VBScript Word.Application Object

last modified April 9, 2025

The Word.Application object in VBScript provides automation capabilities for Microsoft Word. It allows scripts to create, modify, and control Word documents programmatically. This object is part of Word's COM automation interface. It enables full control over Word's functionality.

With Word.Application, you can generate reports, format text, and manipulate documents. This tutorial covers the object with practical examples. You'll learn to automate common Word tasks through VBScript.

Word.Application Object Overview

The Word.Application object represents the Word application itself. It provides access to documents, templates, and Word's features. The object model includes Documents, Selection, and Range objects. These allow precise document manipulation.

Key properties include Visible to control the UI display and Documents to access open files. Methods like Quit close Word programmatically. Understanding this object enables powerful document automation.

Creating a New Word Document

This example demonstrates creating a new Word document using VBScript. It shows basic Word.Application object initialization. The script creates a visible Word instance and adds a blank document. This is the foundation for Word automation.

Set wordApp = CreateObject("Word.Application")
wordApp.Visible = True ' Make Word visible
Set newDoc = wordApp.Documents.Add()

' Add some text to the document
wordApp.Selection.TypeText "Hello, Word Automation!"
wordApp.Selection.TypeParagraph

' Save and close
newDoc.SaveAs "C:\Temp\NewDocument.docx"
newDoc.Close
wordApp.Quit

Set newDoc = Nothing
Set wordApp = Nothing

The script creates a Word application object and makes it visible. It adds a new document and inserts text. The document is saved and closed properly. Always release objects to free resources.

Opening and Modifying an Existing Document

This example shows how to open an existing Word document and modify it. The script demonstrates file opening and text manipulation. It finds and replaces text in the document. This is useful for template processing.

Set wordApp = CreateObject("Word.Application")
wordApp.Visible = True

' Open existing document
Set doc = wordApp.Documents.Open("C:\Temp\ReportTemplate.docx")

' Replace placeholder text
With doc.Content.Find
    .Text = "[COMPANY_NAME]"
    .Replacement.Text = "ACME Corporation"
    .Execute Replace:=2 ' wdReplaceAll
End With

' Save changes
doc.SaveAs "C:\Temp\FinalReport.docx"
doc.Close
wordApp.Quit

Set doc = Nothing
Set wordApp = Nothing

The script opens a template document and replaces placeholder text. The Find object provides powerful search capabilities. Changes are saved to a new file. The original template remains unchanged.

Formatting Document Text

This example demonstrates text formatting in a Word document. It shows font property manipulation and paragraph formatting. The script creates a document with styled text. Formatting includes font, size, and color.

Set wordApp = CreateObject("Word.Application")
wordApp.Visible = True
Set doc = wordApp.Documents.Add()

' Format heading
With wordApp.Selection
    .Font.Name = "Arial"
    .Font.Size = 16
    .Font.Bold = True
    .Font.Color = RGB(0, 0, 255) ' Blue
    .TypeText "Document Title"
    .TypeParagraph
End With

' Format body text
With wordApp.Selection
    .Font.Name = "Calibri"
    .Font.Size = 11
    .TypeText "This is formatted body text."
    .TypeParagraph
End With

doc.SaveAs "C:\Temp\FormattedDocument.docx"
doc.Close
wordApp.Quit

Set doc = Nothing
Set wordApp = Nothing

The script creates a document with styled heading and body text. Font properties are set using the Font object. RGB values specify text color. Each formatting block applies to subsequent text.

Creating a Table in Word

This example demonstrates table creation in a Word document. It shows how to add a table and populate it with data. The script creates a 3x3 table with formatted cells. Tables are useful for data presentation.

Set wordApp = CreateObject("Word.Application")
wordApp.Visible = True
Set doc = wordApp.Documents.Add()

' Add a table (3 rows, 3 columns)
Set myTable = doc.Tables.Add(wordApp.Selection.Range, 3, 3)

' Populate and format table
With myTable
    ' Header row
    .Cell(1, 1).Range.Text = "Product"
    .Cell(1, 2).Range.Text = "Price"
    .Cell(1, 3).Range.Text = "Stock"
    
    ' Data rows
    .Cell(2, 1).Range.Text = "Laptop"
    .Cell(2, 2).Range.Text = "$999"
    .Cell(2, 3).Range.Text = "15"
    
