| Text Macro Overview | 
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 How to Access
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Text macros can be used to speed up data entry by automatically inserting commonly used words or phrases when a Macro ID is typed with a space (or certain punctuation marks) immediately after it. For example, you might have a Macro ID named "ASAP" with the text "as soon as possible". When the Macro ID "asap" is typed followed by a space or selected via the Text Macro lookup window, it is automatically replaced with the text "as soon as possible". However, if the Macro ID is typed in with a capital letter (i.e., "ASAP" or "Asap"), then the first word of the replacement text will also be capitalized—"As soon as possible".
Text macros are available in the following areas in Tabs3: the Description fields in the Fee, Cost, Payment, Client Funds, and Tcode data entry windows; the Beginning Statement Notes, Ending Statement Notes and Client Notes fields in the Client file; the Headings and Cover Stmt tabs in Statement Customization; the Text field in the Text Macro Maintenance window; and the Note Text field in the Statement Notes window. Text Macros are also available in Tabs3 Connect.
While in any of these fields, the Macro Lookup option on the right-click shortcut menu or Ctrl+L can be used to open a Text Macro Lookup window that allows you to view a list of macros and select any macro by double-clicking it. Additionally, text macros can be added and edited "on-the-fly" by selecting the Edit Text Macro option from the right-click shortcut menu. You can turn the automatic expansion of text macros on or off by selecting the Auto Text Expansion option from the right-click shortcut menu. The on or off status is indicated by the word MACRO in the status bar. The status is also saved in the current user's user profile for subsequent sessions.
Tip: There may be times when you want to disable automatic text macro expansion. For example, let's say the Auto Text Expansion option is enabled. If you want to type the Macro ID "ASAP" without having it expanded, you can type "ASAP" and then press Ctrl+Spacebar. The text will not be expanded and the Auto Text Expansion option will remain enabled. Conversely, you can expand a text macro when the Auto Text Expansion option is disabled. For example, let's say the Auto Text Expansion option is disabled. You can type "ASAP" and then press Ctrl+Spacebar to expand the "ASAP" macro. The Auto Text Expansion option will remain disabled.
Note: If an apostrophe is used immediately after typing a macro, when the space bar is pressed, the macro will not expand. For example let's say you have a Macro ID set up as "Mg" for "Manager". If you want to be able to type "Mg's" and have it expand to "Manager's", you will need to set up a separate text macro with a Macro ID of "Mg's" and Text of "Manager's".
Note: Macro text behaves differently when rich text formatting is used within the macro text. If rich text formatting is used in a text macro, then using the Macro ID during data entry will cause the cursor to drop to the following line when pressing space, or place the cursor inside of the expanded text when pressing Enter.
Note: Once a new macro has been added, all users will have access to that macro. However, the macro will not automatically expand for other users until they have closed and reopened the software.
| See also: | Illegal Macro Characters |
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