What is a spreadsheet template?

Today we welcome our guest blogger Richard Petti, from ModelSheet Software, offering this improved explanation for "spreadsheet template."

Some visitors to our template website aren’t sure what a spreadsheet template is. I searched the web for “define: spreadsheet template” and came up empty-handed. It would help if we could adopt and disseminate a standard definition of “spreadsheet template” to help people understand the advantages, and limitations, of various kinds of templates.

Here is our proposed definition: A spreadsheet template is a spreadsheet that is designed to be easily customized by users to match their situations. Users can change numerical data, rename items, and shift time ranges with little or no editing of formulas. Users can edit underlying formulas of the spreadsheet template, but that is usually harder. Common examples of spreadsheet templates include expense forms, sales reports and forecasts, cash flow analyses, financial statements, financial plans for a business, and asset valuation models.

Thank you, Richard! And be sure to check out these capabilities from ModelSheet Software's templates on Office Online.

--Aaron