Add graphics to excel headers.

Q. I just loaded Office XP and I expect great things from it--such as being able to easily add a graphic in an Excel 2000 header, which always has been more complicated than unscrambling the books of a crooked business. Has XP made it any easier to load a graphic in an Excel header?

A. it's much easier. Here's how: With the Excel worksheet open, go to the File menu and click on Page Setup. When the dialog box "opens, select the Header/ Footer tab and select whether you want a Custom Header or Footer (see screenshot).

Then decide whether you want it in the center of the page or on the left or right (see screenshot).

Now click on the Insert Picture button (the second button from the right) and a dialog box will open that helps you select the graphic. Once it's located, click on Insert and the words code & [Picture] will appear in the center section where the graphic will be. Click on OK and OK again. To view the page with the header, return to the worksheet and under File, click on Print Preview (see screenshot).

STANLEY ZAROWIN, a former JofA senior editor, is now a contributing editor to the magazine. His e-mail address is zarowin@mindspring. com.