Putting Spreadsheet Names in Headers or Footers

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated February 18, 2021)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

When you print your spreadsheet, it is often a good idea to include the spreadsheet name in the header or footer. This allows you, at a later date, to recall the name of the file in which the spreadsheet is stored. In fact, some of the headers and footers predefined in Excel include the spreadsheet file name. To include spreadsheet file names in your custom header or footer, follow these steps:

  1. Choose Page Setup from the File menu. This displays the Page Setup dialog box.
  2. Make sure the Header/Footer tab is selected. (See Figure 1.)

    3. Figure 1. The Header/Footer tab of the Page Setup dialog box.

  3. Click on either Custom Header or Custom Footer, depending on where you want the spreadsheet file name to appear. This displays either the Header or Footer dialog box. (See Figure 2.)

    4. Figure 2. The Header or Footer dialog box.

  4. Position the insertion point in the Left, Center, or Right box, depending on where in the header or footer you want the spreadsheet file name placed.
  5. Click on the file name tool (it looks like a piece of paper with the Excel logo on it). This places the characters &[File] at the insertion point. This is where the spreadsheet file name will be located.
  6. Click on OK to close the Header or Footer dialog box.
  7. Click on OK to close the Page Setup dialog box.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2638) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Displaying a Chart Legend

A legend can help explain the various lines or objects visible in a chart. Microsoft Chart allows you to turn on or off ...

Discover More

Printing a Draft Watermark

Adding a watermark to the background of a printout can be challenging. This tip explains the different ways you can ...

Discover More

Combining Multiple Rows in a Column

Do you need to concatenate the contents of a range of cells in the same column? Here's a formula and a handy macro to ...

Discover More

Dive Deep into Macros! Make Excel do things you thought were impossible, discover techniques you won't find anywhere else, and create powerful automated reports. Bill Jelen and Tracy Syrstad help you instantly visualize information to make it actionable. You’ll find step-by-step instructions, real-world case studies, and 50 workbooks packed with examples and solutions. Check out Microsoft Excel 2019 VBA and Macros today!

More ExcelTips (menu)

First and Last Names in a Page Header

When you have a worksheet that includes a long list of names, you may want the first and last names on each page to ...

Discover More

Selective Headers and Footers

Want to print different headers or footers on different parts of your worksheet? Excel has no inherent way to do this, ...

Discover More

Creating a Footer

Adding a predefined footer to your worksheets is easy, and it helps convey valuable information when you make a printout. ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is one more than 9?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.

Links and Sharing
OUR COMPANY
OUR PRODUCTS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.