{"id":41706,"date":"2013-04-17T14:33:24","date_gmt":"2013-04-17T20:33:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/renewsblog\/?p=41706"},"modified":"2021-03-16T10:05:26","modified_gmt":"2021-03-16T16:05:26","slug":"2013-04-17-viewing-excel-worksheet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/2013-04-17-viewing-excel-worksheet","title":{"rendered":"The Many Ways of Viewing an Excel Worksheet"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>After you have created an Excel worksheet with all the appropriate formatting and correct formulas, what is left but to view the results.\u00a0 Just as there are many ways in which to format a worksheet, there are various ways to view that worksheet.<\/p>\n<p>Have you ever looked at someone else\u2019s worksheet?\u00a0 Was it easy to move around with the worksheet?\u00a0 Is there a way to view worksheets in a way that is acceptable to you?\u00a0 Excel does give you various viewing options.\u00a0 This post will help assist you in discovering those options.<\/p>\n<h2>Ways of Viewing a Worksheet<\/h2>\n<p>Viewing a worksheet with a large number of cells can be frustrating.\u00a0\u00a0 Scrolling and scrolling around the worksheet looking for the important results portion is just a waste of your time.\u00a0 Using various viewing options will help you pinpoint the portion of the worksheet that is important to you.\u00a0 Below is a screen shot of the View option within Excel\u2019s Ribbon?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/View.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-41707\" alt=\"View\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/View.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"108\" title=\"\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The View submenu options include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Workbook Views<\/li>\n<li>Show<\/li>\n<li>Zoom<\/li>\n<li>Window<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The last option, not visible in the screen shot is Macros.\u00a0 Macros are placed on the View menu because the first option of the Macros submenu is \u201cView Macros\u201d.\u00a0 Macros are a very specialized category and will be covered in a future post.\u00a0 This post will cover the features available with the first option, the Workbook Views.<\/p>\n<h2>The Familiar Normal View<\/h2>\n<p>When you first start Excel, the Normal view is what you will see.\u00a0 The Normal view includes the Ribbon with its main menu tabs, the Name Box that shows the cell name of the active cell, the Formula bar shows what is typed or a formula of the active cell and a Cancel box and Enter box.\u00a0 Below the Formula bar is the Column headers and to the left are the Row headers.\u00a0 Inside the headers are the worksheet\u2019s cells.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/descLabels.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-41708\" alt=\"descLabels\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/descLabels.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"336\" title=\"\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>A new Excel workbook starts out with three worksheets.\u00a0 At the bottom of the Normal view is Sheet1, Sheet2 and Sheet3 with an Insert Worksheet tab for a new worksheet.\u00a0 The Normal view is usually the view that most of us will initially use.<\/p>\n<h2>Keeping Track with the Page Layout View<\/h2>\n<p>After the Normal view the next view is Page Layout.\u00a0 Why bother with this view when you can just go to the Backstage from File \u00e0 Print and see a preview of the printout?\u00a0 The Backstage preview is fine when you are ready to actually print your worksheet.\u00a0 But how many times have you gone to the Backstage and noticed that the preview was not what you expected?\u00a0 Or you noticed that certain cells where not formatted correctly or you realize the margins were not set right?\u00a0 All of this could have been avoided by using the Page Layout view.<\/p>\n<p>Let me start with the differences between Page Layout view and the Backstage preview feature.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_41709\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-41709\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/PageLayout.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-41709\" alt=\"PageLayout\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/PageLayout.jpg\" width=\"650\" height=\"370\" title=\"\"><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-41709\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Page Layout<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><figure id=\"attachment_41710\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-41710\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Backstage.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-41710 \" alt=\"Backstage\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Backstage.jpg\" width=\"650\" height=\"338\" title=\"\"><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-41710\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Backstage<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>With Page Layout view you can still make additions and modifications to your workbook.\u00a0 Backstage preview is just a static picture of each page.\u00a0 If you see cells that need correction you would need to exit Backstage preview and return to an editing mode.<\/p>\n<p>Page Layout is an editing mode in Excel.\u00a0 It is better than the Normal view because you can see how the pages are laid out.\u00a0 Plus you have access to headers and footers, which you will not see in Normal view.\u00a0 Just like a word processor, Page Layout view shows a ruler and margins.\u00a0 An added feature is the position of pages in the Status bar at the bottom.