Using Word macros to customize your Word output

Publishing

You can customize your word outputs via after publishing actions and Word Macros. This is a great option for performing formating that can't be done in Author, or for formatting multiple different word outputs (for example, by setting up multiple publishing profiles and applying different Word macros to them).

Note: Word macros are complicated, and have endless variations. Too many for us to provide troubleshooting steps for. If your organisation chooses to use Word macros, make sure whoever's creating them is confident with Visual Basic, and able to troubleshoot issues themselves.

Add the Macro to your Word template

  1. Find the Word template you're using for your Word publishing profile, or profiles.
  2. Copy the file, so that if anything goes wrong you can still use the original.
  3. Open the template.
  4. Follow Microsoft's steps for writing a macro from scratch in Visual Basic.
  5. In Visual Basic, name the Macro's module AuthorIT.

    Warning! The module must be called AuthorIT, including that precise capitalization. If you use any other name, publishing profiles won't publish if they use this Word template.

  6. Write your Word Macro.

    Tip! For an example of this setup, open one of the example templates in Author-it Cloud. These templates have this macro setup, and the beginnings of a before publish macro and an after publish macro.