Word: Building Blocks and Macros

Discover how to use building blocks and macros to cut time spent on document creation and repetitive tasks in Microsoft Word.

Streamline your workflows and cut time spent on document creation by taking advantage of building blocks and macros in Microsoft Word. Author Mariann Siegert illustrates how to create, store, and effortlessly reuse pieces of document information such as boilerplate text, graphics, tables, shapes, fields, and content controls. The course also explains how to record macros to capture the steps in your workflow and run them with a single click. The course includes five real-world projects and introduces Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), the language on which Word macros are based.

Introduction

• Welcome
• Using the exercise files
• Exploring differences in the Word 2007 interface

1. Getting Started

• Understanding building blocks
• Why use macros?
• Building blocks vs. macros

2. Putting Building Blocks to Work

• Using built-in building blocks
• Creating your own building blocks
• Inserting building blocks
• Understanding the importance of naming conventions
• Saving building blocks
• Modifying building blocks
• Working with custom galleries
• Using the Building Blocks Organizer
• Adding power using content controls

3. Using the Power of Macros

• Planning macros
• Recording macros
• Saving macro-enabled documents and templates
• Assigning macros to the keyboard or the Quick Access Toolbar

4. Real-World Macro Projects

• Gathering information using pop-up boxes
• Using building blocks and macros together
• Employing macros and field codes
• Running a macro automatically

5. Stepping Into VBA

• Understanding Visual Basic for Applications (VBA)
• Stepping into your macro
• Editing and combining macros
• Going beyond recording: writing VBA code

6. Managing Macros

• Renaming, copying, and sharing macros
• Deleting and exporting macros
• Importing macros

Conclusion

• Goodbye