How do I find the last column with data? - excel

Question

I've found this method for finding the last data containing row in a sheet:
ws.Range("A65536").End(xlUp).row
Is there a similar method for finding the last data containing column in a sheet?

Answer 1

Lots of ways to do this. The most reliable is find.
Dim rLastCell As Range
Set rLastCell = ws.Cells.Find(What:="*", After:=ws.Cells(1, 1), LookIn:=xlFormulas, LookAt:= _
xlPart, SearchOrder:=xlByColumns, SearchDirection:=xlPrevious, MatchCase:=False)
MsgBox ("The last used column is: " & rLastCell.Column)
If you want to find the last column used in a particular row you can use:
Dim lColumn As Long
lColumn = ws.Cells(1, Columns.Count).End(xlToLeft).Column
Using used range (less reliable):
Dim lColumn As Long
lColumn = ws.UsedRange.Columns.Count
Using used range wont work if you have no data in column A. See here for another issue with used range:
See Here regarding resetting used range.

Answer 2

I know this is old, but I've tested this in many ways and it hasn't let me down yet, unless someone can tell me otherwise.
Row number
Row = ws.Cells.Find(What:="*", After:=[A1] , SearchOrder:=xlByRows, SearchDirection:=xlPrevious).Row
Column Letter
ColumnLetter = Split(ws.Cells.Find(What:="*", After:=[A1], SearchOrder:=xlByColumns, SearchDirection:=xlPrevious).Cells.Address(1, 0), "$")(0)
Column Number
ColumnNumber = ws.Cells.Find(What:="*", After:=[A1], SearchOrder:=xlByColumns, SearchDirection:=xlPrevious).Column

Answer 3

Try using the code after you active the sheet:
Dim J as integer
J = ActiveSheet.UsedRange.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeLastCell).Row
If you use Cells.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeLastCell).Row only, the problem will be that the xlCellTypeLastCell information will not be updated unless one do a "Save file" action. But use UsedRange will always update the information in realtime.

Answer 4

I think we can modify the UsedRange code from #Readify's answer above to get the last used column even if the starting columns are blank or not.
So this lColumn = ws.UsedRange.Columns.Count modified to
this lColumn = ws.UsedRange.Column + ws.UsedRange.Columns.Count - 1 will give reliable results always
?Sheet1.UsedRange.Column + Sheet1.UsedRange.Columns.Count - 1
Above line Yields 9 in the immediate window.

Answer 5

Here's something which might be useful. Selecting the entire column based on a row containing data, in this case i am using 5th row:
Dim lColumn As Long
lColumn = ActiveSheet.Cells(5, Columns.Count).End(xlToLeft).Column
MsgBox ("The last used column is: " & lColumn)

Answer 6

I have been using #Reafidy method/answer for a long time, but today I ran into an issue with the top row being merged cell from A1-->N1 and my function returning the "Last Column" as 1 not 14.
Here is my modified function now account for possibly merged cells:
Public Function Get_lRow(WS As Worksheet) As Integer
On Error Resume Next
If Not IsWorksheetEmpty(WS) Then
Get_lRow = WS.Cells.Find("*", SearchOrder:=xlByRows, SearchDirection:=xlPrevious).Row
Dim Cell As Range
For Each Cell In WS.UsedRange
If Cell.MergeCells Then
With Cell.MergeArea
If .Cells(.Cells.Count).Row > Get_lRow Then Get_lRow = .Cells(.Cells.Count).Row
End With
End If
Next Cell
Else
Get_lRow = 1
End If
End Function
Public Function Get_lCol(WS As Worksheet) As Integer
On Error Resume Next
If Not IsWorksheetEmpty(WS) Then
Get_lCol = WS.Cells.Find(What:="*", after:=[A1], SearchOrder:=xlByColumns, SearchDirection:=xlPrevious).Column
Dim Cell As Range
For Each Cell In WS.UsedRange
If Cell.MergeCells Then
With Cell.MergeArea
If .Cells(.Cells.Count).Column > Get_lCol Then Get_lCol = .Cells(.Cells.Count).Column
End With
End If
Next Cell
Else
Get_lCol = 1
End If
End Function

Answer 7

Here's a simple option if your data starts in the first row.
MsgBox "Last Row: " + CStr(Application.WorksheetFunction.CountA(ActiveSheet.Cells(1).EntireRow))
It just uses CountA to count the number of columns with data in the entire row.
This has all sorts of scenarios where it won't work, such as if you have multiple tables sharing the top row, but for a few quick & easy things it works perfect.