How to set Excel2003 to automaticall include file name and path on printed spreadsheets

October 20, 2009 2:21 AM

How can I set up Excel 2003 to automatically include the file name and path on every spreadsheet when printed?

I have been tasked with figuring this out and setting it up every computer in the office (as the only person here who doesn't poke the actual screen when asked to press 'start', I am the default IT guru - yes, it's that bad).
Anyway, I used this tutorial to figure out how to do this using a macro, and it works great - but I have to go in and add the code to every spreadsheet, which is a pain, and which I doubt my coworkers would be willing or able to do. What I need is a way to set the default template to automatically include the file name and path on every spreadsheet without the user having to do anything or even think about it. I would prefer it be in the footer so that it only shows on printed copies, as per the above tutorial, and not included in an actual cell, but at this point I will take what I can get.

posted by Wroksie to technology (7 comments total)

File -> Page Setup -> header/footer

click 'custom header footer'

click on the little picture of a file to insert filename and path into header or footer

Save spreadsheet as a template, and install on every computer.
posted by girlgenius at 3:22 AM on October 20, 2009

Thanks girlgenius... I can get as far as changing the header and the footer, but I can't find where Excel keeps the standard default template.

It would be very unlikely that anyone in this office would be able or willing to open a specific template after Excel opens... I need this to be the default spreadsheet that opens when Excel is opened. This default document is easy to find and change in Microsoft Word, but maybe I am missing something pretty obvious, because I can't seem find it in Excel.
posted by Wroksie at 4:30 AM on October 20, 2009

There are likely to be at least two default documents. One of them will be the document used when you create a file from the Windows context menu (e.g. right-click desktop and use New->Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet). This document is in C:\Windows\SHELLNEW\ (at least in XP).

The other default document (the one used when you open Excel first, then do File->New) is usually in C:\Documents and Settings\(username)\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART. The file in this case is a temnplate called book.xlt

According to this explanation though, it's possible that the default template could be elsewhere. So the advice given in the link (namely, to use VBE to find the path) may apply.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 4:36 AM on October 20, 2009

I also tried the instructions for changing the standard document template here and it didn't work, unfortunately.
posted by Wroksie at 4:38 AM on October 20, 2009

Right - I followed the instructions in the link from le morte de bea arthur (going into VBE, opening the immediate window, and searching for the application startup path-it shows the path to be C:\Documents and Settings\(myusername)\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART) which is great - but - this folder is empty!

Is it possible that the central department IT for my huge company could be hiding these files for some reason? Or is there another way to find them or another place they might be?

(and unfortunately, contacting the IT department is out of the question. Unless there is fire shooting out of a PC or a massive breach in data protection leading to possible lawsuits, they will be no help at all, this is much too trivial for them).
posted by Wroksie at 4:50 AM on October 20, 2009

I was able to change the default document for files created from the Windows context menu, as le morte de bea arthur explained above (thanks!!)

Most people just click the Excel icon on their desktop, though, or go through the programs menu, so if I can just find where that sneaky default document is kept, I'm all set...
posted by Wroksie at 5:04 AM on October 20, 2009

I've messed around with it for a bit, and found the following:

Changes to the default document appear to work if you open Excel and then click the 'New' button on the toolbar. In other words, in this case it uses your default template.

If however you choose File->New and then select 'Blank workbook' from the options in the panel, you get.... a blank workbook.

So it may be that a 'blank workbook' is just a 'blank workbook', and not the default document, if that makes sense... I suspect there's no way to change that behaviour.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 5:26 AM on October 20, 2009