Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Setting Orientation of Cell Values.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated September 12, 2020)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
Excel allows you to easily adjust how you want information to appear within a cell. The Alignment tab within the Format Cells dialog box allows you to specify how information should be oriented (in which direction the text should be printed). You can set orientation in the following manner:

Figure 1. The Alignment tab of the Format Cells dialog box.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2758) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Setting Orientation of Cell Values.
Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 365 applications with VBA programming. Written in clear terms and understandable language, the book includes systematic tutorials and contains both intermediate and advanced content for experienced VB developers. Designed to be comprehensive, the book addresses not just one Office application, but the entire Office suite. Check out Mastering VBA for Microsoft Office 365 today!
If you need to determine the font applied to a particular cell, you'll need to use a macro. This tip presents several ...
Discover MoreWant some dashes automatically added in values you display in a cell? It may be trickier to develop a custom format than ...
Discover MoreExcel includes quite a few different formats you can use for the information in a worksheet. One format that isn't as ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
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.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments