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Microsoft Excel 2003/2004

Using Printing Options

There are several print options, including those located in the Page Setup dialog box, for printing your worksheet. You can select a particular range of cells to print or you can hide rows or columns so they will not appear on the printout. You can also set page breaks so the information being printed starts a new page in specific places.

return to topPrinting Charts

Charts can be printed with or without worksheet data. The following instructions cover the basics of printing charts.

Printing Only the Chart

  1. To select the chart, click it
    Square, black handles appear around the chart.

  2. From the File menu, select Print...
    The Print dialog box appears.

  3. Windows: Click OK
    Macintosh: Click PRINT

Printing the Chart and the Data

When printing chart and data, you should use Print Preview to ensure that the chart is not divided between pages.

  1. Adjust the chart size and position so you can see the chart and the data you want to print

  2. Make sure the chart is not selected

  3. From the File menu, select Print Preview

  4. Verify that the appropriate elements are going to print

  5. Windows: Click PRINT...
    Macintosh: Click PRINTPrint button
    The Print dialog box appears.

  6. Windows: Click OK
    Macintosh: Click PRINT

return to topHiding Information

There may be times when you need to hide information on some printouts, perhaps because of confidentiality or irrelevance. Instead of rearranging the worksheet, you can hide information in an entire column, row, cell, or range of cells, so that it does not print. For instructions on how to hide information, refer to Hiding Columns, Rows, and Cells.

return to topSetting Custom Page Breaks

You can control where a new page starts by establishing forced page breaks. When you set the page break, placement of the cell pointer is critical. Review the following examples to determine where you need to set your cell pointer when establishing a forced page break. These examples are based on a printable range of A1:J75.

Cell Pointer
Position		 Effect on Printing
H1
 First group of pages
Second group of pages
A1:G75
H1:J75
C25
 First group of pages
Second group of pages
Third group of pages
Fourth group of pages
A1:B24
A25:B75
C1:J24
C25:J75
A50
 First group of pages
Second group of pages
A1:J49
A50:J75

Establishing a Forced Page Break

  1. Set the cell pointer to the right of the last column and below the last row to be printed on the first page

  2. From the Insert menu, select Page Break
    A heavy dotted line appears to the left of and/or above the current cell.

Removing a Forced Page Break

  1. Set the cell pointer to the right of the last column and below the last row to be printed on the first page

  2. From the Insert menu, select Remove Page Break
         The heavy dotted line disappears.

Using Page Break Preview

If you want your entire worksheet to fit on one page but one column or row will be printing on a second page, you will want to manually change the page break. Using Page Break Preview will allow you to make such changes and override the Adjust to or Fit to options in the Page Setup dialog box.

  1. From the View menu, select Page Break Preview
    The Welcome to Page Break Preview dialog box appears.

  2. Click OK

  3. With your mouse, click and drag the bottom blue page break outline to move the page break down
    OR
    With your mouse, click and drag the far right blue page break outline to move the page break to the right
    WARNING: Depending on how many columns or rows you include on one page, the font size within your document may decrease.

  4. Once you have changed the page breaks within your worksheet, to continue working with your document in Normal view, from the View menu, select Normal

return to top Printing Formulas

Troubleshooting your worksheets is easier if you print the formulas. This is especially true if you have a large worksheet or if you are managing a worksheet that someone else created. In order to print the formulas, they must first be displayed. After you are done printing, you can re-adjust the view to show the results of the formulas.

Displaying the Formulas

  1. Windows: From the Tools menu, select Options...
    The Options dialog box appears.
    Macintosh: From the Excel menu, select Preferences...
    The Preferences dialog box appears.

  2. Windows: Select the View tab
    Macintosh: From the list on the left, select View

  3. Under Window options, select Formulas
    HINT: A check means the option is active; an empty box means the option is inactive.

  4. Click OK

Printing Gridlines and Row/Column Headings

By default, gridlines and row/column headings will not print. At times, however, you may find it useful for them to print because they make it easier to reference the location of formulas. These options can be selected in the Page Setup dialog box. For more information on printing guidelines and row/column headings, refer to Other Printing Options.

Windows:

  1. From the File menu, select Page Setup...
    The Page Setup dialog box appears.

  2. Select the Sheet tab

  3. To print the gridlines, under Print, select Gridlines

  4. To print the row and column headings, under Print, select Row and column headings

  5. Click PRINT…
    The Print dialog box appears.

  6. Click OK

Macintosh:

  1. From the File menu, select Page Setup...
    The Page Setup dialog box appears.

  2. Select the Sheet tab

  3. To print the gridlines, under Print, select Gridlines

  4. To print the row and column headings, under Print, select Row and column headings

  5. Click OK

  6. From the File menu, select Print...
    The Print dialog box appears.

  7. Click PRINT

return to topPrinting with Color

Printing with color can enhance your finished Excel document. To print using color, you must have access to a color printer. If you have applied color to your Excel document on screen, but you print to a black and white printer, the document will print in shades of gray. Use Print Preview to be sure that the document will print appropriately. 

  1. From the File menu, select Page Setup...
    The Page Setup dialog box appears.

  2. Select the Sheet tab

  3. Under Print, make sure Black and white is not selected
    An empty check box means the option is inactive.

  4. Click OK

  5. From the File menu, select Print Preview

  6. Make sure the document appears in color

  7. Click CLOSE

  8. Proceed with printing
    NOTE: For more information, refer to Printing Basics.

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