Macros are very useful tools that automate frequent, common or repetitive tasks in Microsoft products. They are a collection of commands designed to make life easier. For example: speeding up routine editing or formatting, inserting a table with specific size requirements, and reorganising data in an Excel spreadsheet.
In many MS Office 2007 programs, such as Word, Visio, Excel and Project, macros can be created in two ways depending on the need, by either:
- recording a series of actions, or
- writing the macro to achieve a task
The exception is in Access, Outlook, FrontPage and Publisher, where the first option, recording macros is not a feature of the program. Therefore, in this case macros can only be written by the user to achieve a specific task.
Macros are Entry-Level Programming
Macros are a form of programming but users don't need to be developers or even have programming knowledge to use them. Commands are pre-written in a language called Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications, referred to as VBA. The skills needed to record and write macros are surprisingly easy to learn because of what the user already knows just by using the program.
Security Issues
While most macros are both harmless and helpful, macros from unknown sources do pose important security risks. If created with malicious intentions, macros may contain destructive instructions that could cause harm to documents or the computer system itself. Therefore, for protection, it is important that suspect macros be disabled.
Security and privacy settings may be changed via the Trust Center, which is accessed different depending on the Office product. For Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or Access:
- Click the Microsoft Office Button, and then click the rectangular button at the bottom that contains the word "Options". For example, "Access Options" if one is running Access.
- Click Trust Center, and then click Trust Center Settings.
For Visio, Outlook, Publisher, or InfoPath: On the Tools menu, click TrustCenter.
Then, for each of these Office products, the security setting options required may be selected. Detailed help on what the options mean can be obtained by typing “Trust Center” from Help.
How to Locate and Use a Macro
When opening an Office product the macros menu may be hidden from view. To make use of them, the Developer tab needs to be turned on. For example, in Word:
- Click on the Microsoft Office button (round button top left corner
- Click Word Options (bottom rectangular button)
- Under “Top options for working with Word”, select “Show Developer tab in the Ribbon”
- Follow the tutorial Record and run the macro
However in Access, the macro menu is presented differently:
- Click on the Create tab, then Other group
- Follow the tutorial Write and run the macro
Macros are very useful tools available in Microsoft Office 2007 to automate and simplify common tasks. Some Office products allow macro recording of keystrokes and writing macros to perform a specific task. Other products only allow the latter. There are two locations in software packages where macros may be found, depending on the functionality of the software. Gaining knowledge in one MS product type is usually transferable to other MS product types. Security issues with macros need to be understood. Macros from unknown sources pose risks to the safety of documents and the computer system. Therefore suspect macros should be disabled.
Readers interested in achieving even more functionality by programming Access with Visual basic for Applications (VBA) may visit Programming MS Access Applications
Harry P. Schlanger - Hello, I started out as a physicist working for research organisations. Mostly in the area of heat transfer in solids and porous media. ...
