Accurate Font Sizes

You already know that Excel allows you to easily change the size of your fonts. You can use either the formatting toolbar or the Font tab of the Format Cells dialog box (select Cells from the Format menu) to set the size of type you have selected in your worksheet. You may not know, however, that Excel can use virtually any point size you want, not just those listed in the drop-down size lists.

Font sizes are specified in points, which are a typographer's measurement roughly equivalent to 1/72 of an inch. You can either select a size from the drop down list, or you can enter your own size. Select the size shown in the list, and then type the size you actually want. When you press Enter, the size of the text in the cell (or your selected text within a cell) is changed.

It is also easy to overlook the fact that Excel can display and print fonts in increments of half a point. Depending on the typeface being used, this can make a big difference. For example, there is a very marked difference between 10 and 11 point Verdana, and 10.5 may be just what you need.

You obtain the half-sizes by typing them directly into the size box. If you try to type in any other fractional size (like 10.25 or 10.4), Excel rounds your entry to the nearest half-point. (Remember--you can only set full point sizes or half point sizes.)