Customize Headers And Footers

Q. I work on large documents that are divided into many sections, similar to book chapters. I want to place different identifying headers on the pages of each section so readers know which one they’re in. For some reason I can’t get it to work. Every time I add a new header, it applies to the whole document, not just the new section. I must be doing something wrong. Any suggestions?

A. I have experienced the same problem. The Help file is not particularly clear on the subject. A friend showed me my mistake, and it may be the same one you’re making.

To begin, create the first header by clicking on View, Header and footer and type the header text you want, such as Section 1 , and then click on Close . Now, in order for a different header to work in subsequent pages, you must create a new section in your document. To do that, click on Insert, Break, and that will evoke the following menu:

Under Section break types, decide where you want the section break to occur—on the Next page, Continuous (on the same page), on the next Even page or the next Odd page, and click on OK .

Then, to insert the actual header, again click on View, Headers and footers, and that evokes this on your screen:

Notice that in small type above the dotted-line header box the words Header-Section 2- appear. That indicates the header is for the second section—the one you just created. Now here’s where I slipped up, because the next step is counter-intuitive. Before you type in your new header, click on the Same as Previous icon—that’s the fourth icon from the left. Now you can type in the second header.

I know that last instruction doesn’t appear to make sense; the command Same as previous seems to indicate that you’ll be creating the same header as the last one. Logical or not, it works. Complain to Bill Gates.