Printer troubleshooting technician providing live chat help

Joe B.

Expert ★★★★★ 27,853 satisfied customers

Specialities: Workday printing, Chrome/Edge print dialogs, PDF “Actual size”, Letter vs A4, margins & headers

Workday time sheet print alignment — 100% scale, disable headers/footers, fix paper size (Letter vs A4), “Fit to page” vs “Actual size”

Technician avatar Technician
Hey! We’ll stop Workday timesheets from printing with misaligned totals or shifted columns by forcing 1:1 scaling and correcting page settings. A few checks first:
• Which browser do you use to print Workday — Chrome or Microsoft Edge?
• Are you printing directly from the Workday viewer or after Download → PDF?
• Paper standard on your printer: Letter (8.5×11) or A4? Any auto “Fit to page”, “Shrink to fit”, or headers/footers enabled in the print dialog?
Customer
We print straight from Workday in Chrome. Totals and pay period lines shift right, and the signature box prints too low. Office uses A4, but the printer tray is set to Letter. Scale shows “Fit to page”.
Technician avatar Technician
Got it. Misalignment usually comes from browser scaling ≠ 100%, Letter/A4 mismatch, and headers/footers pushing the grid down. The in-browser viewer also renders HTML/CSS differently than a PDF engine.
Plan: 1) Apply the “download first” rule — export the timesheet to PDF. 2) In the PDF/print dialog select Actual size (100%). 3) Match paper size, turn **off** Fit to page/Shrink to fit, and disable headers & footers. 4) If printing from the browser, set Scale = 100, Margins = Default/None, Background graphics = On.
Customer
Where do I force 100% in Chrome? I only see Fit to page. And Workday adds its own header bar.
Technician avatar Technician
Chrome — set 1:1 scaling
1) In Workday, click Print but choose Open in PDF/Download (not print from the viewer).
2) Open the PDF in Chrome → press Ctrl/Cmd+P → More settings:
• Scale = 100 (not Fit to page)
• Paper size = your actual tray (Letter or A4)
• Margins = Default (or None if grid touches edges)
• Headers and footers = Off (prevents date/URL from shifting totals)
• Background graphics = On (keeps gridlines/gray fills)
Tip: System dialog (Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+P) exposes vendor options like “borderless” or precise scaling increments.
Customer
We also tried Microsoft Edge. It still nudges the totals row down by half an inch. I suspect headers and footers.
Technician avatar Technician
Microsoft Edge — stabilize layout
In Edge’s print dialog → More settings: set Scale = 100, Headers and footers = Off, check the Paper size and orientation, and uncheck any “Fit to page”. For managed PCs, admins can enforce Headers and footers off via the PrintHeaderFooter policy so they don’t reappear for users. This alone often fixes misaligned totals on Workday reports.
Customer
If we print the downloaded PDF with Adobe Acrobat instead of the browser, will it help?
Technician avatar Technician
Yes — Acrobat/Reader is the most reliable for 1:1 scaling.
• File → Print → Page Sizing & Handling: Actual size (not Fit or Shrink).
• Orientation: Auto (or match the report).
• Paper size: ensure it matches the PDF and the tray (Letter or A4).
• If the grid still creeps, toggle Choose paper source by PDF page size and re-test. This prevents the driver from silently substituting Letter↔A4.
Customer
Some staff print directly from the Workday HTML viewer and get random shifting. We can’t police everyone.
Technician avatar Technician
Adopt a team standard: Download first → Print from PDF at 100%.
• Post a short SOP: “Workday → Actions → Download PDF → Print at Actual size; disable headers/footers; verify Letter/A4.”
• On Windows/macOS create a printer preset with Scale 100, correct paper, and margins, then share it org-wide.
• For mixed regions, make two presets: Timesheet-Letter-100% and Timesheet-A4-100% to avoid paper substitution.
Customer
After setting Scale=100 and turning off headers, totals line up. But one site still clips the bottom note.
Technician avatar Technician
Two tweaks typically resolve that:
• Margins: switch from “Default” to “Minimal/None” in the browser print dialog so the footer note fits within the printable area.
• Background graphics: enable to preserve subtle table borders that affect perceived alignment.
If needed, open the System print dialog and set the driver’s margin mode or printable area to “Maximum”.
Customer
Is there a quick checklist we can pin to our IT channel for Workday printing?
Technician avatar Technician
Checklist to fix Workday timesheet print alignment
1) Download first — don’t print from the Workday HTML viewer.
2) Open in Chrome/Edge or Acrobat and set Scale = 100% / Actual size.
3) Disable headers & footers (date/URL).
4) Match Paper size: Letter in US, A4 elsewhere; turn off Fit/Shrink to page.
5) Set Margins = Default/None; enable Background graphics for gridlines.
6) If still off, use the System print dialog and lock a preset for the site/printer.
Need a hand rolling this out company-wide? Open the chat.
Customer
Done — 1:1 scale + headers off fixed it. PDF route is consistent across sites. Appreciate the help!
Technician avatar Technician
Summary: If Workday timesheet prints misaligned totals, follow the download-first rule, print at 100% / Actual size, disable headers & footers, and match Letter/A4. Use Acrobat for the most reliable 1:1 scaling. Want us to build printer presets for your locations? Open the chat.

Quick answer: the accepted fix

Accepted fix when Workday timesheet totals are misaligned: Download the report as PDF and print at Actual size (100%), Headers/footers = Off, correct Paper size (Letter vs A4), and Fit/Shrink = Off. Enable Background graphics to keep table borders.

Why Workday prints misalign (browser scaling, paper mismatch, headers)

Browser print engines (Chrome/Edge) add headers/footers and Fit to page by default, which changes the content box and pushes totals and signature blocks. A Letter vs A4 mismatch or driver-side “shrink” also distorts the grid. Rendering the page as a PDF and printing at 1:1 scale removes HTML/CSS variability and stabilizes alignment across printers.

How to verify 1:1 scaling is active

Print a single-page timesheet. Measure a known table width (e.g., 180 mm on A4). With Scale 100% or Acrobat’s Actual size, on-paper measurement should match within 1–2 mm. If not, recheck paper size, turn off Fit to page, and ensure headers/footers are disabled.

Timesheet alignment — quick troubleshooting tips

Most issues trace to scale, headers, or paper standards.

Quick path: Download PDF → print at Actual size → set Scale 100% in Chrome/Edge → Headers/footers Off → match Letter/A4 → adjust Margins and enable Background graphics. Lock org presets so settings stick.

Disclaimer: This information is AI-generated and intended for general guidance only. For advice specific to your environment, please consult a verified expert on Whizz-Tech before making decisions.

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FAQ

Why are Workday timesheet totals misaligned when printing?

Because of Fit/Shrink to page, headers/footers, or Letter vs A4 mismatch. Use the download-first rule, print at 100%, disable headers, and match paper.

Should I print directly from the Workday viewer?

No. Export to PDF and print at Actual size. Browser HTML viewers vary in layout and can shift the grid.

Chrome vs Edge — which is better for alignment?

Both work if configured: set Scale 100%, turn headers/footers Off, and choose the correct paper size. Acrobat is most consistent for 1:1 scaling.

How do we prevent users from re-enabling headers in Edge?

Admins can manage the Edge printing policy PrintHeaderFooter to keep headers/footers off in the dialog for all users.

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