Thanks Andy but with respect that is how I currently have it. Further to
this there are actually 2 Xlstart folders:

c:\Documents\Settings\My Documents\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel\Xlstart

And the other

c:\Program files\Microsoft office\office11\Xlstart.

The default file that has been amended to the way I want it is in the latter
directory.

There are no excel files of any kind in the Windows Start up directory

Cheers

Mark


I probably didn't make myself that clear. When I say the startup dir
<Andy wrote in message ...
Hi

book.xlt should be in your XLStart folder. If you set the necessary option
and save your book as book.xlt it should do the trick.

Hope this helps.
Andy.

"Mark McDonough" wrote in message
...
This leads me to the next problem I have. How do I change the default
file? What I'm doing doesn't seem to work. I have changed the file
book.xlt which I found in the startup directory. However, now it is the
default template book.xlt that opens.

Intuitively, I don't think this default template should be in the startup
directory and is possibly the reason I get the default template opening
on starting up Excel so where should it go. Then I would like to change
the default template to ensure to acceplt labels in formulas.

Also, I would like the task pane to show up at startup and stay there. It
won't even though the option is set to view task pane. I saved this in
book.xlt and it does stay there but Book1.xls doesn't open and when I go
File New to get a new workbook.xls, the task pane is gone again.

Default files in excel have always plagued me.

I don't know why MS can't just have an option in tools to select default
template for editing rather than digging into the bowels of the MS Office
directory to change it.


<Andy wrote in message ...
Hi

I reckon this is determined by the first sheet you open in the session.
If it has the label option disabled, that's how it is. Either save your
default book with the option set, or always open a sheet with the option
selected as the first sheet.

Hope this helps.
Andy.

"Mark McDonough" wrote in message
...
I have changed my settings in tools/options/calculation settings to
ensure that Accept Labels in Formulas is ticked.

However, it doesn't hold. If I start up Excel the next day, it is
unchecked again. Any help much appreciated.