How to Print Excel with Lines

Printing Excel spreadsheets with lines may seem like a simple task, but it can be challenging for Excel users who are new to the program. Adding gridlines and borders to your Excel cells can help your data look more organized and readable. However, they do not always appear in your printouts. To ensure your Excel with lines printouts maintain the same format as the spreadsheet, you need to make a few formatting adjustments before printing. In this blog, we will provide a step-by-step guide on how to print your Excel spreadsheet with lines, including tips on how to adjust print settings for better results.

Add Gridlines and Borders

The first step to printing Excel spreadsheets with lines is to ensure that you have gridlines and borders visible on your spreadsheet. By default, spreadsheets come with gridlines that separate cells without any borders around them. In order to add borders to individual cells, select the cells you want to change and click on the border tool in the top menu. The options are located in the “Font” tab and are represented by a square with a line at the top, left, right, and bottom of the square.

Select the Range to Print

After you have made the necessary adjustments to your spreadsheet, you will need to select the range of cells that you want to print. To do this, go to “File” and then click on “Print”. On the Print Preview page, choose the “Print Active Sheets” option. The active sheet refers to the sheet that you have open and selected on the Excel interface. You can also select a range of cells by clicking on “Set Print Area” from the “Page Layout” tab. This will set the range to print to only the selected cells.

Adjust Print Settings

Excel provides many options to adjust print settings, which can be accessed from the “Print” screen. Some of the options worth noting are the “Margins” and “Scaling”. The margins determine how much blank space is left around the edges of the printed page, and the scaling option can be used to adjust the size of the printout to fit one page. Additionally, ensure that the “Gridlines” option is checked. Clicking on the “Page Setup” button will allow you to manipulate the size and orientation of the page.

Print your Spreadsheet

Once you’re satisfied with your adjustments, hit the “Print” button to send your Excel spreadsheet to the printer. Remember to double-check your printer settings like ink levels, paper type, etc. while printing. The final printout will look exactly as it appears in your Excel spreadsheet, with gridlines and borders fully visible around individual cells.

Print Excel with Lines for Different Versions of Excel

The above steps were for Excel 2016 or later versions. However, the process may vary depending on the version of Excel you are using. For example, in older versions of Excel like Excel 2010 or Excel 2007, the “Print Preview” option is available under the “File” tab, compared to Excel 2016 where it’s available under the “Print” option. The general process remains similar, but the locations of the options may vary across different versions.

Printing Large Spreadsheets with Lines

Printing large Excel spreadsheets with lines can be challenging due to the number of pages generated and the how the gridlines printed out. In order to make printing large spreadsheets with lines easier, click on the “Page Layout” tab and choose the “Scale to Fit” option. This allows you to print multiple pages of the spreadsheet on one page, preventing the need to flip through multiple pages. It is also important to note that for large spreadsheets with multiple pages, ensure that the “Print Area” is set correctly and select the options related to printing “Gridlines” as this makes understanding the data structure easier.

Why printing with lines is important?

Printing Excel spreadsheets with lines makes it easier to read the data. Gridlines and borders can help differentiate between different sections of the Excel spreadsheet and make it more visually appealing. If you are printing a hard copy to share with colleagues or clients, it is important that the document is easy to read and understand for the recipient. In addition, when a document is exported to PDF, the gridlines and shadows will not export. Therefore, printing it in an Excel format is the only way to retain the gridlines, which make it clear to understand the data.

Printing Excel spreadsheets with lines may seem like a simple task, but it is still an important one to ensure that the final printed document is easy to understand. By following the above steps, you can successfully print your Excel spreadsheet with gridlines and borders. Pay attention to the versions you are using, adjust print settings as required and print multiple pages of data on one page. These simple steps can ensure that your printed document is easier to read, clearer, and visually appealing to your stakeholders.

FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions about how to print Excel with lines:

1. Can I print Excel with lines and color?

Yes, you can print your Excel spreadsheet with gridlines and borders with color. Just ensure that the colored borders and cells are formatted correctly, and they will show up in the printout the same way they appear on the screen.

2. Can I print an Excel sheet with lines and not the text?

Yes, you can print gridlines without the text. To print only the Excel sheet’s gridlines, go to the “Page Layout” section and click on “Sheet Options.” After that, click on the checkbox next to “Print” under the “Gridlines” option.

3. What if the gridlines don’t show up when I print Excel?

If you have added gridlines to your Excel sheet but they don’t show up when you print it, check the print settings. Ensure that the “Gridlines” option is selected from the Print Menu. Also, make sure that any print preview settings that could remove gridlines have been untoggled.

4. Can I print gridlines only for a specific area in Excel?

Yes, you can print gridlines only for a specific area in Excel. Select the range of cells whose gridlines you want to print, click on “Page Layout,” and then click on the “Print Area” drop-down menu. After that, select “Set Print Area.”

5. How do I print a specific range of pages in Excel?

To print a specific range of pages in Excel, click on the “Page Layout” tab and click on “Print Area.” Click on “Set Print Area” and select the cells you want to print. Then go through your printing process as usual.