Be able to set the orientation to portrait or landscape

Topic 20 – Spreadsheets (Cambridge IGCSE 0417)

Learning objectives

• Set the page orientation (portrait or landscape) and other print‑layout options.
• Apply the full range of spreadsheet skills required by the syllabus: formulae, data manipulation, formatting, charting and printing.
• Work confidently in any of the three major spreadsheet packages (Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc).

Why orientation matters (AO2)

Choosing the correct orientation is part of the AO2 requirement to produce a printable spreadsheet that meets the task specification and maximises data visibility. An appropriate orientation:

• Prevents unwanted line‑breaks or column truncation.
• Ensures all required columns appear on a single page (or on a predictable number of pages).
• Gives the final document a professional appearance, which is marked in the assessment.

When to use each orientation

• Portrait – short tables with few columns, reports that are mainly vertical, or when a chart is taller than it is wide.
• Landscape – wide tables, many columns, or charts that are wider than tall (e.g., bar charts, line graphs).

Key spreadsheet concepts (aligned with the syllabus)

1. Formulae & functions

• All formulas start with =. Example: =A1+B1.
• Order of operations follows PEMDAS (parentheses, exponents, multiplication/division, addition/subtraction).
• Basic functions (required):
  • SUM: =SUM(A1:A10)
  • AVERAGE: =AVERAGE(B1:B5)
  • MIN / MAX: =MIN(C1:C20), =MAX(C1:C20)
  • COUNT / COUNTA
• Logical & lookup functions (mandatory for AO2):
  • IF: =IF(D2>100,"High","Low")
  • VLOOKUP / HLOOKUP: =VLOOKUP(G2,$A$2:$D$20,3,FALSE)
  • INDEX & MATCH (alternative to VLOOKUP)
  • AND, OR, NOT
• Date & time functions: TODAY(), NOW(), DATEDIF().
• Error handling: #DIV/0!, #N/A, and the use of IFERROR to trap errors.
• Cell‑referencing:
  • Relative – e.g. A1 changes when copied.
  • Absolute – e.g. $A$1 stays fixed.
  • Mixed – e.g. A$1 or $A1.
• Software‑independent note: Functions such as SUM, IF, VLOOKUP work in Excel, Google Sheets and LibreOffice Calc – focus on the concept, not the exact menu path.

2. Creating / editing a spreadsheet model

• Enter raw data in a clear, tabular layout; use a header row with bold text.
• Apply consistent formatting (font, alignment, number format) to improve readability.
• Use named ranges for key cells or tables (e.g., Revenue for B2:B13) – this is useful for complex formulas and for the exam.
• Apply data validation to restrict entries (e.g., whole numbers 1‑12 for months, list of “Yes/No”).
• Keep a separate “Calculations” sheet if the model becomes large – this satisfies the AO2 requirement for a well‑organised workbook.

3. Manipulating data

• Sort
  • Simple sort – single column (A‑Z or Z‑A).
  • Multi‑level sort – e.g. first by Region, then by Sales (descending).
  • Custom sort order – e.g. days of the week or “High, Medium, Low”.
• Filter
  • Basic filter – show rows that meet a single criterion.
  • Advanced filter – combine conditions using “contains”, “greater than”, “begins with”, etc.
  • Use filter by colour after applying conditional formatting.
• Search – Ctrl + F to locate text or numbers; Ctrl + H for replace.

4. Presenting data

• Number formatting: currency (£, $, €), percentages, dates (dd/mm/yyyy), scientific notation.
• Cell styling: borders, shading, font size, alignment, text wrap.
• Conditional formatting: highlight cells > 1000, colour‑scale for performance bands, data‑bars.
• Charts (mandatory):
  • Insert a column, line or pie chart that summarises a key data set.
  • Use the Chart editor to add axis titles, a legend and a clear chart title.
  • Resize the chart to fit within the printable area.
• Page layout & printing (see Section 5 below).

