Digital Code Authentication with Visual Basic for Applications

Sign Code with Microsoft Office 2007/VBA Documents

Code signing certificates can be used with Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications to digitally sign Microsoft Office Macros, among many other possible functions (certificates will work across platforms with most potential code signing applications).

This guide should get you started signing your Office 2007 macros with Microsoft Visual Basic.

  1. Before you can use the code signing feature with Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications, make sure you have the Developer tab enabled in the Microsoft Office application.

    To enable the Developer tab in Microsoft Word 2007, right click in the ribbon above the toolbar and choose the option to "Customize Quick Access Toolbar."

    Go to the "Popular" tab on the top left, then choose "Show Developer tab in the Ribbon."

  2. In your document, go to the Developer tab, and then choose the Visual Basic link on the far left.

  3. In the new Microsoft Visual Basic window, go ahead and right click on the Microsoft Word Objects folder on the left hand side and choose Insert > Module.

  4. Once you have code that is ready to sign, you can go ahead and assign a digital certificate from the Tools menu at the top by selecting "Digital Signature."

  5. You will now have the option to choose a certificate to use as a code signing certificate for this project.

    All valid certificates installed to your machine with code signing enabled will be displayed to you. Choose the appropriate certificate from this list, then choose OK twice to use this certificate with this project.

    Congratulations! Your code signing certificate should have worked successfully, and after being prompted once the first time you open your file, should be able to work in the future without additional prompts or warnings.

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