Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. 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: Comparing Strings.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated January 2, 2021)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
It is not uncommon to compare strings in a macro. For instance, you may need to compare what a user typed with some pre-determined value. If you do this directly, you must take into consideration that the user may not have typed his (or her) string in the same way as you expected. Particularly vexing is the fact that the user may have mixed upper and lower case in their response.
The quickest and easiest way around this is to use either the UCase or LCase function on their input before you do the comparison. For instance, let's assume you prompt the user for the word "yes" to verify they want an action done. The following code will check the input, regardless of how the user typed it.
If LCase(UserIn) = "yes" then DoIt = True
The trick is to make sure your test string is either all uppercase or all lowercase, and then convert the user's input to that same case.
If you suspect that the user may inadvertently add spaces to either the beginning of ending of whatever they type as input, then you can enhance the statement by also including the Trim statement to get rid of the spaces:
If Trim(LCase(UserIn)) = "yes" then DoIt = True
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 (9000) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Comparing Strings.
Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2021 or Microsoft 365. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word Step by Step today!
You may want to save a user's existing Find and Replace settings before changing them in your macro. This tip examines ...
Discover MoreWant a fast way to add brackets around a selected word? You can use this simple macro to add both brackets in a single step.
Discover MoreWhen creating macros, it is sometimes necessary to know how many documents are open in Word. This is relatively easy to ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2026 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. 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:
Comments