Your New Default Template

As most all of know, the Default number format in Excel is General. There is nothing wrong with that, of course, but if you find that you a regularly doing work which requires a different format, you can Save Time (and a little frustration, perhaps) by changing the Number Format in the Normal style.

Let’s say you work in an accounting department and, for the sake of formality, you prefer to use the Currency option for formatting your worksheets. You can set this up manually each time, or you can utilize the convenient Templates feature found in Excel, as well as other MS Office applications.

Here is the Suggested Approach for Our Accounting Professional:

1.   Open a blank worksheet in Excel

2.  Go to the Styles gallery on you Home ribbon

3.  Right-click the Normal style and choose Modify to display the Style options

4.  Click the large Format button, and make the new formatting choices you desire

Save as a Reusable Template

1.  Once your number (as well as any other changes) format changes are made, simply click on the File tab and choose Save As.

2.  Type in the File name of your choice (e.g. AccountingTemplate1) and for the Save as type, choose Excel Template (*.xltx)

Now whenever you wish to create a new workbook, your new AccountingTemplate1 will be readily available under PERSONAL templates when you open Excel.

You will be Saving Time every time you set up a new workbook of this type; and How Cool is That!