Save, Load, Print

Lesson 11: Save, Load, and Print Workbooks

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In Lesson 11, we will walk through how to save your workbook to your computer, load it back up again, and print your spreadsheet. I will show you how to use the Save and Save As options to create copies of your work, manage recent workbooks, and open files that you have worked on before. We will also look at how to pin workbooks for easy access and how to create a new workbook. Finally, I will demonstrate how to use the print feature in Excel, including basic print options and print preview.

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Prev: Lesson 10
Next: Lesson 12

Keywords

TechHelp Excel, save Excel workbook, save as Excel, open Excel file, print Excel spreadsheet, Excel file extensions, Excel recent workbooks, Excel pin workbook, Excel templates, new blank workbook, close Excel workbook, Excel quick access toolbar, Excel f

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Intro

Transcript

In lesson 11, we will learn how to save our workbook to our computer hard disk, load it back up again, and print our spreadsheet to the printer.

Here I am back in sheet 1 of the workbook that we started earlier today. I would like to save this workbook to my computer's hard disk so that I have it for later. Again, as with everything else in Excel, there are several different ways to do this.

I am going to click on the floppy disk icon right there on my Quick Access toolbar. It says Save if you hold your mouse over it. This opens up the Save As dialog box. I am using Windows Vista, but it should look pretty similar regardless of what version of Windows you have.

I am placed inside my Documents folder where I can save any documents that I create. When I am toward the bottom of this window, you will see a spot to type in a file name. Mine says book1.xlsx. The extension there, xlsx, simply means that this is an Excel workbook file. You may or may not see that file extension depending upon your settings in Windows. If you do not see it, do not worry about it.

We will learn about the different Excel file extensions in a future class. Make sure the Save As type says Excel workbook, which it should. That is the default setting.

Now I want to type in a meaningful file name that tells me a little bit about what is in this workbook. So I am going to click here in the file name field and type in sales data 2010 so I know what is in this workbook file. Then I will come down here to the bottom and click on the Save button.

Now this file has been saved to my computer's hard drive. If you look up top in the title bar, you will see it says sales data 2010. That is the name of this workbook file. And remember, this workbook includes all of the sheets down on the bottom here, sheet 1, sheet 2, sheet 3. These are all included inside of this file.

Now let us pretend it is the end of the year, and I want to get my spreadsheet ready to accept data for 2011. I have got the same four sales reps, but I do not need any of these numbers. So I will select those and press Delete.

Now I want to save this sheet so I can use it for 2011, but I do not want to click on the Save button right here because if I do, it will save it using the name that I gave it before. The Save button here is just a quick save. If you have already specified a file name, it will save it over the old file.

So what you have to do instead is click on the File tab and then click on Save As. Save As will allow you to specify a different file name. So I can come down here and change the 2010 to 2011, and then click the Save button. Now the file name is changed to sales data 2011 and I am ready to start typing in new values.

I usually recommend students do that first, do the Save As operation first before you start changing the sheet. This way you save a copy of it and then you are working with the copy. I do not know how many times I have made changes to a spreadsheet and then hit the Save button out of habit and then I said, oops, I just deleted all my old data. So be very careful when you are doing that.

Now I want to close the workbook file. I do not want to completely close Excel down, so I am not going to use the big red X up top here. I am going to use this bottom X. This closes down the Excel workbook but leaves Excel open. Now you can see this is blank down here where the spreadsheet goes. I have Excel still running but there is no workbook open.

Now to open a workbook, click on the File tab and over on the right here you will see Recent Workbooks. You can see any workbooks that you have worked with recently. Here you can see I have a calendar spreadsheet that I was using earlier and my other two sales data workbooks show up on this list. If you want to open one of them, just click on it.

Here is my sales data 2010. I will go ahead and close that sheet again. Now if you click on File and you do not see the workbook that you want to open in the Recent Workbooks list, click on the Open button right here. This will bring up the Open dialog box and you can browse through all the folders on your computer to find the workbook file that you want to open.

In this case I will just double click on Sales Data 2011 and that will open it right up. The Recent listing shows you any workbooks that you have worked with recently. It will keep a list of the most commonly used workbooks.

