Tables (Chapter 9)

Chapter 9 of 12 · about 15 minutes

Tables

Make a table in Word, fill it in, change its size and shape, and give it a tidy design. Tables keep lists of dates, names and prices neat.

In this chapter

  • Insert a table
  • Type in a table and move around it with the Tab key
  • Add and delete rows and columns
  • Resize columns and merge cells
  • Give a table a style and borders

Before you start: Open wme-guide-chapter-09-start.docx. The steps in this chapter use it.

Using your own document? The steps use the practice newsletter, but they work the same on any document. Wherever a step names part of the newsletter, such as the title or the date, use the matching text in your own document.

Insert a table

A table puts information into neat rows and columns. It is ideal for a list of events, prices or phone numbers.

  1. Click in your document where you want the table to go.The cursor flashes there.
  2. Click the Insert tab.
    How to make a table in Word: The Insert tab is marked 2, the Table button in the Tables group is marked 3, and a highlighted block of 3 by 4 squares in the grid is marked 4.
    Open the Insert tab (2), click Table (3), then click the 3 by 4 square in the grid (4).
  3. In the Tables group, click Table.A grid of small squares opens.
  4. Move the pointer across the grid until 3 squares across and 4 down are highlighted. The top of the grid says 3×4 Table. Then click.An empty table appears in your document.
    Example of a new empty table in Microsoft Word: A table with 3 columns and 4 rows of empty cells under the heading What's on this month.
    You should see: A new table with 3 columns and 4 rows.

While the cursor is in a table, two new tabs appear on the ribbon: Table Design and Table Layout.

Type in a table and move around

Each box in a table is called a cell. The Tab key moves you from one cell to the next, so your hands can stay on the keyboard.

  1. Click in the top-left cell.
  2. Type Event.
  3. Press Tab.The cursor moves to the next cell on the right.
  4. Type When, press Tab, then type Where.
  5. Press Tab again.The cursor jumps to the first cell of the next row.
  6. Fill in the other rows the same way, using the three events listed below the table in the start file.Your table is full of text.
    Example of a filled-in table in Microsoft Word: The top row reads Event, When and Where, and three rows below list the coffee morning, book swap and litter pick with their times and places.
    You should see: The table filled in with three events.

Press Shift + Tab to go back one cell. In the very last cell, pressing Tab adds a new row.

Add a row or column

Plans change, so you will often need an extra row or column. Word adds them for you.

  1. Click in a cell in the row above where you want the new row. For example, click in the Litter pick row.
  2. Click the Table Layout tab.
    Adding a row to a table in Microsoft Word: The Table Layout tab is marked 2 and the Insert Row Below button in the Rows and Columns group is marked 3.
    Open the Table Layout tab (2), then click Insert Row Below (3).
  3. In the Rows & Columns group, click Insert Row Below.A new empty row appears under the cell you clicked.

The same group has Insert Row Above, Insert Column Left and Insert Column Right. For a faster way, right-click a cell. A small toolbar appears with Insert and Delete buttons on it.

Delete a row or column

Remove a row or column you no longer need, such as an event that was cancelled.

  1. Click in any cell of the row or column you want to remove.
  2. On the Table Layout tab, in the Rows & Columns group, click Delete.
    Deleting a row in a table in Microsoft Word: The Delete button in the Rows and Columns group is marked 2, and Delete Rows in its menu is marked 3.
    Click Delete (2), then Delete Rows (3).
    A menu opens.
  3. Click Delete Rows or Delete Columns.The row or column disappears, with its text.
Watch it happen: Choose Delete, then Delete Columns, and the column disappears.

Resize a column

Word makes every column the same width at first. Make a column wider when its text needs more room.

  1. Point to the line between two columns.
    Resizing a table column in Microsoft Word: The line between the When and Where columns, being dragged to the right, is marked 1, and the dotted guide line that shows its new position is marked 2.
    Point to the line between columns (1), then drag it to its new place (2).
    The pointer changes to two short lines with arrows pointing left and right.
  2. Drag the line to the left or right.One column gets wider and the one next to it gets narrower.
Watch it happen: Drag the line between two columns to make one wider and the other narrower.

Merge cells

Merging joins several cells into one big cell. It is useful for a note that runs across the whole table. To follow along, first add an empty row at the bottom of your table, as in Add a row or column.

  1. Drag across the cells you want to join. For example, drag across all three cells of the empty bottom row.The cells are shaded grey.
  2. On the Table Layout tab, in the Merge group, click Merge Cells.
    How to merge cells in Word: The Merge Cells button in the Merge group on the Table Layout tab is marked 2.
    Click Merge Cells in the Merge group (2).
    The cells become one wide cell. Type All events are free. in it.
    Example of merged cells in Microsoft Word: The bottom row of the events table is one wide cell that reads All events are free.
    You should see: The bottom row is now one cell across the whole table.
Watch it happen: Select the cells, click Merge Cells, and they become one cell.

Give a table a style

A table style adds colours, shading and lines in one click. It makes a table easier to read.

  1. Click in any cell of the table.
  2. Click the Table Design tab.
    Table styles in Microsoft Word: The Table Design tab is marked 2 and a blue style in the Table Styles gallery is marked 4.
    Open the Table Design tab (2), then click a style (4).
  3. In the Table Styles group, point to a style.Your table shows a preview of that style.
  4. Click the style you like.The table changes to that style. The top row looks different, because Header Row is ticked.
    Example of a table style in Microsoft Word: The events table has a dark blue top row with white text and pale blue stripes on every other row.
    You should see: The events table with a table style.

Add borders to a table

Borders are the lines around the cells. You choose which lines show.

  1. Point to the table. Click the small square with four arrows that appears at its top-left corner.The whole table is selected.
  2. On the Table Design tab, in the Borders group, click the arrow under Borders.
    Adding table borders in Microsoft Word: The arrow on the Borders button in the Borders group is marked 2, and All Borders in its list is marked 3.
    Click the Borders arrow (2), then All Borders (3).
    A list of border choices opens.
  3. Click All Borders.Every cell now has a line round it.

If every cell already had lines, you won’t see a change. To hide every line, choose No Border from the same list.

Mac and Word for the web: The steps are much the same, with Table Design and Table Layout tabs. Word for the web has fewer table styles and border tools.

Video: make tables in Word

Tables: Three Ways to Insert a Table in Word video thumbnail3:51

See it done in Word: Three Ways to Insert a Table in Word.