Show Me MicrosoftR Office OutlookR 2003

Automating Tasks with Macros

Do you often redo many tasks that require the same, sometimes lengthy, series of steps? Rather than repeat the same actions, work faster by recording the entire series of keystrokes and commands in a custom command, or macro. A macro is a sequence of commands and entries that can be activated collectively by clicking a toolbar button, clicking a menu command, typing a key combination, or clicking the Run command in the Macros dialog box. Macros are a perfect way to speed up routine formatting, combine multiple commands, and automate complex tasks. The macro recorder archives every mouse click and keystroke you make until you stop the recorder. Any time you want to repeat that series of actions, "play," or run, the macro. Although you can record a macro in any Outlook item, the macro recorder is only available in the message window. You need to know Visual Basics for Applications (VBA), which is a programming language.

Record a Macro

Click the Tools menu, point to Macro, and then click Record New Macro.

Enter a macro name . Macro names must start with a letter and can be as many as 80 letters and numbers . Macro names cannot contain spaces, periods, or other punctuation.

Assign a toolbar button or keyboard shortcut to the macro.

Select where you want to store the macro.

Enter a detailed description of the macro.

Click OK.

Perform each command or action to complete the task.

Click the Stop Recording button on the Macro toolbar.

Run a Macro

Click the Tools menu, point to Macro, and then click Macros.

If necessary, click the Macros In list arrow, and then click the document that contains the macro you want to run.

Click the name of the macro you want to run.

Click Run.

Delete a Macro

Click the Tools menu, point to Macro, and then click Macros.

Select the macro you want to remove.

Click Delete, and then click Yes to confirm the deletion, and close the dialog box.