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: Running Macros from Macros.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated September 4, 2024)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
There may be times that you need to run a macro from within a macro using VBA. For instance, suppose you have a macro that creates a new document based on a template, and then runs a macro in that template. This is a relatively straightforward task and one way to handle it is to use the .Run method of the Application object. The command line to use this approach would be as follows:
Application.Run MacroName:="MyMacro"
Provided that there is no ambiguity on the macro name (there are no other macros in any open document or template with the same name), this approach will work just fine. A more elegant solution would be to specify the unambiguous name of the macro, as described in the next tip.
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 (11411) 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: Running Macros from Macros.
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!
When developing a macro, you may need to swap the values in two variables. It's simple to do using the technique in this tip.
Discover MoreIf you need to determine a random value in a macro, you can do so using the Rnd function. This tip presents the syntax ...
Discover MoreAssociate a macro with a shortcut key, and at some time you may want to break that association. (Perhaps so the shortcut ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2019-05-13 13:01:51
Hugh
Within a macro, can't you just use the name of the macro itself as a command. For instance, instead of typing
Application.Run MacroName:="MyMacro"
couldn't you just type
MyMacro
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 © 2025 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