Sub ControlWord()

      Dim oWord As Word.Application
      Dim bWordRunning As Boolean

      ' Needed for error trapping.
      On Error Resume Next

      ' Establish communication between Word and PowerPoint.
      ' Clear the error variable.
      Err.Clear

      ' Check to see whether Word 97 is running.
      Set oWord = GetObject(, "Word.Application.8")
      If Err.Number <> 0 Then
         bWordRunning = False
      Else
         bWordRunning = True
      End If

      ' Reset the error variable.
      Err.Clear

      ' Word is not running, so launch it.
      ' Create a Word object.
      If bWordRunning = False Then
         Set oWord = CreateObject("Word.Application.8")
         ' Check to see whether the Word object was created.

         If Err.Number <> 0 Then
            ' CreateObject failed.
            ' Enter code to handle object creation error.
         End If

      End If

      ' If Word is not running, make it visible.
      If bWordRunning = False Then
         oWord.Visible = True
      End If

      ' Creates a new document and adds the text "Hello World."
      oWord.Documents.Add
      oWord.Selection.Text = "Hello World!"

   End Sub