Printing Spreadsheets

Once you get your worksheet looking just the way you want it, you will probably want to print a copy. Even if your goal is to send the file over the Internet or post it on the Web, having a printout to stick in a file somewhere is a good idea for very important documents. The process of printing a spreadsheet in Excel is basically this: choose what you want to print, and print it. Here s a quick run-down:

• To get a fast print Click the Print tool on the Standard toolbar. A quick status box appears, telling you that the file is being sent to the printer and then ” voil  ! ”there it is. Fast and easy.

• To print a selected area Save the area as a print area. Begin by selecting the cells you want to include, and then choose Print Area from the File menu and select Set Print Area. A dotted outline surrounds the range, indicating that it is now marked as a print area.

  Note  

  Clear the print area you ve selected by choosing Print Area from the File menu and choosing Clear Print Area.

• To preview the worksheet area before you print Click the Print Preview tool on the Standard toolbar. The print area you selected appears in the preview window, showing the orientation, margins, and the header and footer of your worksheet.

Aha! ”Adding Headers and Footers

If you want to add a header and footer, or change the margins for your worksheet before you print it, display the worksheet in Print Preview mode (click the Print Preview tool on the Standard toolbar), and click the Setup button at the top of the Preview window. In the Page Setup dialog box, click the Margins tab to set margins and the Header/Footer tab to enter a header and footer for the worksheet. After you make your changes, click OK to return to Preview mode.

 

• To set print options Press Ctrl+P to display the Print dialog box. Choose the page range you want to print, number of copies, and so on. Click OK to print.

Faxing from Excel

Excel 2003 gives you the option of faxing your worksheet ”or a portion of it ”while you re still working on the file. Begin with a connection to the Internet and your worksheet open on the screen. Choose Send To from the File menu, and click Recipient Using Internet Fax Service. The first time you do this, a message box appears telling you to click OK to choose an Internet fax service; you are then taken to a Web site where you can make your choice and enter your information.