Excel 2019 Bible

Chapter 6: Understanding Excel Files and Templates

6

The default workbook and default worksheet templates are discussed in this section.

Custom workbook templates are discussed in the next section.

Using the workbook template to change workbook defaults

Every new workbook that you create starts out with some default settings. For example, the

workbook has one worksheet, the worksheet has gridlines, the page header and footer are

blank, text appears in the font defined in the default Normal style, columns are 8.43 units

wide, and so on. If you’re not happy with any of the default workbook settings, you can

change them by creating a workbook template.

Making changes to Excel’s default workbook is fairly easy to do, and it can save you lots of

time in the long run. Here’s how to change Excel’s workbook defaults:

1. Open a new workbook.


2. Add or delete sheets to give the workbook the number of worksheets that
   you want.


3. Make any other changes that you want to make, which can include column
   widths, named styles, page setup options, and many of the settings that are
   available in the Excel Options dialog box. To change the default formatting
   for cells, choose Home ➪ Styles ➪ Cell Styles and then modify the settings for
   the Normal style. For example, you can change the default font, size, or number
   format.


4. When your workbook is set up to your liking, choose File ➪ Save As ➪ Browse.
   The Save As dialog box appears.


5. Select Excel Template (.xltx) from the Save As Type list. If your template con-
   tains VBA macros, select Excel Macro-Enabled Template (.xltm).


6. Enter book for the filename.

Excel will offer a name, such as Book1.xltx. You must change this name to book.xltx (or book.xltm) if you

want Excel to use your template to set the workbook defaults.

7. Save the file in your XLStart folder (not in the Templates folder that
   Excel proposes).


8. Close the template file.

After you perform the preceding steps, the new default workbook is based on the book.

xltx (or book.xltm) workbook template. You can create a workbook based on your tem-

plate by using any of these methods:

■ (^) Press Ctrl+N.
■ (^) Open Excel without first selecting a workbook to open. This option works only if
you disable the option to show the Start screen when Excel starts. This option is
specified in the General tab of the Excel Options dialog box. (Choose File ➪ Options
to display the Excel Options dialog box.)