Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated November 27, 2019)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
If you have a slower-than-desired laser printer, you may despair (or take a lunch break) whenever you need to print multiple copies of a multi-page worksheet. For instance, it can take a long time to print five copies of a three-page worksheet.
The reason for this is that Excel, by default, sends each worksheet individually. Thus, pages 1 through 3 are sent, then 1 through 3 are sent again, and again, until all five sets have been printed.
With slow laser printers, you could get your output much faster if you turned off collating on your printout. This means that page 1 would be printed five times, then page 2 five times, and finally five copies of page 3. You will have to manually collate your output, but there is a good chance you can do this faster than your laser printer could print the five copies.
To turn off collating in Excel, follow these steps:
Figure 1. The Print dialog box.
The reason this works is that with collation turned off, Excel sends only a single copy of each page, along with a command that tells how many copies of each page to print. The laser printer then does its printing from memory. The result is that only three pages are transferred to the printer instead of the original fifteen (three times five) for the collated sets.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (3238) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.
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2015-04-25 18:46:10
Dave Onorato
I agree. A red circle would be great.
And think, then you can post on how to make a red "accent" circle...
2015-04-25 12:25:22
MWilson
I made that same suggestion years ago too.
Allen -- It would be a very useful benefit to the readers of your close to perfect set of Tips if you did circle the check boxes that are the subject of your tip.
2015-04-25 09:47:49
J Pena Jr
Concur...
2015-04-25 08:26:04
Dave
It would save readers a second or two if you'd mark up the posting of the Excel window. For example, here the COLLATE button could be circled in red.
There have been other tips where you've said "Just check the xxx button." & I haven't been able to find it. So, I've skipped that tip. Five seconds effort on your part could save two seconds (times hundreds of readers) on the other end.
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