Microsoft Excel 2003/2004

Printing Basics

When printing in Excel 2003/2004, you can print all or part(s) of the current workbook or worksheet.

Printing Tips
Setting a Default Printer
Printing the Current Worksheet
Printing the Entire Workbook
Defining the Print Area
Printing a Range of Cells

Printing Tips

Before you print, to verify how the printout will look, use Print Preview. For more information, refer to Using Print Preview.
For wide worksheets, you may want to print the information in landscape mode (11" x 8.5") rather than portrait mode (8.5" x 11"). For more information, refer to Changing the Orientation.
The Page Setup dialog box allows you to make many printing modifications, including the footer and header, centering on the page, and shrinking or expanding to fill the entire page. For more information, refer to About the Page Setup Dialog Box.
WARNING: If you click the PRINT button (on the Standard toolbar), the entire worksheet or print area will print. This option does not let you access the Print dialog box to customize your options before printing.
To make selecting a printer from the Print dialog box easier, simply set a printer to be automatically used each time you print. For more information, refer to Setting a Default Printer.

Setting a Default Printer

If you would like your printed documents to be directed to the same printer each time you print, it may be helpful to set a default printer.

Windows:

From the Start menu, select Printers and Faxes
The Printers and Faxes dialog box appears.
Right click the printer to be set as your default printer » select Set as Default Printer
A checkmark appears next to the new default printer.
From the File menu, select Close

Macintosh:

Double click MACINTOSH HD » APPLICATIONS » UTILITIES » PRINT CENTER
The Printer List dialog box appears.
Select the printer to be set as your default printer
On the toolbar, click MAKE DEFAULT
In the printer list, the default printer is shown in bold print.
From the Printer Setup Utility menu, select Quit Printer Setup Utility

Printing the Current Worksheet

When printing your worksheet, you may not want to print the entire workbook. You can print a selected worksheet from the workbook. This will print all the active cells on the current sheet of the workbook.

From the File menu, select Print...
The Print dialog box appears.
In the Print what section, select Active sheet(s)
Click PRINT
The current worksheet is printed.

Printing the Entire Workbook

Printing the entire workbook will print all sheets of the workbook that contain data.

From the File menu, select Print...
The Print dialog box appears.
In the Print what section, select Entire workbook
Click PRINT
The entire workbook is printed.

Defining the Print Area

Unless you specify a print area, Excel assumes you want to print the active area of the current worksheet. You can specify a different print area through several options: the Page Setup dialog box and the Print Area command.

Defining the Print Area: Dialog Box Option

HINT: For more information about the Page Setup dialog box Sheet tab options, refer to Sheet Tab Options.

From the File menu, select Page Setup...
The Page Setup dialog box appears.
Select the Sheet tab
In the Print area text box, type the range of cells to be printed
OR
To select the area,
1. Windows: Click COLLAPSE DIALOG
  Macintosh: Click COLLAPSE DIALOG
2. Select the desired range of cells
3. Windows: Click RESTORE DIALOG
  Macintosh: Click EXPAND DIALOG
Click OK
The print area is defined.

Defining the Print Area: Print Area Option

The Print Area command is useful when you want to print a specific range of cells. The print area will remain in Excel's memory until it is cleared or replaced.

To set the print area:

Select the cells to be printed
From the File menu, select Print Area » Set Print Area
The print area is set.

To clear the print area:

From the File menu, select Print Area » Clear Print Area
The print area is cleared.

Printing a Range of Cells

If you are printing a range, you can define it prior to accessing the Print dialog box or within the Print dialog box. To select a print range, specify a range manually or type a range in the Print dialog box. When typing a range, you can use cell references or range names. For information on creating range names, refer to Working with Range Names.

Unless a print range is given, Excel prints everything on the current worksheet. The default would result in a printout containing all cells from A1 to the last column and row containing information.

Selecting a Print Range Manually

Select the range of cells to be printed
OR
From the Name Box pull-down list, select the range name to be printed
From the File menu, select Print...
The Print dialog box appears.
In the Print what section, select Selection
Click PRINT
The specified range of cells is printed.

Selecting Multiple Ranges

Even with well-designed worksheets, you may want to print specific non-contiguous ranges. Selected ranges will print on separate pages.

Select the first range to be printed
Windows: Press [Ctrl] + select the second range to be printed
Macintosh: Press [command] + select the second range to be printed
For each additional range to be printed, repeat step 2
From the File menu, select Print...
The Print dialog box appears.
In the Print what section, select Selection
Click PRINT
The selected ranges of cells are printed.