Programming a Word template for quotations

Development of a quotation template with Word 2010 and VBA

Troax GmbH (Niedernhausen) submits quotations to its clients in the form of Microsoft Word documents and commissioned eWorks to extend the underlying Word document template. The objective was the simple and time-saving creation of quotations with any number of quotation items that conform to the corporate design (CD) and are also economically correct.

At the start of the project, the client's existing quotation template was analyzed and technically prepared so that its visual appearance could continue to be used (rather than having to be redeveloped). To support editors when creating quotations, the Word ribbon was expanded to include several functions, e.g. to add, automatically number and delete quotation items. As quotations often contain recurring formulations, a button for inserting text modules was also added to the Word ribbon.

The Microsoft Word calculation formulas, which (unlike Excel) do not allow relative references and therefore cannot cope with variable table sizes, soon proved to be a problem. The obvious solution, namely to develop an Excel quotation template, was discussed with the client but rejected for various reasons. In the end, the problem of absolute references was solved by programming some VBA Word macros: the VBA macros developed automatically ensure that the invoice total is automatically recalculated before a document is saved or printed and is therefore always correct.

eWorks supported its client from the analysis and conception of the quotation template to Word VBA programming and commissioning. Since then, Troax GmbH has been using the extended quotation template for the convenient creation of new quotations and benefits from time and cost savings. After commissioning, eWorks is available to its client for questions about operation, troubleshooting (warranty) or any change requests.