Getting rid of empty areas of a workbook

[steve_e]

Hi -
Apologies, I'm sure this is very basic but I don't seem to be able to phrase the question in the right way to get an answer to the help documentation...

I have been sent a file with 5 sheets in it - very short in terms of content. But when I go to print it, it comes up with 80 or so pages, most of them empty. When I click the page break preview, it seems to be listing lots of pages below the content in each sheet.

I can't find a way to stop Excel from wanting to print these apparently 'empty' areas of the spreadsheet. Can anyone help?

Regards, Steve.

 

[Richard Schollar]

Try resetting the print area: Print>Print Area>Set Print Area just on the cells you want to print.

Richard

 

[steve_e]

Sorry Richard -
I'm on Excel 2000 and can't see a print area option. Would that be a later version feature?

Also, I want it to print a number of different sheets, just a smaller area on each sheet.

Thanks for your reply!

Regards, Steve.

 

[Peter_SSs]

steve_e

Welcome to the Mr Excel board!

If you don't want to be restricted to a particular print Area, another thing worth trying is to go to the bottom of the data, click and drag down a few hundred/thousand rows. It only takes a second if you pull the mouse right down to the bottom of the screen (I think Excel has 5 scroll speeds as you pull the mouse further off the screen).

Then go Edit|Delete|Entire Row|OK
Save the sheet and try a Print Preview to see if this has changed the result.

Another thing to look for along the lines of Parsnip's answer is that the sheets may already have a (large) Print Area set. Try File|Print Area|Clear Print Area.

 

[Peter_SSs]

Sorry Richard -
I'm on Excel 2000 and can't see a print area option. Would that be a later version feature?

Also, I want it to print a number of different sheets, just a smaller area on each sheet.

Thanks for your reply!

Regards, Steve.

I think Parsnip meant File>Print Area>Set Print Area

 

[SiddersAtCHEP]

Try looking at File -->Print area -->Set Print Area. Otherwise, I am sure that 2000 has a button which does this although it may not be on the toolbars by default. Right click anywhere on the toolbar area, choose Customize, select the Commands tab, select File category and scroll down the right panel until you see Set print area. Left click and hold to drag the icon up to the toolbar and (I suggest) place it next to the Print icon.

 

[steve_e]

Found it - thanks to you all!

One further question, if you have time. When you set print area, does it 'remember' this area for different sheets? So if I have 5 different tabs for the workbook, can I set a print area for each one, then print the entire workbook and have it print only the areas I'd previously set (if that makes sense)?

 

[SiddersAtCHEP]

You CAN set a different print area for each page

 

[steve_e]

Brilliant - thanks again for your help.
Regards, Steve.