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: Ampersands in Headers and Footers.
One of the finishing touches often applied to a worksheet is to create headers and footers that print on every page. You may have noticed that some characters won't print in a header or footer. For instance, if you work at a company named Drury & James, and you put the company name in the header or footer, it will print as Drury James, omitting the ampersand.
The reason for this is because the ampersand signals, to Excel, that the next character is "special" and represents a code controlling some aspect of what is printed. To override the effect that the ampersand has, simply use two ampersands, as in Drury && James. When you do, the first ampersand is "swallowed" by Excel and the second one actually prints.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2910) 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: Ampersands in Headers and Footers.
Excel Smarts for Beginners! Featuring the friendly and trusted For Dummies style, this popular guide shows beginners how to get up and running with Excel while also helping more experienced users get comfortable with the newest features. Check out Excel 2013 For Dummies today!
Excel allows you to add footers to the worksheets you create. If you decide you don't need a footer any more, here's how ...
Discover MoreWhen creating headers and footers in an Excel worksheet, you can use special codes to add or format information. This tip ...
Discover MoreEach new Excel worksheet contains a page header, by default. Follow this tip to get rid of headers you don't need.
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2017-01-12 11:35:48
Sharolyn
This solved my problem! Thank-you.
2016-11-09 06:38:25
Geraldine
Is there a code to insert the author into the header or footer?
Great tips, thanks
2016-08-05 13:55:00
David
Thank you, very helpful!
2016-07-07 11:24:29
Awesome
Perfect! Just what I needed. Thanks!
2016-04-05 12:49:50
Dustin
Thank you so much for this solution. Thought I was going insane when the ampersand kept disappearing. Nothing more frustrating than when something that should be easy becomes a huge ordeal.
2015-09-23 09:54:29
Ron
What I thought was going to be a PITA was solved quickly with Google search and this page. Thanks for the tip!
2015-02-10 05:31:04
Luana
Perfect! Thank you!
2014-09-08 17:15:02
Phil M
Many thanks for this tip.
2014-01-02 12:37:46
Michael (Micky) Avidan
Here is a list of all the common used codes in the Headers/Footers:
&D - Current date
&T - Current time
&F - Workbook name
&A - Worksheet's name (Worksheet's tab)
&P - Current page number
&P+x - Current page number plus x
&N - Total pages in the Workbook(!)
&& - Ampersand character
Page &[Page] out of &[Pages]
--------------------------------
Michael (Micky) Avidan
“Microsoft® Answers" - Wiki author & Forums Moderator
“Microsoft®” MVP – Excel (2009-2014)
ISRAEL
2014-01-02 04:30:26
Wilda
Wonderful tip. I've been using Excel for 20+ years and have always wished I could use an "&" instead of an "and".
2013-09-25 13:04:51
Alicia
Thank you. This helped a lot and saved a lot of time and frustration.
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 © 2019 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
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: 
Comments