Spreadsheet Templates are used to create new, standardized spreadsheets, and ideally should be customizable. Spreadsheet software presents the data from tables in a range of graphical or formulated ways, using formatted tables, formulas to manipulate and present the data, images, charts, and other visual presentation tools. There are also various Excel Training courses available to help you learn Excel and how to use Excel spreadsheet templates. Some specialist applications for spreadsheet templates includes Gantt Charts for Project Management and Planning, Scheduling & Monitoring Projects, and Managing Project Tasks.
Using a spreadsheet template in Microsoft Excel, OpenOffice Calc, Google Sheets or other spreadsheet software provides a pre-formatted and designed layout often ready to start inputting data and analysing it straight away. A Spreadsheet Template can also be customised to the business in design, or adjusted to match the required data input or data analysis, charts etc. A good example would be a Budget Spreadsheet Template for use in Excel, OpenOffice, or Google Sheets.
A good spreadsheet template will include features such as formulas to manipulate the data is predetermined ways, charts to help visualise the spreadsheet data and track progress, and clear navigation and layout making it easier to find and use features, relevant summaries and calculations across multiple sheets as required.
There are a number of spreadsheet programs that use templates, from Microsoft Excel and OpenOffice Calc, to Google Sheets. See Template Types for a list of the wide range available.
Using spreadsheet templates is often seen as difficult or something that can be complicated, so many users will avoid using them, and miss the benefits of improving the speed and consistency of creating new documents or spreadsheets in day to day office business.
Once the use of spreadsheet templates is mastered the next stage is to start creating your own, and editing those that you have been given to work with, or have downloaded. These powerful features are described in our Creating Templates section.
See our section on Using Templates for more information.
Gantt charts are an essential tool for project management, and creating one from scratch can be a daunting task. Luckily, there are plenty of spreadsheet templates out there that can make the process a lot easier. All you need to do is find a template that fits your needs, download it, and then fill in the information for your project.
One of the great things about using a template is that it can be easily customized to fit your specific project. If you need to add or remove tasks, it's easy to do so. And if you need to make changes to the timeline, that's also a simple adjustment to make. Best of all, once you've created your Gantt chart, you can save it and reuse it for future projects.
So if you're looking for an easy way to create a Gantt chart, a spreadsheet template is the way to go. And with so many different options available, you're sure to find one that's perfect for your needs.
This is an example of a Budget Spreadsheet Template taken from the MS Excel set of free spreadsheet templates that are found by using the File menu to select New from Template. There are many general and specific spreadsheet templates available for budget spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel, OpenOffice Calc and Google Sheets. Note the color scheme, layout boxes, the headings ready for values to be added, and the formulas built in to add and subtract values, and provide a variety of summaries of the data being input. Everything that is common between spreadsheets, such as categories, headings and formulas, has been included, leaving only the values to be entered.
This illustrates the power of using templates, and if this was a business spreadsheet such as an invoice, time sheet, receipt or stock list, then it would provide a standardised document across the business that could be used as the base for all new spreadsheets for a particular task. Free customizable spreadsheet templates can be found on the application websites, such as the Excel Template Gallery, the OpenOffice Template Gallery, or the templates section in Google Sheets.
Excel Training and Google Sheets Training should be considered, especially for assisting the novice user to quickly understand the basics of spreadsheet templates, how to manage them, edit them and customize them.