Using the Worksheet Templates

The heart of this book is a series of Excel worksheet templates you can use to help you with various aspects of your finances. Each of these templates is explained in detail in the corresponding chapter. In this section, I will provide an overview of how you go about using these tools. Each template is an Excel workbook, an XLS file, that contains all the formulas and other elements you need. All you have to do is enter your own data to get your results.

The first step is to install the templates from the CD-ROM and save them on your local hard disk. Please refer to “What’s on the CD-ROM” at the back of the book for instructions on how to do this.

After the templates are installed on your computer, follow these steps to use a specific template:

1. Select the File, Open command in Excel or click the Open button on the toolbar.
2. Navigate to the folder where you saved the templates.
3. Select the desired template and click the Open button.

At this point you have the template open and ready for use. To avoid overwriting the original template workbook—after all, you might want to use it again—you need to save it with a new name or in a new location (or both) before you enter any data or make any other changes. Here’s how:

1. Select File, Save As from the Excel menu to display the Save As dialog box
2. In the Save As Type drop-down list, make sure Microsoft Excel Workbook (*.xls) is selected.
3. Enter a descriptive name for the workbook in the File Name box.
4. If necessary, navigate to the folder where you want the workbook saved.
5. Click the Save button.

Now you are ready to start entering data and using the template. I’ll explain the details for each template as we come to it in later chapters.

Taken From : Manage Your Money and Investments with Microsoft Excel

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