Hi Stephen,

The information you provide about the use of the "Alternate file location"
is quite informative. I wander why I could not find that information in Excel
Help.

What I understand from your comment is that it should be used to store
addins for common use. Addins are by nature only VBA code and therefore are
small in size. But as far as I know, this file location is not the place to
store templates, particularly if they are big (or huge) and numerous...

Templates should be stored in a network folder that can to be set from Word:
Tools|Options|File location Tab|Workgroup templates (not the General Tab).

When I first read Dave's comment on how to set a workgroup template in Word,
I did not understand that it would set Excel's templates folder. You opened
my eyes on that point. I'm glad this happened because it provided the
community with your very pertinent comment on the "Alternate file location"
and a very informative supplement on the workgroup template brought by Dave.

Thank you very much to both of you.

"Stephen Bullen" wrote:

Hi Jac,

What does Microsoft has to say about that Excel alternate file location? How
is it supposed to be used for? Where can I find information about it?

Many companies require Excel to start with a given set of files always loaded -
such as addins to provide formatting tools to help ensure a corporate standard,
ISO 9001 compliance, etc. The network admin can point that folder to a network
location and therefore have a single copy of the addin to maintain instead of
distributing it to all users.

I know that Word does not work the same way... But that's another topic...

I think you were too hasty to dismiss Dave's information. Although Excel does
not have a way to set the 'Workgroup Template' folder, it *does* respond to it
being set in Word! So if you go to Word and set the 'Workgroup Template' folder
to your network location, any Excel templates you put in that folder will show
up in Excel's File New list of templates.

FWIW, the path is actually stored in:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\N.0\Co mmon\General\SharedTemplates

where N is the office version (Excel 2000 and above, Excel 2000=9.0, 2002=10.0,
2003=11.0)

For Excel 97, the folder is stored in the (Default) entry at:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Co mmon\FileNew\SharedTemplates

In each case, you can create the key/value if it doesn't exist.

Furthermore, any folders you create below that level will be displayed as tabs
at the top of the File New dialog, with the folder name used as the caption
for the tab and any xlt's in the folder displaying when that tab is clicked.

Regards

Stephen Bullen
Microsoft MVP - Excel
www.oaltd.co.uk