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: Understanding Document Variables.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 17, 2023)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
Visual Basic for Applications allows you to create persistent variables that are associated with a document. Document variables are typically used to maintain some sort of information from one invocation of a macro to the next. For instance, you may want your macro to remember the defaults that it uses when prompting the user. These defaults can be stored within document variables.
To create a document variable within a macro, you use the Add method with the Variables collection. All you need to do is provide the name for the variable and the value you want assigned to the variable. For instance, the following macro line will create a variable called MyVar and assign it a value of 27:
ActiveDocument.Variables.Add Name:="MyVar", Value:=27
At a later time, you can access the value associated with the variable by using the variable's name, as follows:
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:
DefaultToUse = ActiveDocument.Variables("MyVar")
Typically, users would never see the contents of a document variable; they are intended primarily for use within macros. You can, however, insert the contents of a document variable directly within a document by using the DOCVARIABLE field, as follows:
{ DOCVARIABLE "MyVar" }
When updated, the field returns the value assigned to the MyVar document variable.
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 (11561) 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: Understanding Document Variables.
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 processing a document with a macro, you may need to have the macro repaginate the text. It's easy to do using the ...
Discover MoreYou can make running macros very easy if you assign a shortcut key to the macro. This tip demonstrates how easy it is to ...
Discover MoreNeed to repeat an action a whole bunch of times? You can do it a time or two using keyboard shortcuts, but you'll need a ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2020-03-31 01:23:15
derek caffrey
Is there a way in VBA to find a specific word using an input box and replace it with new formatting. I was thinking, change the font colour to yellow and the highlight colour to red in the replace text.
I tried to adapt this macro from another source but I couldn't make the replace element format properly:
Sub FindAndReplaceInSelection()
Dim strFindText As String
Dim strReplaceText As String
strFindText = InputBox("Enter finding text here:")
strReplaceText = InputBox("Enter replacing text here:")
With Selection.Find
.Text = strFindText
.Replacement.Text = strReplaceText
.Forward = True
.Wrap = wdFindStop
.Format = True
.Highlight = True
.HighlightColorIndex = wdRed
.Color = wdColorYellow
.Spacing = 0.6
.Bold = True
.MatchCase = False
.MatchWholeWord = False
.MatchWildcards = False
.MatchSoundsLike = False
.MatchAllWordForms = False
End With
Selection.Find.Execute Replace:=wdReplaceAll
End Sub
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.
Comments