My apologies that this didn’t get posted sooner. Try the following and let me know how it works — otherwise, we can try something else:

Create the workbook that you wish to use as a default.

When the new default workbook is set up to your preferences, choose the File tab or Microsoft Office Button and then Save As | Excel Workbook.
In the Save As dialog box, choose the Save As Type drop-down list, and select Excel Template (*.xltx).

Name the file as “book.xltx” (without the quotes)

The file needs to be saved in your XLSTART directory which is on your local C: drive. The location of this directory varies depending on your version of Windows and Microsoft Office; search your hard drive for the folder.

After you save the template file, you can close it.

Close Excel.

Start Excel to see your new workbook.

Now, every time you start Excel, the new blank workbook will be based on the template you created. In addition, when you click the New toolbar button (or press [Ctrl]+ N), the new workbook will be created from your template.

If the XLSTART directory is on a network, you may not have permission to save files. Instead, you can create a startup directory on your own system with any name you want and store the book.xltx file in this new alternate startup directory. The directory name you choose doesn’t matter, but you will need to tell Excel where it is.

To save your default workbook in an alternate directory:

Create a new folder on your C: drive where you will store your book.xltx file.

In Excel 2010, pick File | Options, and then click the Advanced category. In Excel 2007, click the Microsoft Office Button, choose Excel Options, and then choose the Advanced category.

Under the General section, type the full path of the folder that you want to use as the alternate startup folder in the At startup, open all files in box.

If a workbook with the same name is in both the XLSTART folder and the alternate startup folder, the file in the XLSTART folder opens.

Caution: Because Excel will try to open every file in the alternate startup folder, make sure you specify a folder that contains only files that Excel can open and only files you want to see every time you start Excel.

My apologies that this didn’t get posted sooner. Try the following and let me know how it works — otherwise, we can try something else:

Create the workbook that you wish to use as a default.

When the new default workbook is set up to your preferences, choose the File tab or Microsoft Office Button and then Save As | Excel Workbook.
In the Save As dialog box, choose the Save As Type drop-down list, and select Excel Template (*.xltx).

Name the file as “book.xltx” (without the quotes)

The file needs to be saved in your XLSTART directory which is on your local C: drive. The location of this directory varies depending on your version of Windows and Microsoft Office; search your hard drive for the folder.

After you save the template file, you can close it.

Close Excel.

Start Excel to see your new workbook.

Now, every time you start Excel, the new blank workbook will be based on the template you created. In addition, when you click the New toolbar button (or press [Ctrl]+ N), the new workbook will be created from your template.

If the XLSTART directory is on a network, you may not have permission to save files. Instead, you can create a startup directory on your own system with any name you want and store the book.xltx file in this new alternate startup directory. The directory name you choose doesn’t matter, but you will need to tell Excel where it is.

To save your default workbook in an alternate directory:

Create a new folder on your C: drive where you will store your book.xltx file.

In Excel 2010, pick File | Options, and then click the Advanced category. In Excel 2007, click the Microsoft Office Button, choose Excel Options, and then choose the Advanced category.

Under the General section, type the full path of the folder that you want to use as the alternate startup folder in the At startup, open all files in box.

If a workbook with the same name is in both the XLSTART folder and the alternate startup folder, the file in the XLSTART folder opens.

Caution: Because Excel will try to open every file in the alternate startup folder, make sure you specify a folder that contains only files that Excel can open and only files you want to see every time you start Excel.

My apologies that this didn’t get posted sooner. Try the following and let me know how it works — otherwise, we can try something else:

Create the workbook that you wish to use as a default.

When the new default workbook is set up to your preferences, choose the File tab or Microsoft Office Button and then Save As | Excel Workbook.
In the Save As dialog box, choose the Save As Type drop-down list, and select Excel Template (*.xltx).

Name the file as “book.xltx” (without the quotes)

The file needs to be saved in your XLSTART directory which is on your local C: drive. The location of this directory varies depending on your version of Windows and Microsoft Office; search your hard drive for the folder.

After you save the template file, you can close it.

Close Excel.

Start Excel to see your new workbook.

Now, every time you start Excel, the new blank workbook will be based on the template you created. In addition, when you click the New toolbar button (or press [Ctrl]+ N), the new workbook will be created from your template.

If the XLSTART directory is on a network, you may not have permission to save files. Instead, you can create a startup directory on your own system with any name you want and store the book.xltx file in this new alternate startup directory. The directory name you choose doesn’t matter, but you will need to tell Excel where it is.

To save your default workbook in an alternate directory:

Create a new folder on your C: drive where you will store your book.xltx file.

In Excel 2010, pick File | Options, and then click the Advanced category. In Excel 2007, click the Microsoft Office Button, choose Excel Options, and then choose the Advanced category.

Under the General section, type the full path of the folder that you want to use as the alternate startup folder in the At startup, open all files in box.

If a workbook with the same name is in both the XLSTART folder and the alternate startup folder, the file in the XLSTART folder opens.

Caution: Because Excel will try to open every file in the alternate startup folder, make sure you specify a folder that contains only files that Excel can open and only files you want to see every time you start Excel.