Working with Tables

Tables help organize information into rows and columns, making content easier to read and compare. This guide explains how to insert a table, edit its structure, format its appearance, and use common table tools in the document editor. 

Inserting a table

To insert a table into your document:

1. Place the cursor where you want the table to appear.
2. Open the Insert tab.
3. Click Table.
4. Select the number of rows and columns from the grid.
5. Insert the table into the document. 

Adding rows and columns

After inserting a table, you can add more rows or columns as needed. To access these options, right-click inside the table to open the context menu. These same actions are also available from the Rows & Columns section in the right sidebar. 

• Right-click a cell and insert a row above the current row
• Right-click a cell and insert a row below the current row
• Right-click a cell and insert a column to the left
• Right-click a cell and insert a column to the right
• Use the table options to add multiple rows or columns when needed 

Deleting rows and columns

To remove part of a table, right-click inside the table and choose the option you need from the context menu. You can also access these actions from the Rows & Columns tools. 

• Delete a selected row
• Delete a selected column
• Delete selected cells
• Delete the entire table 

Merging and splitting cells

OfficeDocs includes tools for combining cells or splitting them into smaller sections. These options are available when you select the relevant cell or cells, then open the right-click menu or use the table tools.

Merge cells

1. Select two or more adjacent cells.
2. Right-click the selected cells.
3. Click Merge Cells to combine them into one cell. 

Split cells

1. Click inside the cell you want to split.
2. Right-click the cell.
3. Select Slipt Cell.
4. Enter the number of rows and columns you want to create.
5. Confirm to apply the change. 

Table formatting

You can format both individual cells and the full table to improve readability and presentation. The current doc confirms options such as borders, background color, vertical alignment, text direction, dimensions, spacing, and table templates. 

Cell properties

Use cell formatting options to control how content appears inside each cell.

• Change the background color
• Adjust border style, width, and color
• Set vertical alignment
• Change text direction when needed

Table properties

You can also adjust the overall layout of the table.

• Set the table width
• Align the table on the page
• Adjust cell margins
• Change spacing between cells 

Resizing tables

To resize a table manually:

• Drag column borders to change column width
• Drag row borders to change row height
• Use the table handle to move or resize the full table
• Distribute rows or columns evenly when needed 

Table styles

You can apply predefined table styles to create a cleaner and more professional layout.

1. Click anywhere inside the table.
2. Open the table style or template options.
3. Choose a table style that fits your document.
4. Optionally highlight header rows, total rows, or banded rows and columns for better readability. 

Converting text to a table

If you already have text in your document, you can convert it into a table.

1. Select the text you want to convert.
2. Open the table tools.
3. Choose Convert Text to Table.
4. Set how the text should be separated, such as by paragraphs, tabs, semicolons, or another delimiter.
5. Confirm to create the table.

Converting a table to text

You can also turn an existing table back into plain text.

1. Select the table.
2. Open the table options.
3. Choose Convert Table to Text.
4. Select the delimiter you want to use.