Now as you can see, I have my calendar spreadsheet pinned to the Recent Workbooks list. If you have spreadsheets that you work with on a regular basis and you want to make sure they always stay on the Recent Workbooks list, you can click on the little pin icon right there and that will stick it to the Recent Workbooks list. It will always show up on here.

If you decide later on that you do not need that workbook showing up on the Recent Workbooks list, just unpin it by clicking on the pin again.

Normally when you open Excel, it brings you into a blank new workbook. If you are already working with a different workbook and you want to create another blank new workbook, just click on File and then New. The available templates window opens and you can see there are lots of different templates in here that you can pick from to create new workbook files. There are calendars and budgets and fax covers. All kinds of different templates in here. We will talk about these in a future class.

But for now, I just want a blank workbook. So I will double click on the Blank Workbook template. And there we go. This is the same blank workbook that you would have if you opened up a fresh copy of Excel.

I will just close this workbook down by clicking on the X here and that will bring me back to my sales data 2011 workbook.

And yes, you can have multiple workbooks open at the same time and work between them. We will cover that in a future lesson.

When you are ready to print your spreadsheet, click on the File tab and come down to the Print option. Over on the right hand side here, you will see a little print preview of what your sheet is going to look like. It is Excel's best estimation of what the printed page will look like.

Right here you can select the number of copies. You can use these little arrows to go up and down. One copy. You can change the printer here if you have multiple printers on your computer or if you want to print to a network printer. And there are additional settings here if you scroll down. What to print, whether you want collation, the page orientation, and so on. We will cover all these options in a future lesson.

When you are actually ready to print, click on the big Print button on top here. The spreadsheet will then be sent down to the selected printer.

If you do not want to print at this point, just click on the File tab again and that menu will close.

So now you know how to save your document, save it with a different file name, load your document back up again, and print it to your printer.

Quiz

Q1. What does clicking the floppy disk icon on the Quick Access toolbar do?
A. Opens the Save As dialog box
B. Prints the current worksheet
C. Closes the workbook
D. Creates a new blank workbook

Q2. When saving a file in Excel, what does the .xlsx extension indicate?
A. An Excel workbook file
B. A Word document
C. A PowerPoint presentation
D. An image file

Q3. If you want to save a copy of your current workbook with a different name, what should you do?
A. Click on File, then Save As
B. Click the Save button
C. Print the worksheet
D. Close Excel completely

Q4. What is the recommended order when preparing to create a copy of your spreadsheet for a new year?
A. Save As the new file first before deleting or changing data
B. Delete old data first, then Save As
C. Change data, then click Save
D. Print the old data, then start over

Q5. What does clicking the smaller X in the upper-right corner of Excel do?
A. Closes only the current workbook
B. Closes Excel completely
C. Prints the current worksheet
D. Saves and closes the workbook

Q6. Where can you find recently used workbooks in Excel?
A. In the File tab under Recent Workbooks
B. In the Quick Access toolbar
C. On your desktop
D. In the Print tab

Q7. What does pinning a workbook to the Recent Workbooks list do?
A. Keeps it always accessible in the Recent Workbooks list
B. Saves it to a USB drive
C. Deletes it from the folder
D. Prints the workbook automatically

Q8. How do you create a new blank workbook if one is already open?
A. Click on File, then New and choose Blank Workbook
B. Use the Save As command
C. Press the Delete key
D. Print the current workbook

Q9. When you are ready to print your spreadsheet, where do you go?
A. File tab, then Print
B. File tab, then New
C. Quick Access toolbar, then Save
D. Right-click on the worksheet

Q10. What does the Print Preview on the Print screen in Excel show?
A. What the printed page will look like
B. The list of recent documents
C. The available Excel templates
D. A list of printers on the network

Q11. If you change the file name using Save As, what happens?
A. A new file is created with the new name while the original file remains unchanged
B. The old file is deleted
C. The new file replaces the old one automatically
D. The contents of the sheet are erased

Q12. What happens if you click Save after making changes to your workbook, and you have not used Save As to create a new file?
A. The changes will overwrite the original file
B. A new file will always be created
C. The changes will be lost
D. The file will not be saved

Answers: 1-A; 2-A; 3-A; 4-A; 5-A; 6-A; 7-A; 8-A; 9-A; 10-A; 11-A; 12-A

DISCLAIMER: Quiz questions are AI generated. If you find any that are wrong, don't make sense, or aren't related to the video topic at hand, then please post a comment and let me know. Thanks.