5. Page layout & printing (orientation, scaling, etc.)

• Orientation – portrait or landscape (see step‑by‑step).
• Margins – adjust top, bottom, left and right; use “Narrow” for maximum data on the page.
• Scaling
  • “Fit to width” – useful for wide tables.
  • “Fit to page” – shrinks everything to a single page (use with caution).
  • Custom percentage scaling for fine‑tuning.
• Print area – define the exact range to be printed (Page Layout ► Print Area ► Set Print Area). This prevents empty cells from adding extra pages.
• Repeating headings – set “Rows to repeat at top” (and/or “Columns to repeat at left”) so that column headings appear on each printed page.
• Page breaks – insert manual page breaks to control where a new page starts.
• Headers & footers – include file name, sheet name, date and page numbers (e.g., “Page 1 of 3”).
• Center on page – horizontal and/or vertical centering to improve appearance.
• Export – save the final layout as a PDF (File ► Export As ► PDF) or as CSV for data exchange.

Changing the orientation – step‑by‑step

Microsoft Excel (Windows)

1. Open the workbook and select the worksheet you wish to print.
2. Go to the Page Layout tab on the ribbon.
3. In the Page Setup group, click Orientation and choose Portrait or Landscape.
4. For more options, click the small arrow in the lower‑right corner of the Page Setup group to open the full dialog box (margins, scaling, print area, headers/footers, centre on page, rows/columns to repeat).
5. Press Ctrl + P for Print Preview and verify the layout.

Google Sheets

1. Open the spreadsheet and select the sheet to be printed.
2. Choose File ► Print (or press Ctrl + P).
3. In the right‑hand Print settings pane, locate the Layout section.
4. From the Orientation drop‑down, select Portrait or Landscape.
5. Adjust additional settings:
   • Margins – Normal, Narrow, Wide or Custom.
   • Scale – “Fit to width”, “Fit to page”, or a custom percentage.
   • Print area – specify a range or select “Current sheet”.
   • Headers & footers – add page numbers, date, file name.
   • Repeat frozen rows – ensures column headings appear on each page.
6. Click Next and then Print (or “Save as PDF”).

LibreOffice Calc

1. Open the spreadsheet and select the sheet you intend to print.
2. Choose Format ► Page from the menu bar.
3. In the Page Style dialog, go to the Page tab.
4. Under Orientation, select Portrait or Landscape.
5. Use the other tabs to set:
   • Margins
   • Scaling – “Fit print range on one page”, “Fit print range to width”, or a custom scale.
   • Header/Footer – insert page numbers, sheet name, etc.
   • Sheet tab – define the Print range and set rows/columns to repeat.
6. Click OK to apply the changes.
7. Choose File ► Print Preview to verify the layout before printing.

Comparison of orientation steps

Checklist for a fully AO2‑compliant spreadsheet

• Data entered with clear headings and consistent formatting.
• All required formulas are present, using relative/absolute references where appropriate.
• At least one logical or lookup function (e.g., IF, VLOOKUP).
• Named ranges and data validation applied where the task calls for them.
• Data sorted (multi‑level if needed) and filtered to show relevant rows.
• Conditional formatting highlights key values.
• A chart (column, line or pie) summarises the main data set.
• Print area defined; rows to repeat at top set for multi‑page sheets.
• Orientation chosen to fit the table width, with appropriate scaling (fit‑to‑width or fit‑to‑page).
• Margins, centre‑on‑page, headers/footers, and page numbers added.
• Final version exported as a PDF for submission.

Tips for effective printing

• Always use Print Preview after changing orientation or scaling.
• If data still overflows:
  • Switch to “Fit to width”.
  • Reduce column width or use a smaller font.
  • Set a precise Print area to exclude blank cells.
• Set narrow margins only when the exam instructions allow it – otherwise stick to “Normal”.
• Include a header/footer with the file name, sheet name, date and “Page x of y” to meet pagination requirements.
• Save the workbook before exporting to PDF; the PDF preserves the exact layout you printed.