Excel Default Workbook

**jelarv** · 11-17-2021, 10:14 PM

I've been actively using Excel for at least 25 years (after migrating from Lotus 1-2-3) but ever since Microsoft created Windows, I have been pulling my hair out to get Excel to open my default template when I select "File>New". I've recently referenced multiple sites (and at least a dozen others over the past 10 years) where they acknowledge you need a Ph.D. or Elon-Musk-type-intelligence to figure this out. ANY HELP YOU CAN PROVIDE IS GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!

Following instructions from various suggestions, I have found 6 places to put your "default" Excel templates (see below). If I put my default template in all 6 places, the only one it draws from is #3 below, but I get the following message each time: "This document is both encrypted and password protected. The Office Open XML Formats available in Office 2007 and later provide stronger encryption. Do you want to increase the security of this document by convening to an Office Open XML Format?" The only fix I can find to this error is to override it in the registry (why is this so difficult???).

1. C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Root\Templates\ (Excel default location: Application Templates)
2. C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART\ (Excel default location: User StartUp)
3. C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Root\Office16\XLSTART\ (Excel default location: Excel StartUp)
4. C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates\ (Excel default location: User Templates)
5. C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Root\Office16\STARTUP\ (Excel default location: Office StartUp)
6. C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Root\Office16\Library\ (Excel default location: Add-ins)

Does anyone know how to stop this message? And is there a place I can go to make sense of it all? I'll even watch a 15 minute tutorial if it will help explain why I can't get this to work.

Thanks!
Jim

**6StringJazzer** · 11-18-2021, 09:47 PM

Is your template a .xltx file? Can you attach here the file you are trying to use for a template? (see yellow banner at the top of the page)

(I modified my startup folder to be a Dropbox folder so I can use the same Startup folder for any machine I use.) Double check your startup folder in

File > Options > Advanced > scroll down to General > "At startup, open all files in:"
The default is your #3, and I expect that is what you will find there, but just double check.

There is a different folder where you would put templates that you want to be available when you use File > New. That is #4.

**jelarv** · 11-18-2021, 11:17 PM

Thanks! I have attached my xlsm file. I'm not sure it needs to be an xlsm but I recall somewhere I wanted a macro available in my default template which is why it's that format. If that's undesirable (or will resolve my problem), please let me know.

When I try uploading my Book.xltx file I keep getting the message "Invalid File"