From Excel "Help" search criteria "Template"
1. Decide which type of template you want:
Workbook template
Create a workbook that contains the sheets, default text (such as page headers and column and row labels), formulas, macros (macro: An action or a set of actions you can use to automate tasks. Macros are recorded in the Visual Basic for Applications programming language.), styles (style: A combination of formatting characteristics, such as font, font size, and indentation, that you name and store as a set. When you apply a style, all of the formatting instructions in that style are applied at one time.), and other formatting you want in new workbooks based on the template.
Worksheet template
Create a workbook that contains one worksheet. On the worksheet, include the formatting, styles (style: A combination of formatting characteristics, such as font, font size, and indentation, that you name and store as a set. When you apply a style, all of the formatting instructions in that style are applied at one time.), text, and other information you want to appear on all new sheets of the same type.
2. To display a picture of the first page of a template in the Preview box of the Templates dialog box (General Templates..., New Workbook task pane), click Properties on the File menu, click the Summary tab, and then select the Save preview picture check box.
3. On the File menu, click Save As.
4. In the Save as type box, click Template.
5. In the Save in box, select the folder where you want to store the template.
o To create the default workbook template (default workbook template: The Book.xlt template that you create to change the default format of new workbooks. Excel uses the template to create a blank workbook when you start Excel or create a new workbook without specifying a template.) or default worksheet template (default worksheet template: The Sheet.xlt template that you create to change the default format of new worksheets. Excel uses the template to create a blank worksheet when you add a new worksheet to a workbook.), select either the XLStart folder or the alternate startup folder (alternate startup folder: A folder in addition to the XLStart folder that contains workbooks or other files that you want to be opened automatically when you start Excel and templates that you want to be available when you create new workbooks.). The XLStart folder is usually
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office11\XLStart
o To create a custom workbook or worksheet template, select the Templates folder, which is usually
C:\Documents and Settings\user_name\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates
6. Enter the name of the template in the File name box. Do one of the following:
Workbook template
o Type book to create the default workbook template.
To create a custom workbook template, type any valid file name.
Worksheet template
o Type sheet to create a template for default worksheets.
To create a custom sheet template, type any valid file name.
7. Click Save, and then click Close on the File menu.
