Excel: Printing Multiple Copies

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 4.0.

SYMPTOMS

Setting multiple copies in the File Print dialog box in Microsoft Excel version 4.0 for Windows may result in more printed copies than expected if you also have multiple copies set in the Printer Setup dialog box. The number of copies will be the product of the two settings; for example, specifying 2 copies in the File Print dialog box and 2 in Printer Setup will result in 4 printed copies.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem with Microsoft Excel for Windows version 4.0. This problem is fixed in Microsoft Excel version 5.0.

MORE INFORMATION

When choosing Print from the File menu, Microsoft Excel displays a Print dialog box that allows you to set various print options including the number of copies. The number of copies to print can also be set in the Printer Setup dialog box, found by selecting Printers from the Windows Control Panel and choosing the Setup button, or by selecting Printer Setup from the File Page Setup dialog in Microsoft Excel and choosing the Setup button.

When setting multiple copies in the File Print dialog box, each copy is treated as a new print job and sent to the printer separately. Setting multiple print copies in the Printer Setup dialog box sets the number of times to print each job. As a result, each job sent to the printer by Microsoft Excel is printed the number of times specified in the Printer Setup dialog.

The File Print dialog box defaults to the number of copies set in the Printer Setup dialog box. The overall printing time will be reduced if the desired number of copies is specified in Printer Setup and the number of copies in the File Print dialog box is set to 1, thereby having Microsoft Excel generate only one print job. Using this method, however, every time you choose Print, the number of copies must be reset to 1.

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Excel User's Guide 1," version 4.0, pages 526-527