Using a Workspace File

The term workspace refers to the layout of all the open workbooks - their screen positions and window sizes.

You may have a project that uses two or more workbooks, and you may like to arrange the windows in a certain way to make them easy to access at a later time. Fortunately, Excel enables you to save your entire workspace to a file. After you open the workspace file, Excel sets up the workbooks exactly as they were when you saved your workspace.

Opening a workspace file

To open a workspace file, follow the steps outlined for “Opening Nonstandard Files,” earlier in this part, except in Step 2, select Workspaces (*.xlw) from the drop-down list (Windows XP) or menu (Windows Vista). Excel opens all the workbooks that you originally saved in the workspace.

Saving a workspace file

To save your workspace, follow these steps:

• Click the View tab on the Ribbon and then click the Save Workspace button. Excel displays the Save Workspace dialog box.
• Use the filename that Excel proposes (for example, resume.xlw or resume), or enter a different name in the File Name text box. Windows XP: In the Save In drop-down box, navigate to where you want to save the workspace.
  Windows Vista: If the Folders window isn’t displayed, click Browse Folders, click Folders to display the Folders window, and then select the folder in which to save the workspace.
  
• Click Save.

A workspace file contains not the workbooks themselves but only the information that Excel needs to recreate the workspace. Excel saves the workbooks in standard workbook files. If you distribute a workspace file to a coworker, therefore, make sure that you also include the workbook files that the workspace file refers to.