08 Headers, Footers and Page Numbers

Difficulty Level: Beginner

Word Version: XP

Assumed Knowledge: None

 

 

The aim of the tutorial is to:

 

show you how to work with headers and footers and to insert page numbers.

Inserting, amending and deleting headers and footers

A header refers to text that can be added inside the top margin of every page such as a document title or page number and a footer is text added inside the bottom margin. You only have to enter a header or footer once to a document for it to appear on all or selected pages of your document.

To view the Header and Footer toolbar:

  1. Click on View on the menu bar.
  2. Click on Header and Footer and you should see the following on the screen:
  3. This illustration shows only the top part of the page where you will see the word Header appear and beneath it a dotted box with a cursor inside ready for you to insert a Header. If you press the down arrow key the word Footer will appear at the bottom of the page and beneath it a dotted box with a cursor inside. Use the up and down arrow keys to move between the header and footer.
    The illustration also shows a 'floating' Header and Footer toolbar. If you cannot see the floating toolbar it will probably be located with the other toolbars on the screen. This will not make any difference to its use.

To insert quick options into a Header or Footer using AutoText:

  1. View the Header and Footer toolbar.
  2. Use the arrow down and arrow up keys to move between the header and footer areas.
  3. Click on the Insert AutoText button on the toolbar.
    A dropdown menu will appear on the screen:
  4. Click on a choice from the menu.
  5. When you have finished clock on Close. The text you have inserted will appear on the screen in grey but if printed will appear in the correct format.

To insert and format a header:

  1. View the Header and Footer toolbar as described above.
  2. Type the heading in the dotted Header box.
  3. If you want to format the header use the standard text formatting options including font face, size, bold and italics.
  4. Use the options on the toolbar to add page numbers, the current date and time.
  5. When you have finished click on Close. The header will appear on the screen in grey but if printed will print in the correct format.

To insert and format a footer:

  1. Open up the Header and Footer toolbar as described above.
  2. Press the arrow down key so that the cursor appears in a dotted box underneath the word Footer at the bottom of the page.
  3. If you want to format the footer use the standard text formatting options including font face, size, bold and italics.
  4. Click the Insert AutoText button to view a list of quick options.
  5. Use the other options on the toolbar to add page numbers, the current date and time if you want to.
  6. When you have finished click on Close. The footer will appear on the screen in grey but if printed will print in the correct format.

To change or delete a header or footer:

  1. Double-click on the header or footer shown in grey. When the colour of the text changes it will be ready for changing or deleting.
  2. Change or delete the text in the usual ways.
  3. When you have finished click on Close. The changed header or footer will appear on the screen in grey but if printed will print in the correct format.

Inserting Page numbers

It is possible to number the pages in your document in a variety of ways.

To add numbers to the pages in your document:

  1. Click on Insert on the menu bar
  2. In the pop-down menu click on Page Numbers and the Page Numbers box will appear:
  3. Open the Position: drop-down menu and select the position of the page numbers by choosing Top of page (Header) or Bottom of page (Footer).
  4. Open the Alignment: menu and select the alignment of the page numbers by choosing Right, Centre, Left, Inside or Outside.
    If you print your document on one side of paper only you may want to align the page numbers either on the right or left of the page, or in the centre.
    If you print your document on both sides of each sheet of paper you may want to align the page numbers either inside or outside of the text.
  5. If you do not want the page number to be shown on the first page of a document (for example, if it is the front cover), click on the box next to Show number on first page and ensure that the white box is blank and does not have a tick in it.
  6. Click on OK when you have finished.

To format page numbers:

  1. Open up the Page Number box.
  2. Click on the Format button on the botton left.
  3. The Page Number Format box will appear on the screen:
  4. Click on the black triangle opposite Number Format: and chose from the pop-down menu whether numbers should be shown with or without a dash either side (e.g. 1, 2, 3 or -1-, -2-, -3-), in lower or upper case Roman numerals, or whether they should be replaced with upper or lower case letters from the English alphabet.
  5. If your document has chapters you can tick the Include chapter number box and then set the chapter start style and separator of sections.
  6. Set the page numbering so that the page numbers either continue from a previous section or start at a particular page number (or letter depending on the number format). To set the page numbering use either the black triangles or type in the number in the white box.
  7. Click OK when you have finished.
  8. The Page Number Format box will disappear from the screen and only the Page Number box will be visible.
  9. Click OK. The Page Number box will disappear from the screen and the page numbe formatting will be set.

 

Exercises

For exercises to practice the above click here.

 

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