How to Create an Instant Letter Head in MS Word

You'll be writing useful, time-saving macros in no time with these instructions.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• A computer running MS Word
• A little patience
• The ability to follow directions

1. Open a new document in Word
   Go to Tools>Macro>record new macro You'll see a box with Macro #1 in it. Replace that with a name, such as letterhead. (Note, macro names can have no spaces). Click on "Toolbar", the click on "close".
2. The Macro Recorder symbol appears on screen.
   Start carefully typing in your name, address, phone and fax numbers, e-mail address, URL--whatever you want to appear in your letter head. Note: Do not use the mouse to navigate within the recording. Us the arrow keys and enter key.
3. Click the X on the Record Macro symbol. Screen will go blank except for the letter head you have typed in.
4. Go back to Tools>Customize>Macros. ("Macros" appears way down the list, right under "All Commands.") Click on Macros, find the one you named "letterhead" and drag it to the toolbar. It will appear with a symbol and the word letterhead. Place it wherever you want it on your toolbar.
5. Click "Modify Selection" then "Change Button Image." Select from the buttons (icons) provided and click on it. It will appear in the toolbar beside the word "letterhead".
6. Click "Modify Selection" again. This time, choose "Default Style". The text reading "letterhead" will disappear, leaving only the button image you chose to represent your letter head.
7. Next time you want to write a letter, simply click on that button image and your letter head, formatted exactly as you wanted it, will appear full and complete at the top of your letter.

Tips & Warnings

• You can do this with almost any text or symbol(s) you use frequently. For example, I use what are known as "time breaks" in manuscript formatting. To indicate this, I have created a macro for three asterisks, centered, with one space above and one below. When I reach a point in my manuscript where one is needed, I simply click the little hourglass figure I chose to indicate time break and there it is, with my next paragraph already indented and ready to go.
• You can also make macros for the manes and addresses of business persons and you often write to, such as editors or colleagues. After your macro has put in your letter head, you simply click on another icon or button image you have chosen and the macro you have written to symbolize that person pops their name, address, and even Dear Ms. Whatever if you've set it up that way.
• If you make a mistake in your macro, that is the way it will appear when you run it. To get rid of it and start again, go to Tools>Customize>Macros, and delete the one you've messed up. Also, at Tools>Customize, you can drag the symbol out of the toolbar and just drop it into the middle of the screen where it magically disappears. Have fun, and play around with this till you get all the little shortcuts you want.