Default Styles (Excel XP)

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How do I set a default style. I would like to have the Comma(,) icon to change my number style to () when an value is negative. Some way or other I managed to do it in Excel 2000 but can’t seem to manage in XP.

Thanks

Mario

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Format, styles, select the Normal style, Modify, Number Tab, set the format you like, OK your way out.

To get this on all new workbooks, format a workbook the way you want it and save it as Book.XLT, file type Template, in your XLSTART directory (below the directory from which Excel is loaded).

Copy a worksheet from this workbook and save it as Sheet.XLT ,as above to get this for each newly inserted worksheet.

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Thanks

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I followed these directions and now I have a problem with the normal style. I asked for normal to have two decimal places. Now when I type in the number 2005, I get 20.05. I have tried establishing a custom style but that is not correcting the problem. Any suggestions?

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Check the Edit tab of Tools | Options…
Make sure that the “Fixed decimal” check box is clear.

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That was it.

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Modifying the Book.XLT and Sheet.XLT has caused three problems. 1)When I turn on Excel I get both the Sheet.xlt and Book.Xlt to open instead of Book1. 2) When I go to save the first spreadsheet, it wants to save to the XLS Start directory so I always have to redirect to the correct drive, etc. 3) while working on a spreadsheet, if I want to insert a sheet, I get three sheets instead of 1. Any suggestions?

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1) Do a search for files named Book.xlt on your hard disk. Is there more than one? Same for Book.xlt. If there are multiple versions, where are they stored?
2) Open C:Documents and SettingsApplication DataMicrosoftExcelXLStartSheet.xlt. Delete all worksheets except the one with the desired formatting, then save it – after all, this template is the model used for inserting a new worksheet. If Sheet.xlt contains 3 worksheets, Insert | Worksheet will result in 3 sheets.

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Thank you. Yes, there was more than one Book.xlt. After I made this correction it still opens as Book.xlt, instead of Book1. Also, it still wants to save in XLStart directory instead of MyDocuments. How do I redirect.

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I suspect that your Book.xlt is not a real Excel template, but a “normal” workbook saved with the .xlt extension.
Move Book.xlt to another folder, then open it in Excel.
Without changing anything, select File | Save As…
Select Template (*.xlt) in the dropdown list at the bottom of the dialog.
Navigate to your XLStart folder.
Save as Book.xlt.
Quit and restart Excel.

If Excel still wants to save in XLStart:
What is the setting for “Default file location” in the General tab of Tools | Options…?

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Thank you. That worked.

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To fix the three sheet problem, repeat what Hans has advised,now naming it Sheet.xlt BUT make sure the workbook contains just a single worksheet

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I took everyone suggestions and it worked perfectly on two machines. However, on one machine when Excel opens, there is no workbook open. I have to press the icon to open Book1. That is ok, I just wanted to know if there is something that can be done.

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Could you check what startup switches are used in the Excel icon? (rightclick, properties, copy the text from the box called “Target” and paste here)

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The text was grayed out but it is Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003.

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Try Jan Karel Pieterse’s Startup Problems troubleshooting guide (on the problem machine).

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