Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Saving in Two Locations.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated January 22, 2022)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365
Sam asked if there was a way to save the same workbook to two separate locations. For instance, one copy could be saved to the normal network location, and the other to a folder on the local hard drive.
There are any number of ways that this can be done. For instance, you could create your own macro that saves two versions of the same workbook. The macro could be placed on the Quick Access Toolbar and clicked when you want to save both copies. (In other words, you would bypass the normal Save function all together.)
Another approach is to make a small adjustment to how Excel saves the workbook. For instance, the following macro would be added to the ThisWorkbook object for the workbook:
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here:
Private Sub Workbook_BeforeSave(ByVal _
SaveAsUI As Boolean, Cancel As Boolean)
With ThisWorkbook
.SaveCopyAs ("c:\Backups\Backup of " & .Name)
End With
End Sub
This is an event handler, and it is triggered every time you go to do a save on the workbook. At that point, the macro is executed and a copy of the workbook is saved in the specified path on your local hard drive.
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (11265) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Saving in Two Locations.
Professional Development Guidance! Four world-class developers offer start-to-finish guidance for building powerful, robust, and secure applications with Excel. The authors show how to consistently make the right design decisions and make the most of Excel's powerful features. Check out Professional Excel Development today!
When storing your Excel workbook, you need to specify a file name to be used for the workbook. Take a moment to consider ...
Discover MoreRenaming a workbook from within Excel can seem daunting, but it is actually quite easy. All you need to do is use the ...
Discover MoreNeed to get the full path of your current workbook into the Clipboard? Excel doesn't make it quite as easy as it used to ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2022-01-22 10:20:17
J. Woolley
Also, see https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/automatic-backups-excel
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments