Incrementing Copy Numbers for Printouts

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated November 21, 2023)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Microsoft 365

1

Henry would like a cell to contain a number that increments every time a copy of the worksheet is printed. Thus, if the cell contains the number 9 and he prints 13 copies of the worksheet, each copy would contain, in that cell, the numbers 9, 10, 11, and on through 21.

This, as you might guess, is best done with a macro. All that needs to be done is to print the worksheet however many times is desired, incrementing the value of the cell after each print. In this case, I'm going to assume that the cell to be incremented is B7. The following macro will handle the process:

Sub PrintNumberedCopies()
    Dim iCopies As Integer
    Dim J As Integer
    Dim r As Range

    ' Specify the cell to modify
    Set r = Range("B7")

    ' Get the number of copies.
    iCopies = Val(InputBox("Number of copies to print:"))

    If iCopies > 0 Then
        ' Loop iCopies times, printing once per loop
        For J = 1 to iCopies
            ActiveSheet.PrintOut
            r.Value = r.Value + 1
        Next J
    End If
End Sub

Note that the macro asks the user how many copies to print, and then it goes about printing each one, individually. After each printout, it increments the value stored in cell B7. If the user enters something that does not translate to a number of copies, then nothing is printed.

Remember that if you want the value number in B7 to always be up to date, you'll need to save the workbook sometime after your last printing. In addition, if you print using some method other than this macro, then the value in B7 will not reflect the number of actual copies printed.

Note:

If you would like to know how to use the macros described on this page (or on any other page on the ExcelTips sites), I've prepared a special page that includes helpful information. Click here to open that special page in a new browser tab.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (12135) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Microsoft 365.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

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What is 1 + 1?

2023-08-08 15:06:55

Marc

Thanks, Allan. Works great.

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