Automating Letters with Microsoft Word for Windows

This article offers a simple process for creating a series of separate letter formats and then automating the production of individual letters from them.

These letter formats can then he assembled into various categories and displayed on a computer screen. The key concepts are: Templates, Fields, Auto Macros, Macros and Custom Dialog Boxes.

This is made possible because Word for Windows allows the exploration and alteration of its basic editing commands. It has great flexibility as nothing is set in concrete: a built-in command macro may be changed and a eustom macro created to replace it.

This article assumes the use of Microsoft Word 6.0 and some familiarity with it. The various macros notated are ‘syntax sensitive’ so a full stop or comma in the wrong place, or left out, will result in the macro failing to run.