The Automation section introduces the concepts of automation, describing how objects from some applications can be integrated with others. Any product that supports Microsoft VBA and automation could be thought of as a customizable solution. It means that any product that supports Microsoft VBA may be modified as desired. This does not, however, refer just to integration with other applications. Much of the customization work of an application involves changing how the product actually functions as well.

Different users of a product may think of customization in different ways: changing menu items, integration with Office products, automating repetitive tasks; and all of these issues may be addressed by using Microsoft VBA and automation. The following table lists potential reasons for seeking to customize a product. Using Microsoft VBA, all of them can be realized.

Modifying the way applications work to match a company’s business rules and processes.

System Architect example: On creating a symbol on a diagram the company naming standard rules are checked and the user flagged if they are broken.

Combining sets of common manual tasks into a series of actions that can be executed over and over.

System Architect example: Printing a user defined series of diagrams.

Adding features to an application that are not available out of the box.

System Architect example: Automatic creation of a Process Map diagram derived from a Process Chart and its assigned roles and their Organizational Units.

Controlling another application to exploit functionality not normally available.

System Architect example: Producing an Excel Spreadsheet of Process versus Entity CRUD information.

Exchanging data with remote databases and applications that are not normally capable of database access.

System Architect example: Automated import of information from diverse sources that cannot usually be imported directly.

Combining System Architect with Microsoft VBA provides the user with a standard Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for creating these customizable solutions by incorporating all the programming developments provided by Microsoft, including IntelliSense and Microsoft forms.