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What Is a Macro in Access?
A macro is a saved sequence of built-in actions that runs automatically when triggered — no coding required, and built by choosing named actions rather than recording clicks.
Field Notes: Actions, Not Recordings
An Access macro is a saved sequence of one or more actions, chosen from a large built-in list, that runs automatically whenever you trigger it — clicking a button, or a form opening, for instance. Unlike some other Office macros, which record your mouse clicks and keystrokes directly, an Access macro is built by explicitly choosing named actions from a menu, one step at a time, which tends to make them more reliable and easier to read back later.
Some of the most commonly used actions include OpenForm, OpenReport, OpenQuery, SetValue (changing a field's value), MessageBox (popping up a message for the user), GoToRecord (moving to a specific record), and CloseWindow.
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