Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Collating Copies.

Collating Copies

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated May 9, 2023)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021


If you work where there is a good size copy machine, you already know what it means to collate something. With a copier, it means the multi-page document you are copying is placed in complete sets that can be used right away. It is the same in Word. If you have a document that consists of five pages, and you are printing multiple copies, you can either print them collated or normal. When they are collated, they are in page 1—5 order for each of the five sets. If they are not collated, five copies of the first page are printed, then five of the second, and so on.

To control collating, follow these steps if you are using Word 2007:

  1. Press Ctrl+P. Word displays the Print dialog box. (See Figure 1.)
  2. Figure 1. The Print dialog box.

  3. Specify the number of copies you wish to print.
  4. Click on the Collate check box. If the check box is selected, this indicates the copies will be collated.
  5. Click on OK. Your document is printed.

If you are using Word 2010 or a later version the steps are a bit different because Microsoft got rid of the Print dialog box. Follow these steps, instead:

  1. Press Ctrl+P. Word displays the print options on the File tab of the ribbon. (See Figure 2.)
  2. Figure 2. Printing Options Pane

  3. Using the Copies control, specify the number of copies you wish to print.
  4. Examine the controls in the Settings area. You'll find one that controls collation.
  5. Change the collation setting as desired. (You can select either Collated or Uncollated.)
  6. Click on the Print button. Your document is printed.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (8057) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Collating Copies.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Setting Spell-Checking Options

Like many things in Word, you can configure the way the spelling checker does its job. If you want to exercise more ...

Discover More

Managing Comments

If you frequently add comments to cells in a worksheet, Excel provides a variety of tools you can use to manage those ...

Discover More

Resetting Dynamic Menus

Excel's menus, by default, only display the most common commands that you use. After a time you may want to reset the ...

Discover More

Comprehensive VBA Guide Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is the language used for writing macros in all Office programs. This complete guide shows both professionals and novices how to master VBA in order to customize the entire Office suite for their needs. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2010 today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Specifying a Paper Tray in a Macro

You may want to use a macro to process and then print your document. Part of that printing may involve specifying which ...

Discover More

Printing Only Some Pages

I often need to print only select pages of a document, rather than the whole thing. Word makes it easy to be judicious in ...

Discover More

Duplex Printing from Multiple Trays

Printing in duplex has not always been easy in Word, particularly when you want that printing to be controlled by a ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 7 - 7?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.

Videos
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.