Up until now, you've been saving your spreadsheet as a normal Excel file. Now, you'll save the seating chart as a template, so you can use the basic furniture layout either for other classes or in future years. A template is a file that always stays the same. If you open it and change it, you can save the changes only in a new file. That keeps the original file safe from changes -- accidental or intentional! To save the file as a template:

• Click File>Save As. Add the word "template" to the seating chart's file name.
• For Format (or File Type) select Template.
• Decide where to save your seating chart template. Excel wants to save it in a template folder where you'll probably never find it (!), so be sure to choose where you want your template to be saved -- in My Documents, perhaps, or in the folder where you've been saving the seating chart thus far.
• Click OK!

Next: Learn more.