Template file location

[Jim Peterson]

Hi everyone and thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

I am using XP Pro and Office Pro 2003.

On my hard drive, I have always saved all data files under one directory
called "Data Files". Original name, huh?

Anyhow, under "Data Files" are sub directories for Word, Excel, Publisher,
etc. and then more sub directories as needed. The obvious reason for this is
ease of backup. I only have to backup one directory to capture all of my
created files.

The problem is with my user created templates. In Word, on the menu bar, I
can access Tools|Options|File Locations tab and it will let me specify
(change) the file location for all my Word templates. I now save them all in
my Data Files\Templates\Word directory.

Can I do the same thing in Excel? The only place I can even finds any file
location options is under the Tools|Options|General tab, but I don't see any
way to edit the templates location/directory.

I would like to be able to store my Excel templates in Date
Files\Templates\Excel if that is possible.

Any help or ideas? Thanks again if anybody has any suggestions.

Jim

 

[Jacob Skaria]

The default template location for MSOffice applications is

C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates\

The User template location in MS Word is common for MS Office products; if
you change that in MS Word; Excel,Powerpoint and all MSOffice Applications
will take that as the template location. You can try that in Excel or
PowerPoint while you try to change the file type to .xlt/.pptx the default
folder is the same. If you are familar with VBA; you can retreive the
templates path for MS Office using
Application.TemplatesPath

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[Jim Peterson]

Thanks for the reply Jacob.

As it stands now, my templates are in two locations:

First, all the templates are located in C:\Documents and
Settings\<username>\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates\ as they always have
been. (I have not deleted these until I know everything is functioning
properly.)

Secondly, I have copied all of them to C:\Data Files\Templates\Word or Excel
depending on the type of file.

Now, when I create a new Word template, it saves to the C:\Data
Files\Templates\Word location and does not save to the C:\Documents and
Settings\<username>\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates\ location. When I
ask to open a Word template it automatically goes to the C:\Data Files...
location which is what I want it to do.

However, Excel is not working this way. After reading your reply, to test
what was happening, I created a new Excel template and saved it. It saved to
the C:\Data Files... location and not to the C:\Documents and Settings...
location. This seemed to be working as you suggested it would.

But now, when I try to create a new workbook by selecting File|New and then
"On my computer..." on the task pane, none of my templates are displayed in
the dialog box that opens.

Similarly, when I have an open workbook, right click on a tab and select
"Insert..." I get the same empty dialog box.

I think I'm probably on the right track, but just have a setting that isn't
selected correctly.

Any ideas?

And thanks for your help and advice,
Jim

 

[Jim Peterson]

Thanks for the reply Jacob.

As it stands now, my templates are in two locations:

First, all the templates are located in C:\Documents and
Settings\<username>\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates\ as they always have
been. (I have not deleted these until I know everything is functioning
properly.)

Secondly, I have copied all of them to C:\Data Files\Templates\Word or Excel
depending on the type of file.

Now, when I create a new Word template, it saves to the C:\Data
Files\Templates\Word location and does not save to the C:\Documents and
Settings\<username>\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates\ location. When I
ask to open a Word template it automatically goes to the C:\Data Files...
location which is what I want it to do.

However, Excel is not working this way. After reading your reply, to test
what was happening, I created a new Excel template and saved it. It saved to
the C:\Data Files... location and not to the C:\Documents and Settings...
location. This seemed to be working as you suggested it would.

But now, when I try to create a new workbook by selecting File|New and then
"On my computer..." on the task pane, none of my templates are displayed in
the dialog box that opens.

Similarly, when I have an open workbook, right click on a tab and select
"Insert..." I get the same empty dialog box.

I think I'm probably on the right track, but just have a setting that isn't
selected correctly.

Any ideas?

And thanks for your help and advice,
Jim

 

[Jacob Skaria]

The templates on the task pane are from

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Templates\1033

which comes along with the installation..


If this post helps click Yes

 

[Jacob Skaria]

Hope you have checked..
MSWord>Tools>Options>Workgroup templates....

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[RagDyeR]

This is copied from an old post of mine.

