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Quick reference
Creating Tables
Tables provide a structure of columns and rows to help the user line up data, similar to a spreadsheet layout, but within a Word document.
When to Use
Often, tables are used to lay out contact lists inside a Word document, and a calendar would be a table layout as well.
Instructions
Table Options
To view the Table Options, go to the Insert Ribbon, Table.
The bottom option is the fastest: Quick Tables.
The Designs are ready and you can easily edit the table with your own data.
Add Rows to a Table
Mouse to a row and click the + tool that appears between the rows.
To move a Row, use the keyboard combination of Alt+Shift+Up Arrow and Alt+Shift+Down Arrow
To Position the Table on the page
Use the Paragraph Alignment buttons.
Use the Ruler to adjust the column widths.
Convert Text to Table
Select the text to Convert, i.e.
Name Phone Address City, St, Zip Notes
Jane Doe 123-4567 123 Marigold St. City, St, Zip Staffing Dept
Go to the Insert Ribbon, Table, and click Convert Text to Table:
The resulting table will contain your data inside cells:
Name |
Phone |
Address |
City, St, Zip |
Notes |
Jane Doe |
123-4567 |
123 Marigold St. |
City, St, Zip |
Staffing Dept |
- 00:04 As we make our way through the Insert ribbon, the next option is Table.
- 00:09 Now, a table is simply a structure of data generally lined up in rows and
- 00:14 columns format.
- 00:15 In this particular case, we have some sample data on the screen.
- 00:19 Now, I can click into the data and
- 00:21 there is no new ribbon coming up on top that tells me I'm dealing with a table.
- 00:25 So let's turn on our show/hide codes and see what's happening in the background.
- 00:30 I'll go ahead and click the button for Show/Hide code, or
- 00:33 you can press Ctrl+Shift+8 or the asterisk.
- 00:36 And here, we can see that between each one of these sets of data is a tab,
- 00:41 that's simply a Tab key.
- 00:43 If you bring your eyes up to the ruler across,
- 00:46 you'll see that we've got tab settings across this entire ruler.
- 00:50 If I click into any one of these lines, these rows of data,
- 00:54 and if I remove this particular tab setting with a click and a drag,
- 00:58 pull it down, I've just broken the table format.
- 01:02 And that is why we don't use tabs to layout table structures, we use a table.
- 01:07 I'm going to Ctrl+Z to undo that.
- 01:10 Okay, well, let's show you where the tables are.
- 01:12 I'll click into a blank spot of this document and come up here, and
- 01:16 on the Insert ribbon, we have Table.
- 01:19 When we open this, we can literally click and
- 01:22 drag to tell it how many rows we need and how many columns.
- 01:25 So I want five columns by four rows.
- 01:30 As you can see on the screen, it is building itself right down there, and
- 01:35 then I would have to copy-paste the data into it.
- 01:38 Well, let's go below these grids.
- 01:40 Let's go below and check this out.
- 01:41 We have Insert Table, I can draw a table.
- 01:44 Literally, click and drag and use a little pencil and
- 01:48 draw the lines through my existing data.
- 01:51 I can convert text to table, which I will do in a moment.
- 01:55 We can have an Excel Spreadsheet on the screen.
- 01:58 We can also have Quick Tables.
- 02:00 Quick tables are delightful, because they're already set up for us.
- 02:04 Just little ideas of table, so if you need one of these,
- 02:07 you don't have to reinvent the wheel.
- 02:09 They're already created for you on this quick tables list.
- 02:13 Okay, well, let's back up a bit.
- 02:15 I'm going to go back into the document and I'm going to select the existing data.
- 02:21 I'm going to go to my Insert ribbon, click on Table.
- 02:25 Now, notice there's a big difference here.
- 02:26 You have pre-selected data, so it knows I'm not going to put in a brand new table.
- 02:32 And this time, my Convert Text to Table is bold, it's available for
- 02:37 me to click, and I'll do just that.
- 02:39 It's going to confirm, do you want five columns?
- 02:42 Fixed column width would be automated.
- 02:44 Notice, I do have options, AutoFit to contents, AutoFit to window.
- 02:51 I'll just go ahead and leave the Fixed column width at auto.
- 02:55 Separate text at Paragraphs.
- 02:58 Tabs, it even recognizes there's tabs in there, or
- 03:01 maybe there's other data, hit OK.
- 03:04 And now, we have a table structure.
- 03:06 Take your eyes up to the ribbons.
- 03:07 Check this out.
- 03:09 I have a Table Design ribbon and a table Layout.
- 03:11 That's how come I always know if I'm in a table or not.
- 03:14 I just look up to the ribbon.
- 03:17 Now, in this particular case, for this one, I can design this table.
- 03:21 We can choose anything we want.
- 03:22 A color with headings, I'll go ahead with the yellow one.
- 03:27 I can change the shading of any of these colors.
- 03:30 I can change the borders, I can change the width of the borders.
- 03:34 I can put no borders at all on this.
- 03:37 Maybe I've decided that the Phone column is too wide.
- 03:42 Well, I've clicked into the table, take a look at the ruler up there.
- 03:47 I can actually click and drag the column widths by using the ruler tools.
- 03:53 Well, what if I want to add some extra data?
- 03:55 I can float my mouse on these columns and a tiny little blue plus sign shows up,
- 04:01 that's the insert column button, click, just like that.
- 04:05 Well, now, I decided I want to get rid of that column.
- 04:07 Well I could Ctrl+Z to undo it.
- 04:10 Or when I float my mouse above a column, notice the black drop-down arrow,
- 04:14 simply right-click and look at your options here.
- 04:17 I can insert new columns, delete columns, merge columns.
- 04:22 I'll go ahead and delete columns.
- 04:24 Well, let's say I want to insert a row, same story.
- 04:26 Just float yourself into the table, come out to the outer edge of it,
- 04:31 and you'll see a blue plus sign, click that.
- 04:35 Now, we have a brand new row.
- 04:36 To get rid of it, simply use the black arrow to the left of it,
- 04:40 right-click, and delete rows.
- 04:43 Now, this is just an introductory to the table structure.
- 04:47 I just want you to know how simple it is to take existing data, and format and
- 04:51 structure it as a table.
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