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Microsoft Excel 2007 Templates (Level 3)

Contents
Introduction ..............................................................................................................1 Workbook Templates ............................................................................................1 Creating a Workbook using a Template .........................................2 Worksheet Templates ............................................................................................2 Changing the Default Template .........................................................................2

Introduction
Microsoft Excel lets you create your own templates for both new workbooks and new worksheets. These templates can store various characteristics including:
Data and Graphics - eg data, formulae, charts, page headers/footers Formatting - eg cell/sheet formats, cell styles, page formats, the number of sheets in a workbook, protected or hidden areas of a worksheet Toolbar and Option settings - eg custom toolbar, macros, calculation and display options

This document shows you how to create your own workbook and worksheet templates. It also shows you how (on a non-public PC) to make these templates the defaults, so that every new workbook and/or worksheet automatically has the characteristics you have set up.

Workbook Templates
To create a workbook template you simply create a new file with all the characteristics required and then save it as a template. 1. Start up Excel as usual then press <Ctrl n> for a new workbook 2. Set up the new workbook exactly as you require it - or follow steps 3 to 7 below 3. Right click on the Sheet1 tab and Rename it as Spring (and press <Enter>) 4. Repeat step 3 on the other named sheets naming them Summer and Autumn 5. Repeat step 3 on the fourth (Insert Worksheet) tab and call it Winter 6. Colour each tab appropriately (eg green, yellow, brown and white) by right clicking on the tab and choosing Tab Color then selecting the colour 7. Colour each worksheet to match - press <Ctrl a> to select the cells then click on the list arrow attached to the [Fill Color] button in the Font group on the Home tab and select a colour

Once you have finished setting up your workbook: 8. Click on the [Office Button] and choose Save 9. Change Save as type: to Excel Template (*.xltx) - or to an Excel Macro-Enabled Template (*.xltm) file if it contains a macro (save as a .xlt file if it is to be used in Excel 97-2003) 10. Supply a File name: (eg Seasons) then press <Enter> for [Save] 11. [Close] the template file window - but leave Excel running Tip: By default, templates are saved in a special Templates folder. Change the location to My Documents if you want to find it more easily. Note that Worksheet Templates (see below) must be saved in the Templates folder.

Creating a Workbook using a Template

It's now time to try out your template. The instructions which follow show you how to create an ordinary workbook and one using the new template. 1. Press <Ctrl n> for a new file - a normal workbook opens 2. Click on the [Office Button] button and choose New - the New Workbook dialog box appears 3. Under the Templates heading select My templates... (or select New from existing if you saved the template in My Documents) 4. Now select the new template (Seasons.xltx) then press <Enter> for [OK] This time a new workbook is opened, with four sheets suitably named and coloured. 5. [Close] the new workbook (there's no need to save it)

Worksheet Templates
Creating a worksheet template is done much in the same way except that you usually only have a single sheet in the file used for the template. You can, however, have several sheets, so rather than create a new file lets make use of Seasons.xltx: 1. Using the empty (normal) workbook, right click on any sheet tab and choose Insert... 2. Select the new template (Seasons.xltx) then press <Enter> for [OK] The four worksheets matching the template area added to the workbook. 3. [Close] the workbook (there's no need to save it) Tip: Any Excel workbook can be used as a template (it doesnt have to be a template file (ie .xltx). To do this, save (or copy) the file into C:\Documents and Settings\user_name\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates

Changing the Default Template

If you create a template called Book.xltx in the XLstart folder then, each time you open Excel or add a new worksheet, the settings in that file override the default settings. The file must reside in this special folder, which is in C:\Documents and Settings\user_name\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel\XLstart. On the public PCs you do not have the privileges to create this file but, you can on your own PC, if you so choose. Trademark owned by Microsoft Corporation. Screen shot(s) reprinted by permission from Microsoft Corporation. Copyright 2008: The University of Reading Last Revised: August 2010