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How to use startup folders in Excel

Article ID: 822107 - View products that this article applies to.

For a Microsoft Excel 2002 version of this article, see 291218

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/291218/ )

For a Microsoft Excel 2000 version of this article, see 240150

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/240150/ )

For a Microsoft Excel 97 version of this article, see 259926

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/259926/ )

For a Microsoft Excel 2001 for Mac version of this article, see 259921

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/259921/ )

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SUMMARY

This step-by-step article describes how to use the Microsoft Excel startup folders. Excel uses startup folders in two ways:

To load Excel workbooks at startup.
As a reference location for templates.

The actual startup folder locations vary, depending on which version of Excel you use.

Folders that Excel uses at startup

If you install Excel in the default location, Excel opens files from the following paths:

In Microsoft Office Excel 2003, the path is C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office11\Xlstart

In Microsoft Office Excel 2007, the path is C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\Xlstart
C:\Documents and Settings\User_name\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART

In this path, User_name is your logon user name.
The folder that is specified in the At startup, open all files in box

Note

To find the At startup, open all files in box in Excel 2003, click Options on the Tools menu, and then click the General tab.

To find the At startup, open all files in box in Excel 2007, click the Microsoft Office Button, click Excel Options, and then click Advanced. The At startup, open all files in box is under General.

Accepted file types during Excel startup

You typically use startup folders to load Excel templates and add-ins. You can also use startup folders to load workbooks. When you load the following types of files from a startup folder, the files have the important characteristics that are described in the following list.

Templates

If you save a workbook named Book.xlt, and then put it in a startup folder location, that workbook is the default workbook when you start Excel or open a new workbook.

To use additional templates, you must save them in the following folder:

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

To use the templates in Excel 2003, follow these steps:

On the File menu, click New.
In the New Workbook task pane, click On my computer under Templates.
In the Templates dialog box, double-click the template for the type of workbook that you want to create on the Spreadsheet Solutions tab.

To use the templates in Excel 2007, follow these steps:

Click the Microsoft Office Button, and then click New.
Under Templates, click Installed Templates.
Under Installed Templates, click the template that you want, and then click Create.

Add-ins

Add-ins (.xla files) that you put in a startup folder do not typically appear when you start Excel. The add-ins are loaded in memory. The add-ins run any auto macros.

You can use these add-ins by whatever method the add-in provides (for example, a command on a menu or a button on a toolbar).

Workbooks

Workbooks (.xls files) that you put in a startup folder are loaded and appear when you start Excel, unless the workbook is saved in a hidden state.

For example, the personal macro workbook Personal.xls is a global macro workbook that Excel typically loads from the XLStart folder in a hidden state.

Incorrect use of the alternative startup file location

When you use the alternative startup file location, you must specify a file path where there are recognizable file types (such as templates, add-ins, and workbooks).

If Excel finds unrecognizable file types in a startup folder, you may receive an error message. The most common error message is:

This file is not a recognizable format.

Use the default file location

In addition to the alternative startup file location, the default file location can be set by using the Default file location box on the General tab in the Options dialog box in Excel 2003.

The default file location differs from a startup folder. It can set the folder location that you want Excel to point to when you open or save a file by using the File menu.

Note In Excel 2007, to see the default file location, follow these steps:

Click the Microsoft Office Button, and then click Excel Options.
Click Save.
The Default file location box is under Save workbooks.

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Article ID: 822107 - Last Review: January 23, 2007 - Revision: 4.2

APPLIES TO

Microsoft Office Excel 2007
Microsoft Office Excel 2003

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