It explains some procedures and how XL treats templates in a template file,


<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<


BUT, there *are* numerous ways to network your XL templates, probably the
easiest of which is to use the MS Office route by going through Word, which
is why I asked if you had it.


I hope that you *do realize* however, that you must go to *every* machine on
your LAN that you wish to have access to this template file. That would
have also been necessary *even* with the procedure that you originally
tried.
Let's put it this way:
Every *machine* on the LAN will need this file adjustment, whether it's
done by you, or you trust your users to do this themselves.
It is *easy*!


Close XL.
From *Word*:
<Tools> <Options> <File Locations> tab,


In the left column, among others, you will see:
User Templates
WorkGroup Templates


There should be an entry in the right column for "User Templates".
There should be *no* entry in the right column for "WorkGroup Templates".


Click on "WorkGroup Templates", and then click the "Modify" button.
In the "Modify Location" window, navigate to your templates file location
(drive) and folder,
Then <OK>.


And you're done!


The templates in the folder you specified will now be displayed in the
<File> <New> <General> tab window, where clicking on a file will open a
*copy* of the template, preserving the original from modification.


NOW ... you must go to *each* machine, and make this same revision in Word
to *all* of them.


Some NOTES:


You *don't* need .xlt files in the templates folder for this to work.
Regular .xls files will react the same. It's location that counts here, not
file type.


If your templates folder contains *another folder*, this sub-folder will
appear as a *separate* tab in the <File> <New> window, alongside the
"General" tab.
This is great if you have a large number of templates, and you wish to
perhaps segregate them by department or type.
SIDE NOTE:
If this sub-folder is empty (no files), the tab will *not* display in the
<File> <New> window.
It must be populated with XL files for it to show.


You can create numerous sub-folders, where the type of files that *each*
sub-folder contains will dictate in which *program* that tab will be visible
in.


Meaning - XL file sub-folders *only* visible in XL.
Word file sub-folders *only* visible in Word.


If a sub-folder contains *both* XL and Word files, the *tab* will be visible
in *both* programs ... BUT ... the files displayed in that tab will coincide
with the program that opened it. The other programs files will not show.


Don't forget - empty sub-folder are *not* displayed.


<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
--


HTH,


RD
=====================================================
Please keep all correspondence within the Group, so all may benefit!
=====================================================


Thanks for the reply Jacob.

As it stands now, my templates are in two locations:

First, all the templates are located in C:\Documents and
Settings\<username>\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates\ as they always have
been. (I have not deleted these until I know everything is functioning
properly.)

Secondly, I have copied all of them to C:\Data Files\Templates\Word or Excel
depending on the type of file.

Now, when I create a new Word template, it saves to the C:\Data
Files\Templates\Word location and does not save to the C:\Documents and
Settings\<username>\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates\ location. When I
ask to open a Word template it automatically goes to the C:\Data Files...
location which is what I want it to do.

However, Excel is not working this way. After reading your reply, to test
what was happening, I created a new Excel template and saved it. It saved to
the C:\Data Files... location and not to the C:\Documents and Settings...
location. This seemed to be working as you suggested it would.

But now, when I try to create a new workbook by selecting File|New and then
"On my computer..." on the task pane, none of my templates are displayed in
the dialog box that opens.

Similarly, when I have an open workbook, right click on a tab and select
"Insert..." I get the same empty dialog box.

I think I'm probably on the right track, but just have a setting that isn't
selected correctly.

Any ideas?

And thanks for your help and advice,
Jim

 

[Jim Peterson]

Hey thanks alot!

I finally figured it out. It wasn't exactly what you suggested, but your
reply got me looking in the right area.

Before I started messing around with this, any time I'd try top access a
template the dialog box would open showing all the templates under the
"General" tab. The templates shown were both the default MS templates that
come with the installation as well as my user created templates.

When I moved my templates to my C:\Data Files... location Office created a
new tab the dialog box for "Word" or "Excel" or whatever program I was
working in. I didn't look at the tabs, I just knew my templates weren't in
the main window that I saw when the dialog box opened.

After your suggestion of investigating the MSWord>Tools>Options>Workgroup
templates.... in more detail I stumbled upon what was happpening.

Thanks again!!

Jim

 

[Jacob Skaria]

Cheers Jim