    .Cell(3, 1).Range.Text = "Mouse"
    .Cell(3, 2).Range.Text = "$25"
    .Cell(3, 3).Range.Text = "42"
    
    ' Apply formatting
    .Range.Font.Name = "Calibri"
    .Range.Font.Size = 11
    .Rows(1).Range.Font.Bold = True
End With

doc.SaveAs "C:\Temp\TableDocument.docx"
doc.Close
wordApp.Quit

Set myTable = Nothing
Set doc = Nothing
Set wordApp = Nothing

The script creates a table and populates it with product data. Cell references use row and column indices. Formatting is applied to both the table and specific rows. Tables provide structured data presentation in documents.

Generating a Multi-page Report

This example creates a complete multi-page report with various elements. It combines text, formatting, tables, and page breaks. The script demonstrates comprehensive document automation. Reports can be generated automatically with this approach.

Set wordApp = CreateObject("Word.Application")
wordApp.Visible = True
Set doc = wordApp.Documents.Add()

' Add title
With wordApp.Selection
    .Font.Name = "Arial"
    .Font.Size = 18
    .Font.Bold = True
    .ParagraphFormat.Alignment = 1 ' wdAlignParagraphCenter
    .TypeText "Quarterly Sales Report"
    .TypeParagraph
    .Font.Size = 12
    .Font.Bold = False
    .TypeText "Q1 2025"
    .TypeParagraph
    .TypeParagraph
End With

' Add summary section
With wordApp.Selection
    .Font.Name = "Calibri"
    .Font.Size = 12
    .Font.Bold = True
    .TypeText "Executive Summary:"
    .TypeParagraph
    .Font.Bold = False
    .TypeText "Sales increased by 15% compared to last quarter."
    .TypeParagraph
    .TypeParagraph
End With

' Add sales table
Set salesTable = doc.Tables.Add(wordApp.Selection.Range, 5, 3)
With salesTable
    .Cell(1, 1).Range.Text = "Product"
    .Cell(1, 2).Range.Text = "Q4 2024"
    .Cell(1, 3).Range.Text = "Q1 2025"
    
    ' Fill table data
    .Cell(2, 1).Range.Text = "Product A"
    .Cell(2, 2).Range.Text = "$45,000"
    .Cell(2, 3).Range.Text = "$52,000"
    
    .Cell(3, 1).Range.Text = "Product B"
    .Cell(3, 2).Range.Text = "$32,000"
    .Cell(3, 3).Range.Text = "$38,500"
    
    .Cell(4, 1).Range.Text = "Product C"
    .Cell(4, 2).Range.Text = "$28,000"
    .Cell(4, 3).Range.Text = "$29,750"
    
    .Cell(5, 1).Range.Text = "Total"
    .Cell(5, 2).Range.Text = "$105,000"
    .Cell(5, 3).Range.Text = "$120,250"
    
    ' Format table
    .Range.Font.Name = "Calibri"
    .Range.Font.Size = 11
    .Rows(1).Range.Font.Bold = True
    .Rows(5).Range.Font.Bold = True
End With

' Add page break and appendix
wordApp.Selection.InsertBreak 7 ' wdPageBreak

With wordApp.Selection
    .Font.Name = "Calibri"
    .Font.Size = 14
    .Font.Bold = True
    .TypeText "Appendix: Detailed Metrics"
    .TypeParagraph
    .Font.Size = 11
    .Font.Bold = False
    .TypeText "Additional data available upon request."
    .TypeParagraph
End With

' Save final report
doc.SaveAs "C:\Temp\QuarterlyReport.docx"
doc.Close
wordApp.Quit

Set salesTable = Nothing
Set doc = Nothing
Set wordApp = Nothing

The script generates a complete sales report with multiple sections. It includes formatted text, a data table, and page breaks. The report demonstrates professional document automation. All elements are created programmatically without user interaction.

Source

Word.Application Object Documentation

In this article, we have explored the Word.Application object in VBScript. From basic document creation to complex report generation, these examples demonstrate powerful Word automation. With this knowledge, you can automate document processing tasks efficiently. VBScript and Word automation provide robust solutions for business needs.

Author

My name is Jan Bodnar and I am a passionate programmer with many years of programming experience. I have been writing programming articles since 2007. So far, I have written over 1400 articles and 8 e-books. I have over eight years of experience in teaching programming.

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