# Excel Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 25, 2004, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-question/236270 "2004-03-25T03:19:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-question/236270/1 "2004-03-25T03:19:50Z")
My boss added to a feature to a spreasheet we’ve been developing which I can’t figure out how he did it! It is a 15 page spreadsheet, and each page with show the correct page number in the background, in a large font in gray. How did he do this? My only WAG is that the spreadsheet is protected…which it is…but I can still edit it. Related to this, if it helps, the print area is defined. Not sure how he did this… - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![ummm.yeahh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ummm.yeahh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ummm.yeahh)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-question/236270/2 "2004-03-25T04:41:05Z")
Hard to tell exactly what you mean but try going into page set up. There you whould be able to do your headers and footers, but I’m not sure if that’s what you mean. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-question/236270/3 "2004-03-25T04:50:37Z")
The spreadsheet is in “Page Break Preview” mode. It’s a setting under the view menu. If you don’t like that, switch to normal view. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-question/236270/4 "2004-03-25T04:55:19Z")
> [@Jinx](#): > > My boss added to a feature to a spreasheet we’ve been developing which I can’t figure out how he did it! It is a 15 page spreadsheet, and each page with show the correct page number in the background, in a large font in gray. > > How did he do this? My only WAG is that the spreadsheet is protected…which it is…but I can still edit it. Related to this, if it helps, the print area is defined. > > Not sure how he did this… - Jinx If I’m reading this right, which, at nearly midnight is highly improbable, this sounds like a watermark. When I get to work I’ll try to remember how it’s done. That is, unless you decide to ask your boss first. ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2004, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-question/236270/5 "2004-03-25T13:29:33Z")
**K364** is correct. It’s very helpful for showing how the pages will look printed, before you actually print, via those blue bars. But the page numbers won’t show up when you print it. Just click view --\> normal to change it back. ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-question/236270/6 "2004-03-26T15:55:36Z")
> [@K364](#): > > The spreadsheet is in “Page Break Preview” mode. It’s a setting under the view menu. If you don’t like that, switch to normal view. Thanks…that’s what it is, doc! Unfortunately for me, older versions of Excel handled issues like column headings, large headers, and/or large footers - as well as page breaks - so poorly, I have shied away from even depending on these features. Thus, I have been unaware how MS has made major improvements to such features - making large speadsheets nicer to manage, format, print, etc…especially when others need to print out my creations. One trick you might not have yet discovered: It took a lot of discovery, but MS has a small bug to note regarding Page Setup vs. Print Preview options. All options appear exactly the same, but you **cannot** define a header row within the “Print Preview” options. It will be grayed. You must go to the “Page Setup” options. Now, here’s the fine print on this: It once was that “Page Setup” contained the global options, like margins. Options that affect the entire document’s “foundation” so to speak. And, “Print Preview” contained more control over asthetic details. Because it is a subtle evolution in Excel options over the years, some people _still_ think in these terms…so it your duty, as a SDoper, to set the unwashed masses straight that these two are **NOW** one and the same. For example, you can adjust margins in either mode - “Page Setup” or “Print Preview”…with my one small noted caveot of a difference - which I believe is due to an MS oversight. And now you know…the rest of the story. G’day! - Jinx