3.6. Creating and Using Templates

Templates in Excel are pre-designed spreadsheets that can be used as a starting point for new projects or tasks. They save time and ensure consistency across multiple workbooks by providing predefined layouts, formulas, styles, and structures. Templates are especially useful when you regularly work with similar types of data, such as invoices, budgets, reports, or financial statements.

This section will guide you through the process of creating your own templates, as well as how to use existing templates in Excel to enhance your productivity.

1. What Are Excel Templates?

An Excel template is a preformatted file that contains built-in features such as:

• Layouts: Predefined structure, such as rows, columns, and headers.
• Styles: Pre-set font styles, colors, and cell formatting.
• Formulas: Preconfigured calculations and functions.
• Charts: Pre-created charts or graphs based on data.
• Data Validation: Pre-applied rules to ensure accurate data entry.
• Pivot Tables: Pre-configured pivot tables and data analysis tools.

Templates can be used to streamline repetitive tasks, maintain consistent formatting, and reduce errors by providing a reliable framework for your data.

2. How to Create a Template

Creating a template in Excel is a straightforward process. Here’s how you can create and save your custom templates for future use:

Step 1: Design the Workbook

• Open a new or existing workbook that contains the structure, formatting, and formulas you want to reuse.
• Organize the layout, add headers, and apply any formatting styles that you want to include in your template. You can also include default data or placeholders that users can fill in.

Step 2: Save the Workbook as a Template

Once your workbook is ready, save it as a template:

1. Go to the File tab in the ribbon.
2. Click Save As.
3. In the Save as Type dropdown menu, select Excel Template (.xltx).
4. Choose a location to save the template (the default location for templates is the "Custom Office Templates" folder).
5. Enter a name for your template and click Save.

Your template is now saved and ready for use.

Step 3: Customize and Test the Template

Before using your template regularly, it’s a good idea to test it to ensure everything works as expected. Open the template, input some test data, and verify that formulas, formatting, and styles are applied correctly.

3. Using Excel Templates

Excel provides a wide range of built-in templates that you can use for various purposes, such as budgeting, invoicing, project management, and more. Here’s how to access and use these templates:

Step 1: Open a Template

1. Open Excel and go to the File tab.
2. Click New.
3. In the New workbook screen, you will see a list of available templates categorized by type (e.g., Budget, Invoice, Calendar).
4. You can search for specific templates by typing a keyword (e.g., “invoice”) in the search box.
5. Select the template you want to use, and click Create to open it.

Step 2: Customize the Template

Once the template is open, you can modify it according to your needs. For example, you can:

• Change titles, headers, and footers.
• Input your own data or adjust formulas.
• Customize formatting (e.g., font, colors, cell borders).
• Replace sample data with real data.

Since the template is a starting point, it’s important to only change what you need while maintaining the overall structure.

Step 3: Save the Customized Template (Optional)

If you’ve made significant changes to an existing template and want to save it for future use, you can save it as a new template:

1. Go to the File tab.
2. Select Save As.
3. In the Save as Type dropdown, choose Excel Template (.xltx).
4. Name the template and save it to the preferred location.

4. Common Types of Templates

Here are a few common types of templates that can help you in various tasks:

• Budget Templates: Pre-configured for tracking income and expenses, these templates help you organize and plan personal or business finances.
• Invoice Templates: Ready-made invoice templates with customizable fields for payment amounts, due dates, and client details.
• Project Management Templates: Templates for managing tasks, deadlines, milestones, and resources. Often includes Gantt charts and task lists.
• Timesheet Templates: For tracking work hours, overtime, and pay calculations. Often used for payroll purposes.
• Calendar Templates: Templates for creating monthly, weekly, or yearly calendars with customizable dates and events.
• Report Templates: Pre-formatted for creating reports such as sales reports, financial summaries, or project updates, with sections for graphs and tables.

5. Advantages of Using Templates

Using Excel templates provides several benefits, including:

• Time-Saving: Templates eliminate the need to recreate the same structure, formulas, and formatting every time you start a new workbook.
• Consistency: Templates help maintain consistent formatting, style, and structure across multiple documents, which is especially important for businesses and teams.
• Error Reduction: By using pre-configured templates with built-in formulas and validation, the chances of errors and inconsistencies are minimized.
• Ease of Use: Templates are user-friendly, and you don’t need advanced Excel skills to use them effectively. Most templates come with intuitive instructions and preset structures.

6. Managing Templates

Finding Templates on Your Computer:

• Templates are typically saved in the "Custom Office Templates" folder. You can access them by navigating to this folder when choosing to open or save a template.

Removing or Deleting Templates:

• If you no longer need a template, you can delete it from your computer by navigating to the location where it’s saved (e.g., "Custom Office Templates") and deleting the file. This won’t affect any workbooks created using that template.

7. Conclusion

Creating and using templates in Excel helps you save time, ensure consistency, and maintain data accuracy across your workbooks. Whether you’re designing your own templates for specific tasks or using one of Excel’s pre-built templates, they are an invaluable tool for enhancing productivity. By applying templates effectively, you can streamline your workflow and focus more on data analysis rather than formatting and setup.