That was the problem,the extension was wrong xls should have been xlt... now
working fine.Thankyou for your help!
Mel

"JE McGimpsey" wrote:

As you write in your post (though with the wrong extensions), the
default template is named Book.xlt, not Checkin.



In article ,
Mel wrote:

The default templates used by Excel are called Book.xls and Sheet.xls. If
you create these files then you define your own default workbook and
worksheet, which will appear each time you open Excel or add a new worksheet.
The files must reside in the XLStart folder, which is in
...\user_name\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel\XLStart. On the public PCs you
do not have the privileges to create these files but, if you have Excel on
your own PC, you can do this if you so choose.

I created a workbook, and called it Checkin which I then placed in the
XLStart folder in €¦..
Documents and Settings\ my name\application data\Microsoft\Excel\XLStart

When I then start Excel, the normal Book1 opens, and not my Checkin
workbook. Can anybody tell me if what I'm doing is correct please, or where
I am going wrong?