Excel 2010 - right click on chart no longer gives “Save as Template” option

[RickyH]

The online video "how to do" this does not work in my hands -
I have a complicated-format pie chart that I generated from a template that I saved last year - image attached.
This year, still using Excel 2010, I could not recall how to save THIS year's version of the chart as a template. According to various Googled sources, right clicking on the chart area should generate a drop-down menu that includes numerous items - one of them Save as template. Maybe that's how I did it last year - I cannot remember.
This year, right-clicking does not even give a greyed-out option to Save as Template - see attached image, so I am defeated, and need some suggestions about how to do it.
I just tried on last year's spreadsheet to save a different 2022 chart as a template. I have the data ready to use with that desired template this year - but would have to recreate it from scratch, because on last year's spreadsheet, right clicking on the chart gives the same drop-down menu as on the attached image. No "Save as" or "Save as template" option is shown at all in this drop-down menu.
Please delete my previous thread with an incorrect software name. This new post also has further information.

PS - the charts were created by me in Excel 2010 using standard charting options, and are nothing to do with recent versions of Excel or with new types of third-party templates that cannot be saved as (presumably modified) templates. Those have drawn considerable complaint, I see.
PPS - I have dozens of templates that I created in former years for the reports, done annually. I do not recall any issues creating them or reusing them in subsequent years.

 

[RickyH]

This year is turning into a fight with Excel. An intrusive cream bar nobbling capability - "security warning" - was a possible reason I explored for the above problem.
How to fix Microsoft Excel security warning automatic update of links has been disabled?
In the target workbook, click the File tab > Options. In the Excel Options dialog box, click Trust Center > Trust Center Settings. In the Trust Center dialog box, click External Content, and then select Enable automatic update for all Workbook Links under Security settings for Workbook Links.
I also enabled a few other items that I thought might be interfering.
Bottom line - it didn't fix the problem.
After I made those setting changes, though, I could COPY the "different 2022 chart" (complete with old data) and paste in my 2023 spreadsheet. Then CHANGE the dataset to the new data - bingo, nearly as good as having the template! Most important end result achieved.
I could NOT change the dataset before I had made those setting changes, though.
Also, I CANNOT find a way of saving that new 2023 chart as a template - the right click menu lacks that option completely. Trying "Save as" gives you options to save various types of Excel template, but they are not chart templates - they are workbook templates.
And I REALLY want to save that pie template ...

 

[vletm]

RickyH​

Is this Your new thread different than Your previous one?

Excel CS6 - right click on chart no longer gives save as template option

I have a complicated-format pie chart that I generated from a template that I saved last year. This year, still using Excel CS6, I could not recall how to save THIS year's version of the chart as a template. According to various Googled sources, right clicking on the chart area should generate...

chandoo.org

... are You still waiting for replies to that?

Other question: Why You don't save Your file as Template?

 

[RickyH]

RickyH​

Is this Your new thread different than Your previous one?

Excel CS6 - right click on chart no longer gives save as template option

I have a complicated-format pie chart that I generated from a template that I saved last year. This year, still using Excel CS6, I could not recall how to save THIS year's version of the chart as a template. According to various Googled sources, right clicking on the chart area should generate...

chandoo.org

... are You still waiting for replies to that?

Other question: Why You don't save Your file as Template?

I did say above : "Please delete my previous thread with an incorrect software name."
In answer to your other question: The Excel file from 2022 has maybe 25-30 worksheets full of extensive data and/or charts - including maybe 20 different charts of numerous types. To quickly format a chart in 2023 with the new data, so that it resembles the 2022 chart in all cosmetic respects, the File template would not be helpful.
Copying the old chart into my 2023 worksheet and changing the dataset is a reasonably good work-around, but it's annoying not knowing how to fix this problem - or knowing some other way to save that chart template. My work-around only works if I have changed the security settings as described - so anyone else following that lead would probably have to do that too.
At present, I am stuck with, in 2024, copying the 2023 pie and changing the dataset ...

 

[vletm]

RickyH​

Texts can modify then can avoid duplicate threads.
... previous thread is closed now.

I tried to ask why-question?
Do You mean same time that You're using only one file for every year?
eg for year 2022, You don't have any copy left.
Have You thought to use Your file from template?
Have You Googled eg excel save as template ?
and create own template for Your use?
Or
Could You eg filter needed data to show to Your sheets... charts...?
... then You could have many years data in one file?
... and You could avoid 'mystic' tasks for each year.

 

[RickyH]

RickyH​

Texts can modify then can avoid duplicate threads.
... previous thread is closed now.

