why use templates?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Arne
  • Start date Start date
A

Arne

Why should I use templates and not, for instance, a read-only workbook? What
are the specific advantages of templates in terms of ease of use, protection
of the original, preservation of VBA code?

Thanks, Arne
 
Meaning? From the properties of templates stated in the help files I cannot
determine what a template can do for me that a workbook cannot.
If you have a suggestion as to useful sources for my 'homework', please let
me know. Otherwise, if you do not intend to help do not bother to post. Thank
you.
 
Hi Arne, all a template really does is to, "store off" a set (pre-recorded)
way of doing an EXCEL Workbook.

Thye can be useful if you set things up a in a particular way on an ongoing
basis.

Personally I never use them but I am aware of companies that I have worked
for in the past using them to make sure that all of their employees use EXCEL
in a standard way (as set up in the EXCEL template). This ensures consistency
across the company and can present a more favourable image (of that company).

If my comments have helped please hit Yes.

Thanks.
 
"From the properties of templates stated in the help files I cannot
determine what a template can do for me that a workbook cannot"

I am not aware that a template can do anything for you that an, "ordinary"
Workbook cannot: to all intents and purposes they are the same thing.

The template can be re-used on an ongoing basis. It is the template (or
basis) for fresh Workbooks.

Please hit Yes if my comments have helped.

Thanks.
 
Arne said:
Meaning?
Click to expand...

" What are the specific advantages of xxx in terms of" is not often an excel
problem to be solved, but a pretty common kind of question a teacher asks
his students, and which the student passes unmodified to us. So I guess Don
took you for a student. Maybe you are <g>.

A template can be added to the templates gallery, that's the only difference
I can think of. I never use templates, writeonly workbooks works better for
my porposes.

Best wishes Harald
 
No, I am not a student. I ran into a little problem using an ordinary
read-only workbook as a template (it appears that I cannot open one for
editing using the Workbooks.Open method without activating the VBA code that
is attached to it, but that method has a parameter 'Editable' which according
to the help function works for templates, but using a template instead of a
workbook seems to make no difference), so I wondered if I missed some
important point about templates.

Thanks for the answer.

Regards,

Arne
 
Good. A more specific question might result in better answers, but I guess
templates are not used too often by people here. Which may be an answer
itself.

Just for the record, I don't at all mind helping with students'
homework -opinions differ a lot on this. I assist people that are paid more
than me to know these things but doesn't. So of course students get at least
the same service as long as they may learn something from it.

Happy new year!
Best wishes Harald
 
I think the point here is, templates are pre-created workbooks. The benefit
is merely that you don't have to create something from scratch. Other than
that, there is not benefit to a template. Just like templates one would use
in any real world application...
 
Arne,
I think the primary benefit of having a template is simply the forced
preservation of the source file without the chance of accidentally leaving
some change in it from the use of a normal workbook.

I know lots of people that simply take the last copy of a workbook and open
it and save it with a new name and make changes as required. Quite often
they run into problems caused by not completely cleaning up/replacing old
information from a previous use. Or they'll forget to rename it and
overwrite the older file which totally destroys that one which can be a bit
of a disaster if they really needed that other file! Using a template FORCES
a renaming of the file.

Another course to consider is to create a standard Excel file to be used
like a template. But instead of just opening it and trying to remember to
use SAVE AS to give it a new name and thus prevent possibly
destroying/corrupting the source file, if you will use
File --> New and then choose "From Existing File" and identify your
pseudo-template file, you will be opening a clean copy of a file you can
easily edit, AND you'll be forced to rename the new copy of it, just as if it
were a standard .xlt file.
 
Hi Arne

I use Templates in some applications I have written for clients.
The usual use for me is Invoice creation, where a layout that suits that
client's needs is created as a Template file with the correct dropdowns for
selecting Customer name, product, etc., along with formulae to look up
product description, price etc. and extend theses to total values per line
and for the Invoice Total.

Using a Template, the client creates the invoice and has to store it as a
new name, thereby preserving the original "blank" template for future use.

I hope this explains it for you.

--
Regards
Roger Govier

Arne said:
Meaning? From the properties of templates stated in the help files I
cannot
determine what a template can do for me that a workbook cannot.
If you have a suggestion as to useful sources for my 'homework', please
let
me know. Otherwise, if you do not intend to help do not bother to post.
Thank
you.



__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus
signature database 4734 (20100101) __________

The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.

http://www.eset.com
Click to expand...

__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 4734 (20100101) __________

The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.

http://www.eset.com
 
Templates are very handy for creating new workbooks with the formatting and
layout desired but if Template has workbook_open code you don't want it
running when you re-open the workbook after it has been saved.

To prevent code running when you re-open a saved workbook created from a
Template, check for a path.

A saved workbook will have a path.

An unsaved workbook will not.

Check for the path and Exit Sub if path is found.

If not, carry on with workbook_open code.

Private Sub Workbook_Open()

If ActiveWorkbook.Path <> "" Then Exit Sub

'your code here

End Sub


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP
 
Back
Top