\u00a0 In the Status bar you can see Page x of y, where \u2018x\u2019 is the active page and \u2018y\u2019 is the total number of pages in the workbook<\/p>\n<p>I tend to work in Normal view when I begin to create a worksheet.\u00a0 After I have entered my titles, formulas and charts, I move into Page Layout view.\u00a0 It is just easier to work in Page Layout view as I continue to add more charts and draw pictures.\u00a0 The view helps me track the new modifications I enter to the worksheet.\u00a0 I can clearly see where my charts and drawings are laid out in comparison to the rest of the worksheet.\u00a0 I can adjust the margins if needed. Headers and footers can be created and modified.\u00a0 Finally, I can eliminate the back and forth between Normal view and Backstage preview.\u00a0 Page Layout gives me the convenience of both features.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Related<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/2013\/04\/03\/excel-functions-bones\/\" title=\"Excel Functions Standing upon Bones\" target=\"_blank\">Excel Functions Standing upon Bones<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<h2>Make Adjustments with the Page Break View<\/h2>\n<p>Need to view the positioning of all your pages, not just a portion of your pages?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Pagebreak.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-41711\" alt=\"Pagebreak\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Pagebreak.jpg\" width=\"600\" height=\"318\" title=\"\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Page Break Preview to the rescue.\u00a0 Worksheets with a large number of columns are easier to see in Page Break Preview.\u00a0 The example above is the view of a larger and more detailed loan schedule.\u00a0 Notice the heavy lines that separate the pages.\u00a0 Inside of each page is the actual page number in a light blue font.\u00a0 In addition to the heavy blues lines, there are blue dashed lines to denote the page breaks.<\/p>\n<p>The main advantage to using the Page Break Preview is the control you will have in determining the page break positions.\u00a0 You control the page breaks by moving the dashed blue lines.\u00a0 By moving the dashed line, you can increase the number of rows and columns on a page or decrease them.\u00a0 With larger worksheets, using the Page Break Preview and adjusting the breaks with the dashed line can reduce the number of printed pages.\u00a0 This view allows you to edit the worksheet just as you did in the Normal view.\u00a0 Unlike the Page Layout, Page Break Preview does not show the headers and footers, nor do you see the margins and ruler.<\/p>\n<p>The important thing to remember when adjusting page breaks, it also adjusts the scaling of the worksheet.\u00a0 To see the effects of changing the page breaks, return to the Page Layout view or even the Backstage preview.\u00a0 You might find that your new page breaks are not what you thought they might be.\u00a0 If you really want more columns or rows per page, try using the Scale to Fit option in Page Layout.\u00a0\u00a0 Scaling will affect all pages equally.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Related<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/2013\/04\/10\/table-excel\/\" title=\"Help, My Contacts List is in Excel! (Using Microsoft Excel Tables)\" target=\"_blank\">Help, My Contacts List is in Excel! (Using Microsoft Excel Tables)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<h2>Viewing Your Way with Custom Views<\/h2>\n<p>Found a view with margins, page orientation, scaling, page breaks and other view features that you would like to use again?\u00a0 Then create a custom view.\u00a0 In the View menu, Click Custom Views and give your new view a name.\u00a0 Your view will be available at any time without having to reset all those view features.<\/p>\n<p>Excel will not allow you to access Custom Views if you have an Excel table anywhere in the workbook, not just the worksheet.\u00a0 The Custom Views will be grayed out.\u00a0 In order to access Custom Views in that situation, you would have to convert the table to a range.<\/p>\n<h2>Maximize Your View with Full Screen View<\/h2>\n<p>The last workbook view is Full Screen view.\u00a0 Full Screen will eliminate the Ribbon and the Status bar.\u00a0 This view will work inside of the Normal, Page Layout and Page Breaks views. To exit Full Screen view, just press the escape key, ESC.<\/p>\n<p>Workbook Views gives you a variety of ways to look at your worksheet.\u00a0 Take advantage of the different views that are in Excel.\u00a0\u00a0 Learning these different views comes in handy when you are looking at other peoples worksheets.\u00a0 Some prefer the Normal view.\u00a0 Some work exclusively in the Page Layout view.\u00a0 You may prefer the options of using all of the Workbook Views depending upon your viewing preference.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After you have created an Excel worksheet with all the appropriate formatting and correct formulas, what is left but to view the results.\u00a0 Just as there are many ways in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":809,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4241],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41706","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-real-estate-business-management"],"acf":[],"comment_count":0,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41706","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/809"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41706"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41706\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41706"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41706"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41706"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}