Word Macros: How to Create a Microsoft word Macro?

Word Macros are a way to automate the repeated tasks to be performed on a Word document. Many consider a Word Macro to be too geeky and creating them is difficult as it needs programming knowledge. however, this is a misconception and this is a simple tutorial on creating Microsoft Word Macros, that will help every Word user.

A macro is a way to automate a task that you perform repeatedly or on a regular basis. It is a series of commands and actions that are grouped and stored together and run whenever you need to perform the task. You can record or build a macro, and then play the macro to automatically repeat the series of commands or actions.

Word Macros have several usages in our day-to-day work. For example, a Word Macro can help

• to speed up routine editing and formatting a word document.
• to combine multiple commands — for example, to insert a table with a specific size and borders, and with a specific number of rows and columns
• to make an option in a dialog box more accessible
• to automate a complex series of tasks

How To Create a Word Macro in Microsoft Office 2007?

Word Macros can be created either by using the inbuilt macro recorder or by writing Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) code.Here, we will detail the steps to create a Word macro using the macros recorder, as it is relatively easier to use.

There are over 1000 commands in MS word, many of which are on the Office 2007 MS Word ribbon (or on on menus and toolbars in earlier versions of MS word) and they all have different shortcut keys assigned to them. To create Word Macros, one must first enable the Developer tab in MS word 2007.To do so,

• Click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Word Options.
• In Word Options Window, Click Popular.
• Under Top options for working with Word, select the Show Developer tab in the Ribbon check box.

How to record a Word Macro?

• On the Developer tab,click Record Macro, in the Code group.
• In the Macro name box, type a name for the macro. but you need to be careful in naming a macro. If you give a new macro the same name as a built-in macro in Office Word 2007, the new macro actions will override the built-in macro. check the list of built-in macros, on the Developer tab, in the Code group, by clicking Macros and choosing Word Commands,under “Macros in” dropdown list.
• In the Store macro in box, click the template or document in which you want to store the macro. A template is a file that contain the structure and tools for shaping such elements as the style and page layout of finished files. For example, Word Templates can shape the entire Word document.
• In the Description box, type a description of the macro.
• Then to begin recording the macro without assigning it to a button on the Quick Access Toolbar or to a shortcut key, click OK.
• Perform the actions that you want to include in the macro.
• To stop recording your actions, click Stop Recording in the Code group.

How to assign the Word macro to a button on the Quick Access Toolbar?

If you want to assign the macro to a button on the Quick Access Toolbar, Click the button and Under Customize Quick Access Toolbar, select the document (or all documents) for which you want to add the macro to the Quick Access Toolbar. It is important to remember that to make your macro available in all documents, you need to click Normal.dotm.

• Under Choose commands from dialog box, click the macro that you are recording, and then click Add.
• To customize the button, click Modify.
• Under Symbol, click the symbol that you want to use for your button.
• In the Display name box, type the macro name that you want to display.
• Click OK twice to begin recording the macro.
• The symbol that you choose is displayed in the Quick Access Toolbar. The name that you type is displayed when you point to the symbol.

How to assign a keyboard shortcut to the Word macro?

To assign a keyboard shortcut to the macro, do the following:

• Click Keyboard.
• In the Commands box, click the macro that you are recording.
• In the Press new shortcut key box, type the key sequence that you want, and then click Assign.
• Click Close to begin recording the macro.

It is also important to remember that when you record a macro, you can use the mouse to click commands and options, but not to select text. You must use the keyboard to select text.

That is all about creating Word Macros!!!

Filed under: MS Word Tips office 2007