Summary

Today's video from Excel Learning Zone covers how to save your workbook to your computer, open it again later, and print your spreadsheet.

I'm working in Sheet 1 of the workbook we started earlier. If I want to save this file to my computer so I can use it later, there are several ways to do it in Excel, as always. One common method is to use the Save icon, which brings up the Save As dialog box. While my example uses Windows Vista, this process is similar in other versions of Windows.

By default, Excel places you in your Documents folder when saving a file. There is a field where you enter a file name. You might see something like book1.xlsx as a default suggestion. The .xlsx extension identifies it as an Excel workbook. If your computer does not display file extensions, that's fine. We will get into more details about Excel file extensions in a future lesson. For now, just ensure the Save As type is set to Excel Workbook, which is the default.

Instead of leaving the generic name, it's helpful to provide a more descriptive file name. For this example, I'll enter 'sales data 2010' so the file is easy to recognize later. Once you have the correct name, just save the file. After saving, Excel will show the new file name in the title bar at the top. Remember, a single workbook includes all the sheets at the bottom, such as Sheet 1, Sheet 2, and Sheet 3.

If the year ends and you want to prepare your spreadsheet to enter new data for 2011, but you have the same group of sales reps and do not need the existing numbers, just remove those values by selecting them and deleting. To reuse this as a new file without overwriting the old data, do not use the regular Save button because that will overwrite your 2010 version with the new empty data.

Instead, use the Save As command. This lets you specify a new file name, such as changing '2010' to '2011'. After saving with the new name, you now have a separate file for each year. I recommend doing Save As before making any changes, so you keep your old data safe. It is very easy to forget and accidentally overwrite your previous work, so be careful about that.

If you want to close your workbook without exiting Excel entirely, you can close just the workbook, which leaves Excel running. When there is no workbook open, the workspace will appear blank, but Excel remains open and ready for you to start new files or open existing ones.

To open an existing workbook, use the File menu and go to Recent Workbooks. This shows a list of files you've worked with lately, making it easy to re-open them. If you do not see your desired file there, you can use the Open command and browse your folders to locate it.

You might notice that some workbooks are 'pinned' to your Recent Workbooks list. Pinning a file keeps it at the top of this list so it is always easy to find. If you change your mind later, you can unpin it.

When you launch Excel, it typically starts with a new, blank workbook. If you already have one workbook open and want to start another, use the New command under the File menu. You'll see a range of templates in that window, including calendars and budgets, but for now, choose the Blank Workbook. This gives you a fresh spreadsheet, just like opening a brand new file. You can close workbooks one at a time and switch between different files if needed. Excel does allow you to work with multiple open workbooks at the same time, though we'll explore that in more detail in a future lesson.

Finally, when it's time to print your spreadsheet, use the Print option under the File menu. You will see a print preview on the right, which gives you a good idea of how your sheet will look on paper. You can set the number of copies, select your printer (helpful if you have more than one printer to choose from), and adjust other settings such as page orientation and collation. When you're ready, send your spreadsheet to the printer. If you are not ready to print, you can simply exit the Print menu.

Now you have learned how to save a workbook, create copies with different file names, open files, and print your work in Excel.

You can find a complete video tutorial with step-by-step instructions on everything discussed here on my website at the link below. Live long and prosper, my friends.

Topic List

Saving a workbook using the Save button
Using Save As to create a copy with a new file name
Understanding Excel file extensions
Choosing a meaningful file name
Locating saved workbooks in the Documents folder
Identifying the workbook name in the title bar
Difference between Save and Save As
Best practices when reusing a workbook template
Closing a workbook but leaving Excel open
Opening recent workbooks from the File tab
Pinning and unpinning workbooks to the Recent list
Opening a workbook using the Open dialog
Creating a new blank workbook
Using Excel templates to create new workbooks
Printing a worksheet using the Print command
Selecting printer and print settings
Using print preview to check your sheet before printing

Article

Saving your work in Excel is essential to make sure you do not lose your progress and can return to your spreadsheets later. Saving a workbook creates a file on your computer's hard drive that you can open, update, or share at any time. There are several ways to save your files in Excel, but the most common is by clicking the floppy disk icon on the Quick Access Toolbar, which is usually at the very top of the Excel window. When you move your mouse over it, it should say Save.

