Insert a cell break in the middle of an Excel worksheet?

[webfarer]

Relative to Excel 2000, is there a way that I can insert a formatting break in the middle of a worksheet page such that at the top of the sheet I could have 9 columns (with each being 8.43 pixels wide), but the bottom half of the worksheet page could have 3 columns (with each being 29.14 pixels wide)?

 

[Smitty]

Welcome to the Board!

You can format the 9 columns in the upper region to 8.43, then in the lower region, merge 3 cells apiece until you have 3. Note that each merged column will be 8.43 * 3, so 25.29 (or thereabouts), not 29.14.

Hope that helps,

Smitty

 

[webfarer]

Thanks for the response. What I need to do in the bottom half of a worksheet page, is to utilize the proposed far right cell for sometimes lengthy descriptions which require word wrapping. In a single large cell (rather than your proposal of merging 3 cells), I have discovered that by selecting "wrap text" in Format Cells dialoge box under the alignment tab, I can type out a long line, and then click in the formula bar where I want to break the line, and then press ALT+ENTER. In this way the cell gets filled as needed. Better yet, I can apply this formatting to each cell under that one easily to complete the page. The only problem is that this technique doesn't seem to work when cells are merged.

 

[Smitty]

You can select multiple cells and Format-->Cells-->Alignment-->Check Merge Cells & Wrap Text, Horizontal ALignment-->Left, Vertical Alignment-->Top. This way Excel will wrap for you without the hard return, although you can still use it to start new lines. You can also ALT+Enter while entering text; no need to exit and do it in the formula bar.

Just note that Excel can get pretty cranky when used as a text editor, many folks will avoid merging cells whenever possible.

Smitty

 

[webfarer]

Thanks for the text wrap tip. Your method sure beats having to put in manual returns.