I tried to ask why-question?
Do You mean same time that You're using only one file for every year?
eg for year 2022, You don't have any copy left.
Have You thought to use Your file from template?
Have You Googled eg excel save as template ?
and create own template for Your use?
Or
Could You eg filter needed data to show to Your sheets... charts...?
... then You could have many years data in one file?
... and You could avoid 'mystic' tasks for each year.

I'm sorry you didn't understand my post. Have a look at the image's (right-click) drop-down menu and tell me where to find "Save as template"

 

[vletm]

...hmm? ... why?
Your post:
If Your attached image (#1 reply) do not have Your "Save as template" option then
I tried to offer other way to solve Your challenge.
... and I even offer the way: where to find save as template (#5 reply).

Have You tried to do same with Your possible previous years file?
or
Is that chart only one, which do not work as You expect?

 

[RickyH]

...hmm? ... why?
Your post:
If Your attached image (#1 reply) do not have Your "Save as template" option then
I tried to offer other way to solve Your challenge.
... and I even offer the way: where to find save as template (#5 reply).

Have You tried to do same with Your possible previous years file?
or
Is that chart only one, which do not work as You expect?

I have not tried every chart in the 2022 or 2023 files, but every chart I have tried in either file has the same right-click drop-down menu that LACKS any option to Save as template. You can see it for yourself on the pie chart.
The menu shown in this video, at about 1:19 into it, does not appear for me.
https: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FkleHDZ1aM

 

[Debaser]

Where on the chart are you right-clicking? Avoid the chart area. (IMO Excel is correct in preventing you saving that as a template, but that's another story)

 

[vletm]

I can see that option with my Excel ...


If #9 reply helps then skip these

google excel chart save as template missing
... and You can find eg "Sometimes the 'Save as Template…' option is greyed out with no explanation.
... ... but that won't match with Your case ... You missed it totally
or

Chart Save as Template not available.

Hello all This is my first post, so I do hope it's in the right place and in the right format. I did search threads for an answer but could not find an exact match. I am working on a time series, with just dates and one set of values. I created two charts out of the same data, one line chart...

chandoo.org

 

[RickyH]

Where on the chart are you right-clicking? Avoid the chart area. (IMO Excel is correct in preventing you saving that as a template, but that's another story)

Near the boundary of the chart outside the plot area. right-clicking on the plot area gives a different drop-down menu of 7 items, also lacking Save a template. vietm's drop-down menu is not to be found, despite many many attempts.

and

You may not like my pie - not aesthetically to your taste probably - but it needs to be interpretable in black and white, and that's a challenge with so many slices. Hence the value of saving it as a template.

 

[vletm]

Have You tested same with any other Excel-version or any other PC?

 

[RickyH]

Have You tested same with any other Excel-version or any other PC?

No. But I've been using this software on this computer for years - it's only this year that I cannot figure out how to save my chart as a template. I never had a great memory, and simply cannot remember non-intuitive stuff like this.
What version of Excel do you have?

 

[vletm]

Could You test Your file with other PC?
It could show - do it works?
You've written that Your Excel has all latest updates too.
Have You updated it after that You've done Your previous version?
If so - then there could be some challenges with that update.
... I've stopped updating my Excel (2019 for Mac) version, because after one update - it started to do weird things with charts.
And
Have tried to create a new Excel-file which has same kind of chart?
... can You get Your "Save as template" work with it?

 

[Debaser]

that's a challenge with so many slices.

That's why I don't like it. A pie with more than 2 or at most 3 slices is rarely the best option in my experience.

Do you have the same problem if you start Excel in safe mode by holding down the Ctrl key while starting the application?

 

[RickyH]

That's why I don't like it. A pie with more than 2 or at most 3 slices is rarely the best option in my experience.

Do you have the same problem if you start Excel in safe mode by holding down the Ctrl key while starting the application?

Same in safe mode.

re pie - I know of no other way to illustrate relative share as effectively. A column graph would, IMO, ask the reader to do a fair bit more work to assimilate the overall situation.

Thanks for your ongoing interest.

 

[Debaser]

IMO a sorted column/bar is usually simpler but it's your chart.

Is there a Save As Template button on the Design tab in Chart Tools? (I don't have 2010 anymore so am going from memory)

 

[RickyH]

IMO a sorted column/bar is usually simpler but it's your chart.

Is there a Save As Template button on the Design tab in Chart Tools? (I don't have 2010 anymore so am going from memory)

Yes there is - I found it by accident about an hour ago. I haven't tried it yet as I am working on refining the formats of two other charts, and will save them both as templates using that.
Thank you for the suggestion - it would have solved my problem if I had not just stumbled across this by luck.
It would be nice to NOT have a colander memory - this is undoubtedly how I did it last year!
Many thanks