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You can automate tasks with a macro for those tasks you perform repeatedly in Microsoft PowerPoint. A macro is a series of commands that is stored in a Microsoft Visual Basic (Microsoft Visual Basic: A high-level, visual-programming version of Basic. Visual Basic was developed by Microsoft for building Windows-based applications.) module and can be run whenever you need to perform the task.

Recording macros

When you record a macro, PowerPoint stores information about each step you take as you perform a series of commands. You then run the macro to repeat or "play back" the commands. If you make a mistake when you record the macro, corrections you make are also recorded. Visual Basic stores each macro in a new module (module: A collection of declarations, statements, and procedures stored together as one named unit. There are two types of modules: standard modules and class modules.) attached to a presentation.

Making a macro easy to run

You can run a macro by choosing it from a list in the Macro dialog box. To make a macro run whenever you click a particular button or press a particular key combination, you can assign the macro to a toolbar (toolbar: A bar with buttons and options that you use to carry out commands. To display a toolbar, click Customize on the Tools menu, and then click the Toolbars tab.) button, a keyboard shortcut (shortcut key: A function key or key combination, such as F5 or CTRL+A, that you use to carry out a menu command. In contrast, an access key is a key combination, such as ALT+F, that moves the focus to a menu, command, or control.), or an object (object: A table, chart, graphic, equation, or other form of information. Objects created in one application, for example spreadsheets, and linked or embedded in another application are OLE objects.) in a presentation.

Managing your macros

After you record a macro, you can view the macro code with the Microsoft Visual Basic Editor (Visual Basic Editor: An environment in which you write new and edit existing Visual Basic for Applications code and procedures. The Visual Basic Editor contains a complete debugging toolset for finding syntax, run-time, and logic problems in your code.) to correct errors or change what the macro does.

The Visual Basic Editor is a program designed to make writing and editing macro code easy for beginners, and provides plenty of online Help. You don't have to learn how to program or use the Visual Basic language to make simple changes to your macros. With the Visual Basic Editor, you can edit macros, copy macros from one module to another, copy macros between different presentations, rename the modules that store the macros, or rename the macros.

Macro security

PowerPoint provides safeguards against viruses (virus: A computer program or macro that "infects" computer files by inserting copies of itself into those files. When the infected file is loaded into memory, the virus can infect other files. Viruses often have harmful side effects.) that can be transmitted by macros. If you share macros with others, you can certify them with a digital signature (digital signature: An electronic, encryption-based, secure stamp of authentication on a macro or document. This signature confirms that the macro or document originated from the signer and has not been altered.) so that other users can verify that they are from a trustworthy source. Whenever you open a presentation that contains macros, you can verify their source before you enable them.