How to Make Headers

Headers in a document are a way to identify the title, author, page number or creation date of every printed page of the document. All word processing programs, and other types of document programs such as spreadsheet software, allow the user to enter this type of information into an area of the page called the header. The header area of the page is upper area above where the printed document begins. Creating headers is a simple process.

Instructions

1. Open a new or existing document in your word processing program.

2. Look under each menu text item until you locate the option for headers and footers. In some versions of Microsoft Word, this is under "View" on the text menu at the top of the screen.

3. Click on the "Headers and Footers" option. Any existing text on the page will be grayed out and a box will appear at the top of the page.

4. Type the needed information into the text box. Word, and most other programs, will give you options for page numbers, date, time and alignment in a small header icon bar that will be on the screen.

5. Click the header bar closed when all the information is entered.

Tips & Warnings

• When you print the document, the header information will print on every page. Fiction and nonfiction manuscripts for short stories, novels and books require header information that includes title, author and page number. The header information will be grayed out when the document is on the screen. You can use the "Page Layout" icon to have the header not appear on the first page of the document. While there are a number of different word processors on the market, entering headers in each is about the same in each processor.