Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Assigning a Macro to a Button in Your Text.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated August 12, 2017)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016
You may already know that you can only assign a macro to a button (a tool) on the Quick Access Toolbar. Word also allows you to add buttons within the text of you document. These buttons have a macro or a Word command assigned to them, and you can control what happens when the button is selected in text. This is all instituted through the use of a field code.
It may be a bit of a misnomer to refer to the result of this field code as a "button," because no graphics are involved whatsoever, although you can create your own graphic and embed it into the field. The syntax for the field code is:
MacroButton MacroName Display
MacroName is the name of the macro or command you want to run, and Display is the text you want displayed by the field code. If you use a graphic instead of text, then the graphic is displayed. When a user double-clicks on the displayed text or graphic, then the macro or command defined by MacroName is executed.
To assign a command or macro to a button, and insert that button in your text, follow these steps:
Note:
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (8658) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Assigning a Macro to a Button in Your Text.
Comprehensive VBA Guide Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is the language used for writing macros in all Office programs. This complete guide shows both professionals and novices how to master VBA in order to customize the entire Office suite for their needs. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2010 today!
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2019-08-05 08:27:44
Nhat Minh Nguyen
Hi Mr. Wyatt,
Thank you for sharing this wonderful trick. I have a question relating to this. I use this method to assign the 'Back button' macro to a button in Word. It worked perfectly. However, when I convert the document into the PDF file, I could not perform the same like in the word (other hyperlinks work normally). My question is, is there any way I can still use this trick when I onvert the word file into PDF?
2019-07-18 12:10:18
Amir
Hi
Thank you very much for your useful tips. I think we should insert the field in a shape to assign a macro to that shape.
2017-12-09 19:12:24
Graham Skan
I can't get this to work with a graphic in Word 2007. It's OK with text to click on.
2017-08-12 04:55:42
Barry
Does this only work for certain commands? I tried to do an Open in the text and nothing happens. I positioned my insertion point where I wanted the field to be, pressed CTRL+F9 and between the braces typed (without quotes) "MacroButton Open OpenIt". Then I pressed F9 and it collapsed to where I just saw the word "OpenIt". It's definitely a field, but when I click on it nothing happens. What's up? Thanks.
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