Three standard activities of an office automation system: data storage of information, data exchange, and data management. Within each broad application area, hardware and software combine to fulfill basic functions.
Data storage usually includes office records and other primary office forms and documents. Data applications involve the capture and editing of files, images, or spreadsheets. Word processing and desktop presentation packages accommodate raw textual and graphical data, while spreadsheet applications provide users with the capacity to engage in the easy manipulation and output of numbers. Image applications allow the capture and editing of visual images.
Text handling software and systems cover the whole field of word processing and desktop publishing. Word processing, the most basic and common office automation activity, is the inputting (usually via keyboard) and manipulation of text on a computer. Today's commercial word processing applications provide users with a sophisticated set of commands to format, edit, and print text documents. One of the most popular features of word processing packages are their preformatted document templates. Templates automatically set up such things as font size, paragraph styles, headers and footers, and page numbers so that the user does not have to reset document characteristics every time they create a new record.
Microsoft Office program is a programming tool called Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) that comes with Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, Power Point, and Visio. Use VBA to automate (make automatic) an Excel routine like updating the fonts and sizes for a range of cells, or automatically pops up a calendar for selecting a date. VBA can make your repeating jobs automatic. It also can customize Excel, Word and other Office procedures for your own needs. From Office version 2000, all the Office programs are equipped with VBA.
VBA can also be used as a tool to automate Word mail-merge or create a text file from a Word document. VBA can even be used as a tool to automate email alert in the Outlook Inbox or scheduling task to do.
VBA can make one application like Excel work with another application like Word and Outlook, or any other combination. To make Excel work or control Word is called Excel automates Word. Likewise, Word works with or controls Outlook is called Word automates Outlook.
There can be many applications of automation that was introduced in the previous paragraph. For example, we can write a VBA application to make Word read an Excel address list that is saved in a spreadsheet, and then show the addresses in the Word document. Also, we can write an application to use Word to automate Outlook for reading the contact and any other data in the Contact or other folders. Or, we can use Outlook to read in Word or Excel scheduling list and use it to schedule tasks in Outlook.
Besides we need to be good at writing programs, keeping our Windows and Office up-to-date is as important. Please remember to visit Microsoft website to do automatic Windows and Office Update at least once a month, which will assure you have the newest fixes and updates.
There are a few examples of VBA solutions and Microsoft Office Automation at www.image7art.com. If you would like to contact us for a free quote on your next automation project, contact us here.
About the Author
Rick Touchstone is a business application automation expert, and has been programming in Microsoft softwares like Visual Basic, Access, Sql Server, Excel VBA, Visio VBA, Crystal Reports and other Microsoft Office Automation for over 12 years.
Article by Rick Touchstone - Image7art Web Solutions
also see - Microsoft Office Automation