Saving a Chart Template

A chart template file (.crtx) (New!) saves all the customization you made to a chart for use in other presentations. You can save any chart in a presentation as a chart template file and use it to form the basis of your next presentation chart, which is useful for standard company financial reporting. Although you can store your template anywhere you want, you may find it handy to store it in the Templates/Charts folder that PowerPoint and Microsoft Office uses to store its templates. If you store your design templates in the Templates/Charts folder, those templates appear as options when you insert or change a chart type using My Templates (New!). When you create a new chart or want to change the chart type of an existing chart, you can apply the new chart template.

Create a Custom Chart Template

Click the chart you want to save as a template.

Click the Design tab under Chart Tools.

Click the Save As Template button.

Make sure the Charts folder appears in the Save in box.

Microsoft Office templates are typically stored in the following location:

Windows Vista. C:/Users/your name/AppData/Microsoft/Roaming/Templates/Charts.

Windows XP. C:/Documents and Settings/your name/Application Data/Microsoft/Templates/Charts.

Type a name for the chart template.

Click Save.

Apply a Chart Template

Use one of the following methods:

• New chart. Click the Insert tab, and then click Insert Chart.

• Change chart. Select the chart you want to change, click the Design tab under Chart Tools, and then click the Change Chart Type button.

In the left pane, click Templates.

Click the custom chart type you want.

Click OK.

Did You Know?

You can manage chart templates in the Charts folder. In the Chart Type dialog box, you can click the Manage Templates button to open the Charts folder and move, copy, or delete chart templates (.crtx). When you're done, click the Close button to return back to the Chart Type dialog box, and then click Cancel.

You can set a chart as the default. If you use the same chart template over and over again, you can set a chart as the default when creating a new chart. In the Chart Type dialog box, click Template in the left pane, select the chart you want to use, click Set as Default Chart, and then click Cancel.