What is the ‘Print Area’?

When using the print dialogue box it is possible to specify whether to print the entire workbook, selection or the active sheet. You can also select an section of your sheet and set this as the ‘Print Area’ meaning this will be only this area that will print.

How do I set the Print Area?

1. Select the cells you wish to print.
2. Click to display the ‘Page Layout’ ribbon.
3. Click the ‘Print Area’ drop down menu button.
4. Click ‘Set Print Area’.

Follow steps 1-3 again, choosing ‘Clear Print Area’ to remove this selection.

How do I print my worksheet over a set number of pages?

You can use the ‘Scale to Fit’ options to alter the number of pages over which your sheet should print.

1. Click to display the ‘Page Layout’ ribbon.
2. In the ‘Scale to Fit’ section use the spin controls to adjust the print scale.
   OR
   Use the ‘Width’ and ‘Height’ drop down menus to instruct Excel to print over a specific number of pages.

In the example opposite the text will shrink to fit your full spreadsheet onto 2 pages wide and 3 pages tall. Manual page breaks are ignored when the ‘Fit to’ option is used.

What other print options are available?

It is possible to select various other options before printing. eg to print/not print gridlines etc.

1. Click to display the ‘Page Layout’ ribbon.
2. Click to show the ‘Page Setup’ dialogue box.
   The ‘Page Setup’ dialogue box will be displayed as shown below.
3. Click the ‘Sheet’ tab.
4. In the ‘Print’ section tick the options required.
   • Gridlines: All gridlines are printed (see also ‘How do I print the gridlines?’).
   • Black and White: Print the worksheet in black and white even if using a colour printer (saves ink and money).
   • Draft Quality: Prints at slightly less than normal quality.
   • Row and column headings: The column headers (A-...) and row headers (1-...) will print (see also ‘How do I print the row/column headers?’).
   • Comments: Any comments added to cells will be printed.
   • Cell errors as: Select how errors are displayed when printed. The illustrations below show the error in the worksheet (cell B3) and how the worksheet will print when the ‘cell error as’ value is to to ‘blank’.

How do I print the gridlines?

1. Click the ‘Page Layout’ ribbon.
2. Tick the ‘Print’ box in the ‘Gridlines’ section.

How do I print column/row headers?

1. Click the ‘Page Layout’ ribbon.
2. Tick the ‘Print’ box in the ‘Headlines’ section.