Any way to open Excel template (.xlt) from desktop shortcut?

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derekpegg

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Joined
Oct 7, 2005
Messages
145
I have an Excel template (.xlt) which I have distributed to various users. They periodically need to update their individual template then use it to create individual files from.

I have a desktop shortcut to the template set up on each user's computer. This opens a copy of the template (ie. a standard .xls) to work on individual files from their template.

At present, when they need to make changes to their template (.xlt), I have to tell them to open Excel, file, open, locate the file and open it. This opens the .xlt as it is opened from within Excel.

I was wondering if thee was a way to open the .xlt from the desktop (maybe using some sort of code?) using another shortcut as this will be a much simpler process and leads to less errors in the 2 open methods - as long as it is clear which shortcut opens the template and which one opens a new file created from the template.

Hope this makes sense and thanks for any help.
 

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What about this - as templates are only a file extension difference of "t" instead of "s" - make the changes as XLS then save as xlt & replace the original xlt with new xlt. You would of course be careful to keep a backup cpy & naming the your original XLS's with a date format (usually yymmdd).

From my experience I do not trust users to know what they are doing to be able make changes, save the new file in the correct place & to delete (or backup the old file) if necessary.
 
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Code: 
Sub OpenTemplate()
On Error Resume Next
Workbooks("Whatever.xlt").Activate
If Err <> 0 Then Workbooks.Open ("C:\Whatever.xlt"), Editable:=True 'Amend path as required
On Error GoTo 0
End Sub
 
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Thanks for the suggestions. Think we've solved it by creating a batch file with "start excel [path to .xlt file]" in notepad. Created a desktop shortcut to this file and it seems to work.
 
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