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Smart & Easy Software Tips: Excel Default Workbook
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Smart & Easy Software Tips, Tricks, Tools & Techniques
2006 - Issue #6, Volume 3
Publisher: Dawn Bjork Buzbee mailto:Dawn@SoftwarePro.com
The Software Pro(R), Certified Microsoft Office Expert
http://www.SoftwarePro.com
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In This Issue: Microsoft Excel-Customizing the Default Workbook
* Creating Your Own Excel Default Workbook
* How to Apply Changes to Multiple Cells and/or Worksheets
* Saving the Default Workbook
* Working on a Network
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Creating Your Own Excel Default Workbook
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When you create a new Excel workbook, you get a standard default workbook. But what if you don't like this workbook or spend too much time fixing your worksheets? Maybe you have a standard header you always (or almost always) use on printed pages of your workbook. Or possibly you prefer a different default font style or size or typically modify the layout of column widths in your worksheets.
As it turns out, Excel gives you quite a bit of control over the look and layout of your worksheets. It's fairly straightforward to create an entirely customized default workbook. The trick behind this magic is creating a template file named BOOK.XLT, and then saving this file to the appropriate location on your computer.
To create a new default workbook template, all you need to do is customize a blank workbook exactly as you want it to look. Some Excel workbook elements you might change:
* Font style and font size: Highlight the portions of the worksheet you want to change and choose Format > Cells. Select your preferences for number, alignment, and font formatting.
* Print settings: Select one or more worksheets and then choose File > Page Setup to specify print settings including the header and footer, margins and orientation, and indicate other print layout choices.
* Number of sheets: Add or delete worksheets, re-name sheet tabs, and even change worksheet tab color.
* Column widths and layout: If you normally prefer different column widths, select the columns or even the entire worksheet and then modify the column width.
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How to Apply Changes to Multiple Cells and/or Worksheets
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To apply formatting changes to every cell, column, or row, first highlight all cells with Select All (press [Ctrl] + A). When you are done, press [Ctrl] + [Home] to clear the cell highlights.
To apply changes such as formatting or print settings to multiple worksheets in a workbook, right-click on any sheet tab then left-click on Select All Sheets. When you have finished your changes, left-click again on any sheet tab to clear the worksheet grouping.
You don't need to create a new default workbook if all you want to do is change the number of worksheets in a new workbook. Select Tools > Options. Choose the General tab and specify the desired number of sheets in the "Sheets in New Workbook" setting.
Any new worksheets you insert into your custom default workbook will revert back to the original formatting and layout. If you may want to add extra worksheets to the original workbook, reserve an extra or master worksheet you can copy as desired (Edit > Move or Copy Sheet).
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Saving the Default Workbook
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When the new default workbook is set up to your preferences, choose File > Save As. In the Save As dialog box:
1. In the Save As Type drop-down list, select Template (*.xlt).
2. Enter the name BOOK.XLT
3. The file needs to be saved in your XLSTART directory. If you work with Office 2003, the XLSTART directory is usually found under C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\XLSTART.
If you can't locate the directory, search your hard drive for the folder.
After you save the template file, you can close it. Now, every time you start Excel, the blank workbook that's displayed will be based on the template you created. In addition, when you click the New button (or press [Ctrl] + N), the new workbook will be created from your template.
As always, this or any other default workbook can still be individually customized as needed.
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Working on a Network
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Creating and saving a custom default Excel workbook only changes the default workbook on the active computer and does not affect the default workbook used by others on your computer network. You can, however, share your new custom workbook by copying your BOOK.XLT file to the proper location on another computer.
If your Excel XLSTART directory is on a network, you may not have permission to save files there. Instead, you can create a startup directory on your own system with any name you want and store the BOOK.XLT file in this new directory. The directory name you choose doesn't matter, but you will need to tell Excel where it is. Pick Tools > Options, and then click the General tab. In the "At Startup, open all files in" field, enter the complete path to your new directory.
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Customizing the Excel default workbook is a great timesaver and a quick and easy way to apply your personal preferences to your work.
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Please pass this along to others who may appreciate it!
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