A macro is a series of commands that are recorded so that they can be played back (executed) later. Macros are great for reducing the amount of work you have to do on a series of steps that you perform frequently. Here's how to create and test a macro in Microsoft Word.

With a macro, you can get the same results by clicking a command instead of going through all the steps. Some ways to use macros to increase your productivity include:

Creating and using macros is a skill that must be learned, but the efficiency it provides is worth the effort.

There are over 950 commands in Word, most of which are located on menus and toolbars and have shortcut keys assigned to them. However, some of these commands are not assigned to menus or toolbars by default. Before you create your own Word macro, make sure it exists and can be assigned to a toolbar.