Number formatting in Google Sheets

There are plenty of number formatting types in google sheets (and you can always copy them from excel and add more custom ones if needed), but that is not my issue.

The issue here is that these formatting options go away when a sheet is copied. Unless the cell is not blank.

So if you highlight a cell and make a specific number format, you can later go into the cell and add a number, it will fit that format.

                

But that only works if you have not made a copy of the sheet.

Why would you make a copy of the sheet?  What if I am giving out the sheet to a group of students or collaborating on a document that always has the same start point (you know, a template).

Put a number in the cell, in the template!

The trick is to have a number in the cell, in the template.  Just add zero, or 1, 2, 3, or 4.  Then when you make a copy of the sheet, because the cell is not empty, it will keep the number formatting.

And you can fill them in with the correct numbers on the new copy of the template.

The more you know.