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Can you advise me with possible uses, benefits and limitations of Macros within Microsoft Access tasks?

Hi All, Using Microsoft Access in displaying tables for educational assignments, as well as organizing data analysis drives me towards using Microsoft Access. But facing the 'Macros' issues and how much I can use them to conduct my work issues easily became the main concern of mine at present. What are Macros in MS Access? How can I use Macros in Microsoft Access? What possible methods can I apply them in? How can my Access work be effective after using macros? What potential damage could be caused by using macros in MS Access? And how can we avoid such trouble in their use? Lots of questions are scattering around one thing in my mind: "The use of Macros in Microsoft Access", and hope if you could help me in this subject. best wishes, Lubna

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Question added by Lubna Al-Sharif , Medical Laboratory Technician , Nablus Specailized Hospital
Date Posted: 2013/08/01
Mohammed Yaseen MBA  PMP®
by Mohammed Yaseen MBA PMP® , Commercial Officer , Hayat Communications

If you sit in front of a computer screen all day creating reports in Microsoft Excel, you know the power of this software package. But if you aren't using macros yet, you don't know the half of it. Macros automate common and repetitive keystrokes that you use in Excel to create and edit spreadsheets. By reducing the number of keystrokes required to perform common commands, macros speed up your production and reduce the time you have to spend staring at an electronic spreadsheet each day

Macro Basics:

A macro is a term for a series of commands and functions that are stored in a Microsoft Visual Basic module and can be run whenever you need to perform the task associated with those commands. Macros run in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel. Macros can be simple and complex and are created when you record a series of keystrokes using the macro dialogue box.

Macro Benefits:

Macros offer many advantages to those who choose to use them. They reduce the possibility of human error that increases with many, repetitive keystrokes and tasks. Macros reduce the amount of time that must be spent performing basic computing tasks, freeing users up for more complex problem-solving and idea-generating activities. They also make complex computations easier to perform.

>> posted Mohammed Yaseen

 

Anisuddin Siddiqui
by Anisuddin Siddiqui , Sr. Planning Engineer , Southwest Architecture

Lubna Thank you for posing this question.
Micros are wonderful in the sense that they are mini programs to do you task automatically.
These are written and used to carry out routine or special task which occur in your daily work repeatedly.
These are available in almost all applications of MSO family and the concept exists even outside the MSO and has been in existence for many years.
While writing a macro you should carefully watch all steps the micro executes.
It is likely that a micro may cause data corruption or simply deletion if one step somewhere is wrongly recorded.
So first take a backup of your database before trying out a new micro.
Always create a micro with clear steps in mind.
Test it under different situations and then commission it for routine use if it passes your testing.
Best of luck.

VINU PAULOSE
by VINU PAULOSE , Library In Charge , Al Maali International Pvt School

A macro is a name given to a block of C statements as a pre-processor directive.
Being a pre-processor, the block of code is communicated to the compiler before entering into the actual coding (main () function).
.
The advantage of using macro is the execution speed of the program fragment.
When the actual code snippet is to be used, it can be substituted by the name of the macro disadvantage of the macro is the size of the program.
The reason is, the pre-processor will replace all the macros in the program by its real definition prior to the compilation process of the program.

Ahmed Abdel Kader
by Ahmed Abdel Kader , Intraday man at ecco workforce , ecco

you have to get organized with the most useful templates created by Microsoft team on this URL http://office.microsoft.com/en-001/templates/?CTT=97, hope to finds you well and you can visit this site http://chandoo.org/forums/ and create an account to share on a very useful discussions related to perfect excel macros with a very perfect Excel Ninjas, i hope to find what you seek

Saman Jayasekara
by Saman Jayasekara , Regional Finance Manager , Tappoo Group of Companies

When there are changing/volatile variables it will be difficult to run macros since it requires defining variables again & again

Usama Elyamany
by Usama Elyamany , Product Manager , Brmaja

 

What are Macros in MS Access?

 

Macro is a set of ready-made procedures to perform one or more functions to do your repeated tasks

 

How can I use Macros in Microsoft Access?

 

In MS-Access 2007 above you can select [Create] tab then [Macro]

 

Then select needed procedure to do

 

{e.g. OpenReport => "Salaries" }  //Execute salaries report//

 

{e.g. RunMenuCommand => OutputToExcel } //Export report to MS-Excel for modifications//

 

What possible methods can I apply them in?

 

There is many ways to execute macro like:

 

-          Run it directly from [Database Tools] => [Run Macro] then select macro name that already created before.

 

-          Attach macro with event handler in forms and  reports.

 

-          Execute from VBA code.

 

-          Call macro from another one.

 

-          Select macro manually from navigation pane.

 

-          And more…

 

How can my Access work be effective after using macros?

 

Macro can work for you by storing a lot of procedures that you do every day / task and execute them to be completed in seconds.

 

What potential damage could be caused by using macros in MS Access?

 

Viruses and worms can store themselves into macro.

 

how can we avoid such trouble in their use?

 

When execute macro you must verify it before.

 

Don't receive macros from anybody you don't trust.

 

MUHAMMED HARIS MI
by MUHAMMED HARIS MI , Senior Audit Staff , Saud Bahwan Group LLC.

I agree with explanation given by .......@: Abdul Yaseen Mohammed

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