Clicking this Save icon will bring up a Save As dialog box if you are saving the workbook for the first time. By default, you are placed in your Documents folder so you can easily locate your saved files later. At the bottom of the Save As window is a space to type a file name. The default name is usually something like book1.xlsx. The .xlsx part is the file extension for Excel workbook files, letting you and your computer know what type of file it is. You may or may not see this extension, depending on your Windows settings. Either way, do not worry about it for now.

Make sure that the Save As type is set to Excel workbook. This should be automatic. It is a good habit to enter a meaningful name that describes the content of your file. For example, if your spreadsheet contains sales information, you could type sales data 2010. Then click Save. Your file is now stored on your computer, and you will notice the name you chose appears in the Excel title bar at the very top of the window. Remember, an Excel workbook can contain multiple sheets, such as Sheet1, Sheet2, and Sheet3, and they are all stored together in the same file.

Suppose it is the end of the year and you want to prepare your spreadsheet for next year. You want to keep the same format and the names of your sales reps, but you want to get rid of all the old numbers. Simply select the cells with the old data and press the Delete key to clear them out. Now, to make sure you do not overwrite your old file, you should use the Save As command rather than the regular Save. Clicking the Save button will update your original file with all changes, including any deleted data.

Instead, click on the File tab at the top left corner, then choose Save As from the menu. This opens a dialog that lets you specify a new file name. For example, change sales data 2010 to sales data 2011, then click Save. This creates a new file with the new name, leaving your original file unchanged. Now you can safely enter your new data for the new year. It is a best practice to use Save As before making substantial changes, especially at the start of a new period or project. That way, you will always have a backup of your original work in case you need it later.

When you are finished working, you may want to close your workbook but keep Excel open. Avoid using the big red X at the top corner, as that will close the entire program. Instead, click the smaller X, which only closes the current workbook while keeping Excel itself running. You will see that the spreadsheet area is now blank, indicating that no workbook is currently open.

To open an existing workbook, go to the File tab again and look for Recent Workbooks on the menu. Here, you will find a list of files you have opened recently. Just click on any workbook in this list to open it. If you do not see the file you need, click the Open button, which launches a browsing window where you can search all the folders on your computer for the workbook you want. Once you find it, double click on it to open.

If there are certain spreadsheets you use all the time, you can pin them to the Recent Workbooks list. Next to each recent file there is a small pin icon. Click it to keep the file on your list permanently for easy access. If you ever want to unpin it, click the pin again.

By default, when you first open Excel, it creates a blank new workbook. If you are already working on something and want to start a new blank workbook, go to the File tab and choose New. You will see a window with a variety of templates such as calendars, budgets, fax covers, and more. You can choose any template, but for a standard blank workbook, simply double click on Blank Workbook. This creates a fresh workbook to start from scratch. If you want to close this workbook and return to another one you are working on, just click the small X on the workbook window.

Excel also allows you to have multiple workbooks open at the same time. You can switch back and forth between them as needed.

When you are ready to print your spreadsheet, click on the File tab and then select Print. On the right side, you will see a print preview, which gives you an idea of how your spreadsheet will look on paper. Here, you can choose how many copies to print by using the up and down arrows. If your computer is connected to more than one printer, you can select a different printer from the dropdown menu. There are additional settings available, such as choosing what to print, page orientation, and collation. When you are ready, click the Print button at the top of the window and Excel will send your spreadsheet to the selected printer. If you decide not to print, just go back to the File tab and Excel will return you to your spreadsheet.

By following these steps, you can easily save your workbooks, save copies with new names to preserve your data, load your spreadsheets as needed, and print them when you are ready. With a little practice, saving, opening, and printing files in Excel will become second nature.