How do I create a backup woorkbook in Excel 2003.

S

Sheskaty

The instructions in Auto recover don't appear to create a new (backup)
workbook. Am I doing something wrong? Advice please.
 
D

Dave Peterson

Autorecover doesn't create a backup. It essentially creates a copy every x
minutes (user selectable). So if excel or windows crashes, excel will be able
to find that copy and save everything since that copy was made.

This is different than the way autosave worked in previous versions. That
didn't create a backup either, though. It would just write over the file every
so often.
 
S

Sheskaty

That's what I thought! The tech guy at my husband's office insisted that it
was possible to make Excel create a "backup of xxx" file as you can in Word,
but couldn't say how (funnily enough!). I explained to my husband over the
phone how to set Excel up to Auto recover, but his techie was insistant that
it was possible to create another file too. Thanks for the quick response - I
can now go say "I told you so!"
 
D

Dave Peterson

Ahh. A different question.

If you go into File|SaveAs|Tools|General options (xl2002+) wording, you can
check the "Always create backup" box.

But this is a workbook by workbook setting (different from MSWord).

You can create a workbook template that has this setting and use it as the basis
for any new workbook when you click on the New icon on the standard toolbar.

Start a new workbook
file|SaveAs|tools|general options (and check that box)
template (*.xlt)
and save it in your XLStart folder.

I hope you weren't too, er, what's that word... I'm sure you'll hear it from the
techie guy <vbg>.
 
S

Sheskaty

Well ... fortunately I'm in the UK & it's 11:33 pm here, so I haven't had the
opportunity to say anything at all to him yet! Not that I would be rude to
the man .... probably not anyway!

He just thinks he know it all - he once told my husband that the reason he
couldn't send files to his company's server was because - wait for it - he
had the wrong kind of keyboard! Please don't ask me what he meant by that - I
spent 20 years working for an IT company, the last 10 in hardware & software
diagnostics & support for networked systems & I've no idea what he was
talking about! I think it's the best BS explaination I've ever heard - & I'm
the one who had to call a client up to explain what a colleague meant when he
left a message saying "RTFM"!

I am having a little trouble with the last part of your fix though. At home
I have Excel 2003 & I can set up each file fine, but whe I try to set up a
workbook template I get to "general options" but don't get the "template" bit
- perhaps it's a European version or it's just passed my bed-time!

Thanks again for your help
 
D

Dave Peterson

The template option is on the main File|SaveAs dialog--at the bottom of the
dialog--"Save as type" box.

(Sorry about the confusion--I think it was my keyboard is USA Centric <vbg>.)
 
R

Roger Govier

Hi

I'm also in the Uk and using XL2003.
The template option Dave is talking about is found when you do
File>Save As>bottom dropdown Save as Type> 5th item down Template
(*.xlt)
 
S

Sheskaty

Thanks to both of you for your help - I think I know what I'm doing now. All
I have to do is talk my husband through it - considering that when asked what
kind of PC he had at work, his answer was "a gray one" I don't hold out much
hope, but who knows!
 
R

Roger Govier

Dave, now look what you've done!!!
You've caused a rush on these and now they are sold out<vbg>
 
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