Words of Wisdom: How to Make a Macro in Microsoft Word

Every day, it's the same thing: Open Word. Open a new document. Click "Home." Change the font to Arial 12. Change the page layout to "Landscape." Create a header and footer. Begin typing. And, then repeat this process an endless amount of times.

If you find yourself frequently performing the same tasks in Microsoft Word®, then creating your own personal macros may be the answer. If you're not familiar with the term or concept of a macro, it's simply a way to perform a series of actions in a simplified manner - usually with only a few mouse clicks or keystrokes. Fortunately, Word enables users to create macros in order to maximize software efficiency and boost productivity.

Word 2007 Macros

Let's first look at Word 2007 macros, and then the same objective in 2003. Consider this scenario: You spend much of your day writing letters with a layout and format that's different from the default, blank page. The letters should be printed horizontally with narrow margins, and the page font needs to be bold and italicized. The phrase, "To Whom It May Concern" should always appear at the top.

1. In Word 2007, click the "View" tab. Click Macros --> Record Macro.

2. A "Record Macro" dialogue box will then appear, prompting you to enter a name for the macro. The name must begin with a letter and can include numbers, but it can't contain spaces. We will name this sample macro Letter_Format. Personally, I'm a fan of assigning macros to keyboard shortcuts, so we will choose that option. You can also assign macros to mouse clicks.

3. Click the "Keyboard" button in the "Assign Macro to..." option.

4. In the "Customize Keyboard" dialogue box, you will specify the keyboard strokes for your macro. For instance, hold down the "Ctrl" key and press "L." Under the "Press New Shortcut" key, Ctrl+L will now appear. You may also want to enter a description for your macro for future reference.

5. Click the "Assign" button then the "Close" button.

6. Your mouse arrow is now attached to a cassette-tape icon, and you will notice a small square in lower left-hand corner of the screen. This indicates that your macro is now being recorded. Perform the steps necessary to format your new document.

7. Click the office button, and then choose New --> Blank Document. Next, click the "Home" tab and then the "B" for bold and "I" for italics font buttons. Then, click the Page Layout tab --> Orientation --> Landscape. Then, click Margins --> Narrow. Finally, type the words, "To Whom It May Concern," and click the blue square in the corner of your screen to stop recording.

8. Test your new macro by pressing Ctrl+L. You should now have a new, narrow-bordered document featured in landscape design, and the words "To Whom It May Concern" should appear in bold, italicized text at the top of the page. The best part? Creating this new document most likely took less than one second!

Word 2003 Macros

This concept is the same in Word 2003, although some items are found in slightly different locations:

1. Choose Tools --> Record a New Macro. The Record Macro dialogue box will appear.

2. Enter the name of your macro, choose "Keyboard" to assign it, and then click "Ok." You may also want to enter a description of your macro.

3. The "Macro Record" toolbar will appear under your document and, as in the previous instructions, click the square to stop recording your macro.

4. Test the macro when you're finished.

This is just one simple example of how you can use Word macros to simplify your life. Think about ways that you can apply this concept to your daily tasks - and don't be afraid to be creative. Become a macro wizard and watch your productivity soar!