Creating a Header

by Allen Wyatt
(last updated November 8, 2014)

1

Excel allows you to add headers to your spreadsheet. Headers are nothing more than repeating text that appears at the top of every page of your printed spreadsheet. The beauty of headers is that they only have to be defined once, and then Excel places them on your printed pages automatically. To define a page header, do the following:

  1. Select 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. Using the Header drop-down list, select any of the predefined headers you want used with your spreadsheet.
  4. Click on OK to close the Page Setup dialog box.

If you don't like any of the predefined headers in Excel, or if you have special header needs, you can create a custom header. You do that by following these steps:

  1. Select Page Setup from the File menu. This displays the Page Setup dialog box.
  2. Make sure the Header/Footer tab is selected.
  3. Click on the Custom Header button. This displays the Header dialog box. (See Figure 2.)

    4. Figure 2. The Header dialog box.

  4. In each of the three parts of the dialog box, enter the information you want to appear at the left, center, and right of the header.
  5. When you are through defining your footer, click on OK to close the Header dialog box.
  6. Click on OK to close the Page Setup dialog box.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2692) 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

Automatically Updating Fields and Links

You can update fields and links automatically when you print your document, but what if you want them updated when you ...

Discover More

Using the Fill Handle from the Keyboard

The fill handle can save a huge amount of time when you are editing a worksheet. If you are really good at using the ...

Discover More

Unwanted Numbering on Pasted Tables

When pasting text from another document or from the Web you can have unexpected characters sometimes show up. Many of ...

Discover More

Save Time and Supercharge Excel! Automate virtually any routine task and save yourself hours, days, maybe even weeks. Then, learn how to make Excel do things you thought were simply impossible! Mastering advanced Excel macros has never been easier. Check out Excel 2010 VBA and Macros today!

More ExcelTips (menu)

Putting Spreadsheet Names in Headers or Footers

One of the things you can add to your page header or footer is the name of your workbook file name. Here's how to make ...

Discover More

Changing Section Headers

Add subtotals to a worksheet and you can instruct Excel to start each new subtotal section on a new printed page. You may ...

Discover More

Specifying Date Formats in Headers

Don't like the default date format used by Excel when you place the date in a header or footer? You can use a macro to ...

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}] 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 two minus 0?

2015-02-17 10:11:51

Bennett

Can I do this for specific Rows?

Thanks,
Bennett

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 AUTHORS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2018 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.