Why are columns not printing in the width that I've set them on the report?

Amanda Merrigan

We have a lot of people complaining about the size of the reports when they print. We would like the content on one page, and when we shrink the column width in the report it still stretches out when printed making the font very small. Is there a way to maximize the page similar to excel when you pick the "fit columns on one page" option?

Here is a screenshot from a report. The column is just wide enough for the content...

Here is the screenshot from the printout...it has much more whitespace after the text then shown in the report.

Here are my print settings...

As you can see - I was playing around with manual scaling, but this produced worse results.

Any suggestions? Specifically ones that don't involve exporting to another program as I've seen as a suggestion in older posts with similar topics.

Thanks!

Andrée Starå

Hi Amanda,

My guess is that it has to do with the Fit to Width setting.

I’ll get back to the post if I come to think of a solution.

I hope that helps!

Have a fantastic week!

Best,

Andrée Starå

Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

Amanda Merrigan

Yes - it is likely the fit to width setting. But I was hoping it would keep the width the same as I've set directly in the report and stretch the row heights to suit (keep the aspect ratio the same).

Andrée Starå

Yes, that would be nice to have the option.

Please submit an Enhancement Request when you have a moment to have your vote added

Robin Herrick

It looks like printing makes the columns much wider than on the screen. The fit to width option stretches those wider columns to fit the page. Adjusting the zoom doesn't change the wider columns, it just makes the whole thing larger or smaller including the fonts. How has this not been fixed after so many years? This is basic stuff. There doesn't seem to be a workaround other than exporting to a different program which runs counter to the point of automating processes.

marissa123456

Any fix for this? Or years later we still don't have the option to choose column width?

dstevens

I figured out a workaround.

Go to the sheet column and use the column width adjustment and make the column as narrow as possible. Save. Print. It might look like this

Then go back to the spreadsheet and make the columns wider. Save. Print. Now it might look like this:

Repeat as needed.