Using Tables in Word

Tables consist of rows and columns which intersect to create cells. Go to Table>Select Table>Insert> Table to show dialog box for Insert Table, where you can give values for rows and columns and can even modify them later . Give a higher value as its simpler to erase extra columns and rows. Although you can change the column width anytime, you can also choose to enter a column width or set it to Auto. By choosing AutoFit to Contents, the column widths are automatically adjusted for widest amount of data. To equally adjust column width when you resize the window for table select AutoFit to Window. On clicking OK or Enter you see your table.

To type data go to the cell and type and Word will automatically wrap it by increasing row size to show contents. To adjust column or row width simply click on the mouse to drag edges to increase or reduce rows and columns or pull the table's edges itself, as the mouse pointer becomes a table adjustor pointer. By clicking on the margin on row's left or above colun, the entire row or column is selected or could be selected from Table>Select and dragging them to select more rows and columns allows multiple selection.

You may also use up and down and other keyboard keys to navigate between cells. You can press Tab to go to next cell, Shift Tab for preceding cell, Alt PageUp for top cell, Alt PageDown for bottom cell, Alt Home for initial cell and Alt End for last cell.

To insert and delete rows and columns, right click on margin to left of rows or above columns from the pop up menu click on Insert Row or Insert Column, or Delete Row or Delete Column. Going to Table>Table AutoFormat lets you choose a style. To draw a freehand table, bring your cursor where you want to insert table and go to Tables and Borders button, and then click and drag the new pencil shaped pointer diagonally on your page to get your tables border. Next add columns and rows, or erase them using the Eraser tool in Tables and Borders. Next give Borders and shading using Shading color tool, Border Color tool, Outside Border tool. Other tools allow you to sort cells, equally distribute columns or rows, sum a column or row, merge cells, split cells into many, change alignment.

Using Tables in Word