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10 useful table formatting tips in Microsoft Word

Inserting tables into Microsoft Word documents is a great way to organize and present information. However, you don't have to stop there. With just a few simple formatting adjustments, you can turn basic tables into professional, visually appealing elements.

Format a table in Microsoft Word

1. How to create a table in Word

Using tables and even changing them according to data has become much easier in new versions of Word, like Microsoft Word 2019 and Office 365. Intuitive formatting features give you better control over your data ( and faster). But first let's move on Ribbon > Insert > Table > Insert Table to create your own board.

Word gives you 5 options for creating tables.

The fastest way to get started is with Quick Tables. Integrated designs are quite useful, even if you don't have much design skills. You can modify the design by adding rows and columns or removing unnecessary rows and columns.

Delete or add or subtract

Another quick way to create a table in Word is the Insert Control. You can create a new column or row with one click. Hover over a table. A bar appears just outside your table between two existing columns or rows. Click it when it appears and a new column or row will be inserted in its place.

Insert Control

When you want to move or arrange a row around, use a key combination Alt + Shift + Up Arrow and Alt + Shift + Down Arrow to sort rows up or down. Move adjacent rows by selecting all of them.

See more about how to create tables in Word 2007 and Word 2016.

How to position tables on the page?

Right click on the table and select Table Properties from the context menu. Dialog box Table Properties is a tool for precise control over data and how it is displayed. Control table size, alignment, and indentation.

By default, Word aligns a table to the left. If you want to center a table on the page, select Tab Table. Click Alignment > Center.

Indent from left shape controls the distance of the table from the left margin.

Distance from margin

Choose the position of the table based on the text surrounding it, so that the overall document will have a visually aesthetic appearance. Use handles to adjust the table. The text will automatically change words None wall Around. From the dialog box Table Positioning, you can set the distance from the text to each side of the table.

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Table location

Select Move with Text if the text is directly related to table data. The table is vertically aligned with the related paragraph around it. If the data in the table applies to the entire document, you can ignore this option.

2. Use the Ruler tool

Sizing and positioning panels is an art. If you need precise rulers to size table rows and columns, use the Ruler tool.

Ruler

Hover over the border. When the cursor with the double arrow appears, click the border and hold down the key ALT. Microsoft Word will display specific measures on the Ruler. Move rows and columns to fit your desired size.

3. Distribute rows and columns evenly

Are you looking to create a table with evenly distributed rows and columns? The good news is that you don't need to manually adjust each row or column.

Just select the entire table and go to the tab Table Layout. In the group Cell Sizeclick Distribute Rows or Distribute Columns and Word will automatically adjust the rows or columns to ensure equal spacing.

Distribute Columns option in Microsoft Word
Distribute Columns option in Microsoft Word

4. Change the table layout and appearance

Once your table is positioned and its rows and columns adjusted, you can further improve the table's layout and appearance to match your document's style.

You can go to tab Table Design and use tools Shading to add a background color to each cell, row, or column. In the same tab, menu Table Styles offers a variety of pre-designed styles that can instantly apply cohesive formatting to your entire table.

Shading tool in the Table Styles tab in Word
Shading tool in the Table Styles tab in Word

5. Convert text to tables (and vice versa)

Tabular data provides information about its structure. It would be very annoying if Word didn't have something to handle non-tabular data. You can convert data into tables instantly with commands Insert Table.

Select text. Go to Ribbon > Insert > Table > Insert Table.

Insert table

Microsoft Word converts text into tables

Microsoft Word determines the required number of rows and columns by looking at text separators and then automatically matches the content. Dialog box Convert Text to Table gives you more control, if the previous operation did not work properly. You can also choose how the table's content will appear on the page.

Convert text to table

You can specify how Microsoft Word will separate data into rows and columns. Paragraph, tab, comma or any other delimiter character. This allows you to easily import non-tabular data from plain CSV or TXT files and convert them into formatted tables.

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Convert table to text

Reverse the process if someone asks you to send them files with values ​​separated by commas (or any other delimiter). Select the entire table by clicking the “move” handle above the table.

Go to Ribbon > Table Tools > Layout. In Data Group, please click Convert to Text.

Convert table to text

Plain text can be boring. When you get a chance, convert your data table into a more visual chart, with one of these little-used features in Microsoft Word.

See more: Instructions for converting table format in Word 2010 to text.

6. Fill in column numbers automatically

Microsoft Excel makes it very easy to automatically fill in a series of numbers. But Microsoft Word doesn't and you may have to do this manually. However, there is a simpler way.

Create a new column for ordinal numbers (if not already there). Select this column by hovering over the entire column.

With the column selected, go to Home > Paragraph, then click the button Numbering to insert a numbered list.

Enter numbers automatically

A series of numbers will be automatically inserted into the column.

7. “Freeze” the board!

Microsoft Word tables change their size to accommodate new data. There may be times when you don't want these tables to be resized, even when new data is inserted. So let's “freeze” the cells in the table.

The first step is to specify a fixed size for the cells. Go to Table Properties > row, then enter the value in the box Specify height. For the part Row height (row height), please select Exactly from the dropdown menu.

Exactly

Now, select the tab Table, click the button Options, uncheck the checkbox Automatically Resize to Fit Contents.

Table

Click OK twice to exit the dialog box Table Properties.

This also solves the problem of inserting an image into a cell without causing it to expand to accommodate the image. If the image is larger than the available space in the cell, the image will be cropped to fit the cell.

8. Change rows to table columns

There are situations where you have to change rows to columns and vice versa (columns to rows). One possible situation is that the number of columns exceeds the page margin. Converting surrounding columns into rows and vice versa is called transposition.

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The bad news is that Word has no built-in method to handle this. Microsoft recommends that you copy and paste your table into Microsoft Excel and use the command Transpose in there. Then copy-paste the converted table back into Microsoft Word.

Convert rows to columns

Refer to the article: How to convert columns into rows and rows into columns in Excel for detailed instructions.

9. Paste Excel tables into Gmail

You will find a simple way to do this. By default, Gmail does not retain spreadsheet formatting when you paste from Microsoft Excel. To email tabular data without sending it as a separate attachment, use Microsoft Word as a bridge.

Paste the table into Gmail

Select, copy, and paste a Microsoft Excel table into a Microsoft Word document with the source format. Now, copy and paste from Microsoft Word to Gmail. As you can see from the screenshot, the issue has been resolved. You may have to tweak the formatted tables a bit more, but most of the formatting is retained.

10. Reuse your boards to save time

You can save a lot of time by reusing tables, as you create professional reports and documents. Save blank table formats and insert new data when required. With this quick save feature, you won't have to recreate the layout from scratch for new data.

Choose a table. Go to Ribbon > Insert > Text group > click Quick Parts > Save Selection to Quick Part Gallery.

Reuse the table

After you save your selection Quick Part Galleryyou can reuse your selection by clicking Quick Parts and select that option from the gallery.

Use Building Blocks Organizer to preview any boards you've created. You can also edit properties and delete tables from here.

The above are just basic tips Quantrimang want to share with readers. Of course, they may not be enough for your daily work, but they are quite useful for those who are just starting out.

Tables are something Microsoft Word and Excel have in common. Microsoft Excel is the better table tool, but good table management in Word is also an essential skill. Use them everywhere you get the chance!

Wish you success!

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