Automation from Zero - Where to start when you know nothing about coding?

Do you want to start learning automation or coding but have no clue about it? You have been comfortable and even supremely talented at doing things the good old fashioned way manually and now you feel you’re at square one with automation taking up all the limelight and growing so fast ?Do you want to start somewhere ?I am going to help you with a game plan if you have zero knowledge on automation and coding but have interest and need to start somewhere. Please note that this is a “Learn how to learn” blog to help you start from square one and not a programming guide.

1.First things first:

Get a notebook exclusively for learning automation and write down your statement of purpose for learning automation. Why do you want to learn this in the first place? Is out of curiosity? Is it because you have a vision for your project?   Is it because you want to build your resume? Is it because the new guy Bob is getting all the appreciation and perks just because he knows coding? Is it because you want to do your work faster so that you can enjoy a lot of idle time? It can be anything. Just write it down. This gets you into the mind set of studying and also the “why” behind the learning is what will drive you to reach your goal. Your interest might fizzle out after a while when the task becomes difficult or boring but your purpose is what will keep you going.

 

2.Play a game (Algorithm):

This amazing google doodle game is a great way to exercise your brain to think of simple algorithm

https://www.google.com/doodles/celebrating-50-years-of-kids-coding

Use the above link to play the game from level 1 to 6.It’s a simple game where you need to choose the right set of actions and the right number of repetitions (looping).This way your mind gets adapted to the logic building and you get an idea of algorithm. Algorithm is the basic process or set rules to be followed by the computer to complete a task. You’ll learn the basics of it by this game.

Seems easy right?

3.EXCEL Formulas:

The more you learn about coding; you’ll know that it is more to do with math. EXCEL formulas are baby steps you can take before coding.

1.Take an excel filled with dummy data and learn the following formulas. To do so , in any empty cell type “= “and then any of the formulas given below. The tool tip will teach you what the formula is.
2 Formulas: LEFT, RIGHT, MID, IF, COUNT, COUNT, IF, VLOOKUP , MATCH CASE.
3.This is just to get you acquainted with basic operations.
4. Try to combine 2 three formulas together and try different functions.

4.The wonderful world of VBA:

Note: If you know for sure what programming language you want learn first, skip this section move straight to section 5.

VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) is a basic programming language for Microsoft applications. It’s a great place to start because this is available inbuilt with your MS office. If you’re from a non-IT field and work on design software’s like CATIA or applications like EXCEL, PowerPoint, PDF etc., then learning VBA and slowly switching to VB.NET is more than sufficient to cater to all your automation requirements.

So how do you start with VBA?Recording is an easy way

    1.In Excel, go to View -> Macros -> Record Macro

2.Give any name and click “OK”

3.Then you do any one operation on the excel. Example: copy and paste, filter, drag numbers to create series.

4.This gets recorded in the backend

5.Again Click View -> Macros -> Stop recording

6.Press ALT + F11

7.Tada! your first recorded code is ready!

8.You don’t see it? Then double click the “modules” section in the left pane

NOTE: Design software like CATIA and VBA have similar recording features too.

So, with the above process, what you have done is that you have recorded your actions in the language of computer and have the code ready. You can read through this code and try to correlate with the action you performed and learn. You can repeat this process again and again for multiple operations and copy all of it together and create a set of operations. Anyways, this just the first step. You need to make some changes to make the code re-usable and dynamic. For that you we have Google. There are plenty of materials available.

 Whenever you want to create a new code,

1.      Press ALT + F11

2.      Right click “Modules”

3.      Insert -> Module

4.      Start typing!

 

5.Pick the language you want:

If VBA is all you need then it’s ok. However, if you want to start with something else you need to decide that based on following factors.

1.      Your vision or purpose of learning

2.      The kind of software you use.

3.      The kind of work for which automation is needed

4.      Resources available to learn and practise.

6.Get an IDE:

So, once you pick the language that you want to learn, you need to find a suitable IDE to practice it. IDE – Integrated Development Environment. Think of it like a paper you need if you want to write a letter. It provides an environment where you compile your code. I mean,” To make it work”. For VBA you don’t need it because you compile the code in the application itself. In other words, you press ALT + F11 in excel and you code. Then it runs. You can’t do that for other programs like VB.NET, java, python etc. Many IDEs are open source platforms. Meaning you can install it for free. For data analysis languages like R or Python you can use Anaconda and for VB.NET, java, C# you can use Visual Studio.

 

7.The game plan:

Now you know algorithm, basic formulas in excel, you have picked a programming language and IDE is also installed. Now what ? 

You learn the basics alone and frame 3 problem statements (1 easy, 1 medium, 1 difficult). Then with your knowledge in basics and your google search skills write the code line by line with the help of ton of material from around the world. The trick is to work on a project and learn on the go and not to just keep studying without practice.

In any language you need to learn the following things first in the same order before starting to learn on the go.

1. Syntax for defining a variable
2. What are the data types available?
3. Mathematical and logical operators
4. How to get message box or output string
5. IF condition
6. For loop
7. String operations
8. How to define and call a function

Just suffix your “programming language name” in the above sentences to help you search for the right learning resource.After this you can jump into the ocean of  learning on the go as you build code for your 3 problem statements.

Please feel free to drop your questions in the comments section. Check out the table below and try scoring 1000 points!