8.6: Viewing a Worksheet
Learning Objectives
- Change page layout orientation
- Change margins
Now that we’ve learned a variety of applications and tips for using Excel, this final section will focus on options for viewing and printing worksheets. There are two important considerations here: the way the page is oriented and the margins. Both can be adjusted with just a few clicks in Excel.
Page Layout Orientation
Just like in Word, by default Excel is set to a portrait orientation (which means it is taller than it is wide). Depending on how many columns your worksheet has though, this may not be the best orientation. The other option is the landscape orientation, where the page prints left to right along the long side of a page.
- Click on the Page Layout tab
- Within the Page Setup group you will find the Orientation dropdown.
- Click the arrow to access the menu and then select the orientation you want. Again, by default Excel is set to portrait, so you will generally use this to switch to landscape.
Practice Question
Margins
Sometimes your worksheet will not quite fit within the standard margins for a printed page. This can occur in portrait or landscape orientation, and the easiest fix could be to print closer to the physical edge of the paper. At other times, for visual reasons you may want your margins to be a bit larger than normal. In this case your printed worksheet would be farther away from the edge of the paper. This can be helpful if you are making a binder and need to punch holes into the edge of the sheet.
In either case, to change margins in Excel:
- Click on the Page Layout tab
- Within the Page Setup group you will find the Margins dropdown.
-
Click the arrow to access the menu and then select the margins you want.
- By default, the page is at Normal margins.
- Wide margins will move the printed area away from the edge of the paper.
- Narrow margins will move the printed area toward the edge of the paper.
You may also set custom margins if you need to.
Practice Question
Contributors and Attributions
- Viewing a Worksheet. Authored by : Shelli Carter. Provided by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution
- Portrait vs landscape. Authored by : Sam Beebe. Located at : https://www.flickr.com/photos/sbeebe/8113091175 . License : CC BY: Attribution