How to Use Templates in Excel 2016

Edited 2 weeks ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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Microsoft Excel 2016 has a powerful feature called templates available, which can significantly boost your productivity. Templates provide a pre-designed layout for your spreadsheet, allowing you to focus on entering your data rather than spending valuable time on formatting and design. Whether you need to create a budget, invoice, or manage a project, Excel templates can save time and effort. This document will guide you through the process of using templates in Excel 2016, covering the basics and providing tips and tricks for getting the most out of this feature.

Understanding templates in Excel

Before you learn how to use templates, it's important to understand what they are. A template in Excel is a workbook that contains predefined formatting and formulas optimized for specific tasks. When you create a spreadsheet using a template, you're essentially using a ready-made framework that already has parameters and styling set for your type of data. Templates are useful because they reduce repetitive tasks, maintain consistency across your documents, and provide professional quality designs with minimal effort.

Accessing Excel templates

Getting started with templates in Excel 2016 is easy. When you open Excel, you see the startup screen. This screen often displays a gallery of available templates that can be used immediately. To access additional templates:

1. Click the File menu in the upper-left corner of the window.
2. Select New from the side panel. This will open a new page with options to create a blank workbook or use a template.
3. Browse the featured templates available or use the search bar to find specific templates. Microsoft offers a wide range of templates suitable for different categories, including calendars, business cards, and complex financial models.

Using the available templates

Once you've chosen the template that best suits your needs, you can begin filling it with your data. Each template is designed with the fields and format for its intended use.

1. Click on the template thumbnail. A preview window will appear, providing more information about the template layout and its intended purpose.
2. Click Create to download the template and open it in a new workbook.
3. Navigate to the template and begin entering your information in the appropriate fields. Pay attention to any placeholder text as they often indicate where your data should go.
4. If the template includes formulas, make sure the corresponding data is entered correctly so that the calculations update automatically. Excel's templates are especially powerful for spreadsheets that contain calculations or functions.

Customizing the templates

No matter how comprehensive the template is, you may need to customize it to better suit your needs. Excel 2016 allows you to modify various elements of the template:

• Change text: Click in any cell to edit its contents. Replace the default text with your own, making sure it aligns with the overall purpose of the document.
• Adjust formatting: You can change fonts, colors, and styles through the Home tab’s Formatting options.
• Modify or add formulas: If additional calculations are required, you can add new formulas. This is necessary to ensure that the changes do not compromise the intended functionalities of the template.
• Insert or delete rows and columns: Customize the layout by adding or deleting rows or columns. Right-click the row or column header to see these options.
• Adjust the layout: Use the Page Layout tab to modify how the document will appear when printed. This includes orientation, margins, and scaling options.

Creating your own templates

Sometimes, the available templates may not suit your specific needs, or you may create similar documents frequently. In such cases, Excel allows creating custom templates, which can save time on future projects:

1. Create a blank workbook and design it to your needs. This includes setting titles, formulas, styles, and data validation.
2. When your document is complete and formatted as desired, click the File menu.
3. Select Save As, choose a location to save, and in the Save as type dropdown menu, select Excel Template (.xltx).
4. Name your template and save it. It will now be available to use as a starting point for future documents.

Tips for using templates effectively

Even though templates can be simple, a few tips can help you maximize their benefits:

• Update templates regularly: If you have custom templates, review and update them periodically to include any improvements or changes to the basic formatting that you use regularly.
• Use placeholder text: Take full advantage of placeholder text to ensure you're entering data in the correct sections. These can guide your data input process and reduce errors.
• Back up custom templates: If you've spent a lot of time designing custom templates, back them up to avoid unexpected data loss.
• Share templates: If you're working as a team, share useful templates to promote standardized formatting and simplify collaborative efforts on Excel files.
• Explore online: As business needs evolve, keep an eye out for new template offerings from Microsoft or third-party contributors. Constantly updated online repositories may contain innovative designs that can improve your workflow.

Commonly used Excel templates

Although the specific templates you use will depend on your needs, several templates are commonly used in different work environments:

• Budget templates: These help create financial plans for personal or business needs. They often contain pre-defined tables for income, expenses, and savings, as well as summary charts.
• Calendar templates: Useful for scheduling, tracking appointments, and project timelines. These templates are visually pleasing and give a quick idea of daily and monthly schedules.
• Invoice templates: A key tool for businesses, they simplify the billing process by including fields for customers, services provided, costs, and total calculations using Excel formulas.
• Project management templates: These often include Gantt charts, task lists, and timelines, providing an efficient way to oversee project goals and team assignments.
• Expense reports: Templates for recording and processing expense claims, useful for both personal and organizational purposes.

Conclusion

The template feature of Excel 2016 is a versatile tool that can greatly increase the efficiency and reliability of your work. By using templates, users can ensure consistency and professionalism in their worksheets, save time on repetitive tasks, and avoid retyping the same spreadsheets multiple times. Becoming familiar with this feature and integrating it into your Excel use can lead to significant improvements in productivity and document management. The wide selection of available templates meets a variety of needs, while the option to create a custom template provides flexibility to meet specific requirements. Embrace templates for a more streamlined and efficient Excel experience.

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