Word: Tables

Updated 2010.12.15

Objectives

Tables

Use tables when you want to confine text to rectangular regions (and the text does not flow from one cell to the next). Tables are an easy way to align text without creating columns (which requires multiple sections).

·         To create text like this (below), use a table.

Stuff 1

Details of stuff 1 jkljkl jlk jdfjkla jfkl; ajklf; jkal fjdkalf; jdkals; fjdksal; fdjklas; jfkld fjsaklf; jkfdsl; jfkdf jksafdl jfdkl; fdjklasjklsa jkl; jklj kfdjkdsaf ajkl ajkladsf jsakdl fjkalds jkfdsla jaksafdjklsafd dsafjklf jklfdsa jkldafsjsadf jklsf jkldsa jkladsf jklasdf

Stuff 2

Details of stuff 2 jkljkl jlk jdfjkla jfkl; ajklf; jkal fjdkalf; jdkals; fjdksal; fdjklas; jfkld fjsaklf; jkfdsl; jfkdf jksafdl jfdkl; fdjklasjklsa jkl; jklj kfdjkdsaf ajkl ajkladsf jsakdl fjkalds jkfdsla jaksafdjklsafd dsafjklf jklfdsa jkldafsjsadf jklsf jkldsa jkladsf jklasdf

Stuff 1

Details of stuff 1 jkljkl jlk jdfjkla jfkl; ajklf; jkal fjdkalf; jdkals; fjdksal; fdjklas; jfkld fjsaklf; jkfdsl; jfkdf jksafdl jfdkl; fdjklasjklsa jkl; jklj kfdjkdsaf ajkl ajkladsf jsakdl fjkalds jkfdsla jaksafdjklsafd dsafjklf jklfdsa jkldafsjsadf jklsf jkldsa jkladsf jklasdf

Stuff 2

Details of stuff 2 jkljkl jlk jdfjkla jfkl; ajklf; jkal fjdkalf; jdkals; fjdksal; fdjklas; jfkld fjsaklf; jkfdsl; jfkdf jksafdl jfdkl; fdjklasjklsa jkl; jklj kfdjkdsaf ajkl ajkladsf jsakdl fjkalds jkfdsla jaksafdjklsafd dsafjklf jklfdsa jkldafsjsadf jklsf jkldsa jkladsf jklasdf

Creating a table from scratch

To create an empty table:

·         Click on the Insert tab.

·         Click on the Table button.

·         Then drag the mouse over the desired number of rows and columns:

 

Creating a table from existing text

·         Insert separator characters—such as commas or tabs—to indicate where you want to divide the text into columns. Use paragraph marks to indicate where you want to begin a new row.  For example, in a list with two words on a line, insert a comma or a tab between the words on each line to create a two-column table.

·         Select the text that you want to convert.

·         Click on the Insert tab.

·         Click on the Table button.

·         Then click Convert Text to Table.

·         In the Convert Text to Table dialog box, under Separate text at, click the option for the separator character that is in your text. You must have the same number of separator characters (e.g. tabs) on each line or this will not work!

·         In the Number of columns box, look at the number of columns.

If you don't see the number of columns that you expect, you may be missing a separator character in one or more lines of text.

·         Select any other options that you want.

Navigating through tables

·         To move to the next cell in a table: <Tab>

·         To move to a tab stop within a table cell: <Ctrl>+<Tab>.

For the following examples, use this document.

Shading

·         To add shading to the background of your table:

·         Select the cells that you want to shade.

·         Click on the Table Tools—Design tab.

·         In the Table Styles group, click on Shading.

·         Select the color you want to use for your background.

Borders

·         To add borders to a table: Select the cells you want to format. Click on the Design tab. In the Table Styles group, click on Borders. The following list will appear. Choose the desired borders.

 

·         If you want to change the thickness of the border lines, you will have to click on the Borders and Shading item at the bottom of the menu. The following dialog box will appear:

·         Select the style, color, and width that you want your borders to be. Then click on the appropriate border(s) in the Preview window on the right. Click on OK when done.

Revising a table

All of the commands below are from the Table Tools—Layout tab.

·         To add rows/columns: Select the row/column where you want the new data to go. Click on the Layout tab. Select the appropriate choice from the Rows and columns section:

Or, you can select the row/column where you want the new data to go and right-click. The following context menu will appear. Click on Insert:

·         To delete rows/columns: Select the rows/columns you want to delete. Then click on the Table Tools—Layout tab. In the Rows and Columns section, click on the Delete button. From the drop-down menu, click on the appropriate choice:

·         To merge two or more cells into a single cell: Select the cells you want to merge. Then click on the Table Tools—Layout tab. In the Merge group, click on Merge Cells.

·         To change the height of a row: Make sure you are in Print Layout View. Then, in the vertical ruler at the left of your document, grab the dark bar that marks the bottom of the table row and drag it up or down:

·         To change the width of a column: Make sure you are in Print Layout View. In the horizontal ruler at the top of your document, grab the Grab the column border marker  and drag it left or right.

Deleting a table

To delete a table:

·         Select the entire table. By clicking on the four-headed arrow in the top-left corner.

·         Then from the Table Tools—Layout tab, click on the Delete button.

·         Then click on Delete Table from the list of choices.

Rotating text

·         To change the alignment of text: Select the cells whose alignment you want to change. Then from the Table Tools—Layout tab, in the Alignment group, click on Text Direction. Word will cycle through the 3 choices: normal, rotated right 90 degrees, and rotated left 90 degrees:

                     

Sorting a column of numbers

To sort a list of numbers:

·         Click on the Layout tab.

·         From the Data group, click on the Sort button:

Summing a column of numbers

To sum a column of numbers:

·         Select the cell where you want the sum to go.

·         Click on the Layout tab.

·         Click on Formula.