Create spreadsheet structures (page setup, headers)

📊 8. Spreadsheets – Page Setup & Headers

1️⃣ Page Setup Basics

Think of your spreadsheet like a post‑it note that you want to print on a poster board. The page setup controls how that note fits onto the board. Key settings include:

• Orientation – Portrait (tall) or Landscape (wide). Choose based on how your data stretches.
• Paper Size – A4, Letter, etc. Pick the size your printer can handle.
• Margins – Space around the edge. Narrow margins give more room for data, but too narrow may cut off information.
• Scaling – Fit to page or Adjust to % to control how many columns/rows appear on one page.
• Print Area – Highlight the cells you actually want to print.

Math side‑kick: The printable area is calculated as: $$A = (w - 2m) \times (h - 2m)$$ where w and h are paper width and height, and m is the margin.

2️⃣ Header & Footer Customisation

Headers and footers are like the title tags of a webpage – they appear on every printed page. Common uses:

• Page Numbers – e.g., “Page 1 of 5”.
• Document Title – e.g., “Class Budget Report”.
• Print Date – Shows when the file was printed.
• Custom Text – Add your own notes or logos.

Step‑by‑step:

1. Go to File > Print or Page Layout tab.
2. Click Header & Footer button.
3. Choose Custom Header or Custom Footer.
4. Insert placeholders: &[Page], &[Date], &[Title].
5. Click OK and preview the print layout.

3️⃣ Practical Example: Creating a Budget Sheet

Let’s build a simple budget that’s ready to print. Follow these steps:

1. Create columns: Item, Category, Cost, Paid?.
2. Enter sample data (see table below).
3. Set Page Setup to Landscape with A4 paper.
4. Define Print Area from A1 to D10.
5. Add a header: “Class Budget – 2026” and a footer: “Page &[Page] of &[Pages]”.
6. Preview and adjust scaling if needed.

🎉 Tip: Use Conditional Formatting to colour rows where Paid? is “✗” – it instantly highlights pending payments.