Excel Column Widths
The standard column width in Microsoft Excel is 8.43 characters. The actual width that you see on the screen varies as it depends on the width of the default font as defined by the Normal style of your workbook, it's the width of 8.43 characters of that font. Changing the size of the default font changes the column width. The number you see stated as the column width is actually the pixel width translated into character units.
Interesting and gripping stuff but of little practical interest unless you have to size your Excel documents to specific and more conventional dimensions such as inches or centimetres.
Interesting and gripping stuff but of little practical interest unless you have to size your Excel documents to specific and more conventional dimensions such as inches or centimetres.
Setting Column Widths to Inches or Centimetres
Firstly, set your Ruler units to inches, centimetres or whatever by clicking File, Options, Advanced, Display, Ruler Units. Keep scrolling down in Advanced, the Display category is about half way down.
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| Setting the Ruler units |
Then, to set column widths that comply with your choice of ruler unit you switch to the Page Layout view by clicking View tab, Workbook Views, Page Layout and make sure that the Ruler checkbox is checked in the Show group.
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| Page Layout view |
Now it's plain sailing to set your column widths using any method that you're familiar with, either drag the column to the desired width or click the Format control and type-in the width value.
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| Setting column widths to centimetres in the Page Layout view |
Header & Footer Tools tab
Excel's Page Layout view is much neglected as everybody seems to favour the Normal view but it is an excellent view for document design and invaluable where you need to see how much of your Excel document you can fit onto a page.
And if you've ever wondered where the controls for headers and footers are, click where it says Click to add header and all your toys are shown on the Header & Footer Tools tab.
And if you've ever wondered where the controls for headers and footers are, click where it says Click to add header and all your toys are shown on the Header & Footer Tools tab.
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| Header & Footer Tools tab visible in the Page Layout view |
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