Centralized VBA code for multiple Word files

Question

I have multiple files with the same VBA code in them, which will most likely have to be changed over time. I don't want to go one by one and c/p the code, so one obvious idea that came to mind is to have one centralized document with the code (template?) that all files refer to.

I found a few topics here at stackoverflow, but none of them work for me or are inconclusive:

Run external vba-code in MS Word

Centralized VBA code (one file) for multiple workbooks

Calling an External VBA from VBScript

Any ideas?

Answer 1

Yes, your idea of centralizing the code in a template and attaching that template to the various Word docs will work. These pics are using Word 2007 but I think it's pretty similar for newer versions. First create a new document and put the code in a Module (named "CommonFunctions" in the picture):

Save the doc as a macro-enabled template:

Now make a new document, save it as a *.docm (necessary for it to run code because a *.docx is macro-free), and attach the document template as shown below. (An alternative is to put the *.dotm file in the startup directory C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP, which loads it automatically.) If you don't put it in the Startup, you'll see the name but it won't be loaded (ie, checked), but you can load it in code, as I'll show.

Make a user form in this document:

Put this code for the button's click event:

If AddIns("c:\_b\MasterDocWithFunctions.dotm").Installed = False Then
    AddIns("c:\_b\MasterDocWithFunctions.dotm").Installed = True
End If

Application.Run "CommonFunctions.Test1"
Application.Run "CommonFunctions.Test2"

Notice how the code can load the AddIn for you, because it won't be automatically loaded unless you put it in the Startup directory. This pic shows how the AddIn is referenced but not loaded. You need the checkbox to be able to call code in it. If you don't load it using code and don't put it in the Startup, then the user will have to manually put a checkmark everytime the document opens.

Now the form should work when you click the button. Notice how it can call both public and private functions. The Private keyword definitely shields one module from another, but it seems like modules that are called from an AddIn are considered to be part of the same module, not sure why? Also if you don't put Public or Private at all then VBA considers it Public, I'm pretty sure.