Do you use macros that you've written yourself while working with Microsoft Office programs and get frustrated with security warnings popping up about macros? You may even have recorded macros in Office by stepping through actions that the program saves for you, but you've still been bothered by those security warnings.

There is a solution to your problem: You need to use signed macros. Find out how self-signing works, and how you can sign your own macros.

To learn more about this course, read the overview in the center of this page or the table of contents in the left column. Then click Next to start the first lesson.

The processes in this course apply to Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Microsoft Word. You can also use them in Microsoft Access, but there are occasions when you will have to use Medium security in Access — for example, when creating new files. The practice session requires Microsoft Office Excel 2003.

You should have a comprehensive understanding of macros, macro security levels, and trusted publishers, or have taken one of these three courses:

• Help protect yourself: Security in Office
• Help secure and protect data in Excel
• Access Security I: Introduction to security

You will need administrator rights to your computer to be able to install the SelfCert.exe file. If you're not sure whether you have administrator rights to your computer, talk to the person who's in charge of the computers in your office.