Template Wizard

Removed in 2002
Also known as Template Wizard with Data Tracking.
The Template Wizard allows you to set up a simple Excel-based front end to a central database.
Using a data entry form within a worksheet, users can add new records to the database and update existing records.
The database can be an external Access or .DBF file, or it can be a list within another Excel workbook.
The add-in is supplied with Excel 97 and 2000, but Excel 2002 users must download it from the Microsoft's Web site.

WZTEMPLT.xla
You start by setting up a data entry form.
This consists of a simple range within the worksheet, with a cell for each of the fields within the record and another for each of the field labels.
You then launch the wizard from the Data menu.
The wizard prompts you to identify the input cells and their labels, the name and location of the database, and a few other items.
On completion, thewizardwill generate a template, which you then distribute to the users.

When a user creates a new workbook based on the template, they will see the data entry form which you have set up.
The user can now fill in the form and save the workbook, atwhich point a newrecord is inserted into the database.

If the user edits the same cells, Excel will ask them whether they want to insert another record or update the existing one.

The add-in offers a very easy way of linking worksheets to a database but it is not intended to provide a full set of data-handling tools.
It has no way of searching, filtering or sorting the data, nor can you use it to delete a record.

Nevertheless, it does serve as a good starting point.
You can extend the template with your own macros to provide any additional functionality that you need, although you might find it easier to use the tools provided by the database instead.