Scanning into Microsoft Office 2010

So it appears that Microsoft removed the ability to scan directly into a document in Office 2007.

It’s a pretty silly move I suppose, so I tried to work out a way to bring the functionality back, first of all, here’s how Microsoft suggests you should do it: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/924462
Step 1: Use the software that was included with your scanner to scan and save the image to your computer.

… Yeah, no thanks.

Here’s two actual solutions to the problem:

Option 1: Using a Key Combo

Install your scanner drivers as per normal.
In Word, press the alt key and type ips (note: don’t hold them down or it won’t work, just type out ips).

Word will then pop up asking you what scanner you want to use. It didn’t bring up the scanner interface on the machine I was working with, it just went right ahead and scanned the whole document, so this may not be the best solution for some. Note that the next solution is more difficult and does exactly the same thing as this one.

Source: Comments on this page: http://www.pcpro.co.uk/realworld/360373/how-to-scan-into-word-2010

Option 2: Creating a button on the Ribbon

This option is a lot more complicated, make sure you get all the steps right and in order! When you’re done you’ll have a button on your Insert tab of the Ribbon.

  1. Open Word and go to the View Tab then click on Macros.
  2. Give the macro a name (eg. Scan)
  3. Enter the following text EXACTLY:  Application.WordBasic.InsertImagerScan
  4. Save and Close the Window
  5. Right click anywhere on the Ribbon and Select “Customise the Ribbon”
  6. On the right hand pane, click on the Insert category and click New Group.
  7. Rename the Group to anything you like (eg. Scan)
  8. On the Left Hand Pane, Change the drop down box at the top to Macros then select the Macro you made in step 2-4 and click the Add button (so it appears underneath the scan group you made in Step 6.
  9. Rename it to something better like “Scan Document” and pick a pretty picture for it.
  10. Click Okay and you’re done!

Now you can just click the button to Scan a document. It’s exactly the same as the alt-ips option above though, but might be easier for people to remember so they can click the button.

Source: http://www.pcpro.co.uk/realworld/360373/how-to-scan-into-word-2010

If this helped you, please leave a comment to say thanks 😀

Ducky

33 comments

charles grieco

Thank you very much. I am having a bit of a problem though. When I click on scan on the ribbon a box shows up saying runtime error 4248, no document is open. Please help if possible. Charlie

charles grieco

Hello again. I forgot to mention one thing, I am using the trial version, again thank you

You’re getting that error because you don’t have a document open.
You need to open a document first, then choose the scan option.
Source: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/813983

Ducky

Thanks Duck, this was helpful, as was this article
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/realworld/360373/how-to-scan-into-word-2010

If I run this and click Cancel on the Insert from Scanner or camera dialog, it gives me Run time error 102 – command failed. Do you have any tips on error handling this type of return from the macro?

Thanks,

Dave.

Yeah I’m not to sure about that one, why would you be clicking Cancel from it anyway?

It already did feel like a bit of a dodgy implementation when I used it too 😐

Thanks,

Ducky

I create the macro per your instructions and it works great, but when I close out the scan or just cancel, I get the out run time error 102.

I just installed Windows 8 pro and win8 stripped all my applications. So I re-installed Office 2010 Pro.

Any suggestion? Not a big deal, but like Microsoft, it is a nuisance more than again else.

You can also make a keyboard shortcut using the menus:
File | Options | Customize Ribbon | Keyboard shortcuts: Customize | Categories: All Commands | Commands: InsertImagerScan

Then assign this to a shortcut you would like to use in the Press new shortcut key field

Exactly what I needed – thank you!

Many thanks for this, I’d created a shortcut keyboard combo but really wanted a button. I had tried to make a button from another site but found it difficult to follow and your method was a breeze.

Just what I needed. Tried the alt ips. Worked like a champ. Thank you so much. Will try to add the button later. So stupid to leave insert from scanner out.

This was very helpful. I also solve the error problem. All you need to do is edit the macros and put in the “ON ERROR RESUME NEXT” above the “APPLICATION.WORDBASIC.INSERTIMAGERSCAN”. That’s all. Thank you.

Cool, thanks for that Lan!

Thanks! It worked nicely.

I was getting the 102 also but your “On error resume next” solved that. Thank you!

alt ips starts the scan process but Word2010 “stopped working” and closes. reason 2011 why microsoft sucks. Thanks anyway.

That could also be your scanner driver crapping it out, afaik Word will be frozen until the Scanner Driver has finished its work… Maybe try reinstalling your scanner drivers?

Thanks Duck, it works fine.

Thanks, this worked PERFECTLY!

Thanks a lot, it worked nicely. You were a great help to me.

Thanks Mate the Alt (I then P then S) worked … I wonder y they didnt make a tool for this … just makes you wonder !!!

Thanks! I followed the macro instructions and it worked perfectly.

Thanks!!

Thanks buddy.

I was trying to use option 2 because I forgot my shortcut keys I use to scan, but now it is saying an error occur while acquiring the image, I never had this issue. I do not know if something went wrong while creating the Macro step, but I really need this to be fix!

suhail ali

i treid both and the first one works perfectly,but when i tried second one ,step by step ,afetr finished all steps the scan button appears in insert menu,then i click on scan button ,but noting happens ,what is the problem

suhail ali

i treid both methods and the first one works perfectly. Then i tried second one,step by step ,after finished all steps the scan button appears in insert menu in ms word 2010,then i click on scan button ,but noting happens ,what is the problem.may be i misswed some thing.please help me

Thanks guys

Option one did not work but option two was great
Cheers

Always learning.
Came across your tips in a GOOGLE search. Both worked great! Thanks for sharing!

Charles DiGiovanna

You left out some steps.
View Macros
Click on Macros
Click on Create
Give the new macro a Name
VBA must open otherwise it has to be installed
Then copy the command
Save the new macro

Ziad Bouji

What can I say but thank you very much. You saved my day. Desperate to scan in short time rather than a twisted way and voilà, a solution was provided so simple.

Syed Husain

How can I get a macro to run in excel 2013 –
Application.WordBasic.InsertImagerScan does not work

Alt ips works in excel but I cannot get it into a macro

Would appreciate your help – Otherwise GREAT help

Option 1 worked first time.=, Great!
Option 2 did not fire the printer – there must be a step missing?
Application.WordBasic.InsertImagerScan()

Both options worked like charm. Thanks for the post .

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