Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated April 22, 2023)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365
Dawn has workbooks with multiple tabs (worksheets) in them. She uses "Page of Pages" (X of Y) numbering in the page footers. She notes that she used to be able to print entire workbooks at once and have the numbering come out correctly, with the Y value being the number of pages in each worksheet. Since upgrading to Excel 2016, the Y value on her printouts is always the total number of pages in the workbook, not the number of pages in each worksheet. She wonders if there is a setting in Excel that determines how the Y value is counted (per worksheet or per workbook).
There is no setting that we've been able to locate. Instead, it appears that Excel determines both the X and Y values based on the current print job, not on worksheets or the entire workbook. In other words, if your workbook contains three worksheets, and you print all three, the X and Y values will be different than if you choose to print only the second or the second and third worksheets.
The solution to this is to use a small, simple macro that steps through all the worksheets in a workbook and prints the worksheets individually. As far as Excel is concerned, then, you are performing multiple print jobs, thus the Y value will get reset on a worksheet-by-worksheet basis. Here's the macro:
Sub PrintProperly()
Dim sht As Worksheet
For Each sht In ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets
sht.PrintOut copies:=1
Next sht
End Sub
Assign the macro to a shortcut key or to a button on the Quick Access Toolbar, and you'll be able to invoke it easier.
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (12454) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365.
Excel Smarts for Beginners! Featuring the friendly and trusted For Dummies style, this popular guide shows beginners how to get up and running with Excel while also helping more experienced users get comfortable with the newest features. Check out Excel 2019 For Dummies today!
You can easily create headers and footers for multiple worksheets by working with a selection set of the worksheets you ...
Discover MoreNeed your page numbers to not appear as regular Arabic numerals? Here's a way to get them to appear in a different ...
Discover MoreWhen you have a worksheet that includes a long list of names, you may want the first and last names on each page to ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2023-04-22 20:57:36
Tomek
You just have to remember that certain print attributes are defined per each worksheet. This applies to headers and footers.
On a positive note, you can define headers and footers for several sheets at once, just make sure they are all selected before defining the header/footer. that way they will be consistent.
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments