Working with Chart Templates

After you have formatted a chart the way you want it, you can save it as a template. You can then apply these same formatting options to other charts at a later time.

Creating a Chart Template

To create a chart template, follow these steps:

1. Select a chart that is formatted exactly the way you want the template to be. If you want the template to use theme colors, use them in the chart; if you want the template to use fixed colors, apply them instead.

2. On the Chart Tools Design tab, click Save As Template. The Chart Template dialog box opens.

3. Type a name for the template.

   Note 

   By default, under Windows Vista, templates are stored in Users\username\AppData\ Roaming\Microsoft\Template\Charts, with a .crtx (Chart Template) extension. In Windows XP, it's \Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates\Charts. You can copy templates from another PC and store them in that location and they will show up on your list of chart templates on the current PC.

4. Click Save.

Applying a Chart Template

To apply a chart template to an existing chart, follow these steps:

1. Select the chart, and on the Chart Tools Design tab, click Change Chart Type.

   You can also right-click the chart and choose Change Chart Type.

2. At the top of the list of categories, click Templates. PowerPoint displays all of the custom templates that you have created.

3. Click the template that you want to use.

4. Click OK.

To apply a chart template to a new chart as you are creating it, after choosing Insert Chart, click Templates folder and select the desired template.

Managing Template Files

Chart template files remain on your hard disk until you delete them. If you want to get rid of a chart template, or rename it, you can do so by opening the folder location that contains these templates. Although you can manually browse to the location (Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Template\Charts), this is an easier way:

1. On the Insert tab, click Chart.

2. In the Insert Chart dialog box, click Manage Templates. The folder location opens in an Explorer window. From here, you can rename or delete files.