching led him to start a YouTube channel where he taught Excel VBA, and he has turned thousands of people into Excel programmers. He has been recognized by Microsoft for developing innovative systems and creating effective training strategies. Dan is a founding member of the invite-only Microsoft Office Creators, Excel Creator Program, and Microsoft Tech Community programs. His main focus is to create an online community of professional Excel VBA developers and beginners who create real programs, solve real problems, and change real lives. Daniel is 36 years old and currently resides in Missouri, United States.