How to Put Header on First Page Only?

[abrogard]

A search revealed nothing so I suppose this is just too easy for words... but
it's not easy for me. In MS Word how do I create a template that has a header
on the first page only?

I've got a guy on another forum trying to tell me to create a header, then
put a section break ( a 'continuous' section break, whatever that is) and
then create a second page and then.... But I can't get past 'create
second page'.

It should be too easy. Doesn't everyone write letters with a heading on the
first page only? Especially in business. So wouldn't that be what 'headers'
and 'footers' are mainly meant for? So why the *@() do they repeat on every
page?

Please advise in simple terms - or perhaps show where I can download an
example.

regards,

ab

 

[Sharir7208]

Hi ab:
To create a first page only header in a Word document or document template,
without using sections, here is what you do:
Position your cursor at the top of the first page. From the View Menu,
Select Headers and Footers.
A dashed-line margin will appear around the header area, and the Header and
Footer Toolbar will appear in the toolbar area. On this toolbar, select Page
Setup, and then select the Layout tab on the dialog box that appears.
On the Layout dialog box, the second "section" is entitled Headers and
Footers, and it contains 2 checkbox choices. Put a checkmark in the choice
entitled "Different first page".
Click OK at the bottom of the Page Setup dialog box.
Then you will have a Header on Page 1 only. Set up it's size, margins, etc.,
in the same Page Setup dialog box.
Just FYI, the person who was explaining to you about section breaks and
headers was providing instructions for a document that would have several
different headers at different sections throughout the document.
I hope this was helpful.

 

[abrogard]

Hi, and thanks for your input.

I found the answer by hunting all around the web.

The problem is the non-intuitive way MS Word handles the Header thing.

When you view headers and start editing (creating) a header one naturally
thinks one is working with the header for the page one is currently on.

Not so.

As you said, but not quite so bluntly - and blunt is what is needed, really
- it goes like this:

View headers and WRITE NOTHING. This 'nothing' will soon become the header
for all of your document except the first page.

Then view page setup and choose 'different first page'. Boingggg.... the
header (if you had written something) immediately disappears and is replaced
by a blank header box.

What was written has now become the header for all the document except the
first page.

Now create your header for the first page, close and save your doc. It's
done. Too easy, once you've got it straight - Word is referring to headers
for all the document in the beginning and then switches to the first page
header when you choose for it to be different.

You (me, ab, and people like me) are thinking you're creating the first
page header from the beginning because that's where you're at. And you're at
a loss to understand why it perpetrates everywhere when you distinctly told
it to be different....

Of course, MS is correct. They even put 'First Page Header' above the box
when it does apply to the first page.

But I think they could easily have put up a question box - do you want this
header throughout the document? or where? or stuff like that.

At least have labelled the beginning box 'Header for the whole of the
document'

But that's Word, and much modern software. It gets fancier and fancier but
not necessarily easier and easier.

job's done.

thanks guys.

ab