Creating Tables

Quick reference

• 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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