ms word table assignment

Module 5: Microsoft Word, part 3

Assignment: create document with tables and images.

For this assignment, you will format a document with a table and an image. Follow the directions, then submit your assignment. If you get stuck on a step, review this module or previous modules and ask your classmates for help in the discussion forum.

• Download the report document and open it in Microsoft Word.
• Save the document as  BA132_LastName_Report.docx , replacing “LastName” with your own last name. (Example: BA132_Hywater_Newsletter). It is a good idea to save your work periodically.

• Insert the graph image into your document after “creating greater contact efficiency for consumers.”

• Save your document again and submit your work to Canvas.
• shopping-business-retail [used in report document]. Authored by : Alexas_Fotos. Located at : https://pixabay.com/en/shopping-business-retail-1165437/ . License : CC0: No Rights Reserved
• Reading: Types of Retailers. Authored by : Lumen Learning. Located at : https://courses.lumenlearning.com/marketing-spring2016/chapter/reading-types-of-retailers/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
• Assignment: Report. Authored by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution
• The Retail Industry [used in report document]. Authored by : Lumen Learning. Located at : https://courses.lumenlearning.com/marketing-spring2016/chapter/reading-define-retailing/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
• Outcome: Retailers As Channels of Distribution. Authored by : Lumen Learning. Located at : https://courses.lumenlearning.com/marketing-spring2016/chapter/outcome-retailers-as-channels-of-distribution/ . License : CC BY: Attribution

How to Make and Customize a Table in Microsoft Word

Lots of ways to make it look pro

Making a table in Microsoft Word can be tricky, but with just a few simple steps, creating and customizing one for your needs is easy. In this article, we’ll teach you how to make a table in Microsoft Word and customize it perfectly.

Tables are a handy tool for organizing data, making data calculations using formulas, displaying information in an eye-catching way, or even creating visually appealing charts and diagrams to help break up long paragraphs of content.

How to Create a Table

There are seven ways to import a table into an MS Word document. You can create them from scratch by drawing, inserting a graphic grid, using the insert function, adding a new Microsoft Excel spreadsheet table, inserting an existing Excel Spreadsheet table, using Quick Tables, or converting the existing text into a table.

No matter which option you choose, you’ll have to first open your Word document, find a spot where you want to insert the table, and click your cursor on that spot. Let’s use the above-mentioned methods to create a table in Microsoft Word.

Create a Table with Graphic Grid

This is one of the simplest ways of creating a Microsoft Word table. Follow these simple steps:

• Go to the Insert tab on the ribbon and click the Table button.

• When the Insert Table dialog box opens, it’ll show a basic grid pattern and menu options below it.

• With the cursor, select the first grid cell and slide it down to select the number of columns and rows you want. As an example, choose six columns and four rows.

• The table will be automatically created in the document.

Once there’s a table in your document, you’ll notice two new tabs on the ribbon: Table Design and Layout . You can use these tabs to modify and stylize your newly created table. More on that later.

Create a Table with the Insert Function

Using the insert function is as easy as selecting your table layout from the grid. Here’s how it works:

• Go to Insert , then press on Table .
• Instead of dragging your cursor to select the grid, select Insert Table from the menu just below the grid.

• A dialog box will appear where you can enter the number of rows and columns you want in your table under the Table Size panel. In the AutoFit Behavio r panel, select Auto . You can also experiment with other options to see how you like them. AutoFit to Contents will produce a narrow column that changes in size as you enter data. AutoFit to Window will expand your table to fit the size of your document.

• If you want your future tables to remain this size, check the Remember dimensions for new tables option. Click the OK button to finish and create a table.

Draw a Table

You can manually draw a basic table in Word. Here’s how:

• Go to Insert , select the Table button, and choose Draw Table from the menu below the Grid.

• Your cursor will turn into a pencil. Drag it down and across the document to draw a box. You don’t have to worry about the dimensions; you can modify them later.
• Now you can start drawing cells and columns inside it. Simply drag the cursor to draw them one at a time.
• If you need to add or remove columns or rows later, you can go to the Layout tab and select the Draw Table or Eraser button. This’ll allow you to continue drawing lines with a pencil cursor or to erase existing lines with an eraser cursor.

Insert a New Excel Spreadsheet in Word

You can create an Excel spreadsheet directly in Word . Follow these simple steps:

• Go to Insert , select Tables , and choose Excel Spreadsheet from the menu.

• The new spreadsheet will be created where your cursor is set.
• Excel’s menu and commands will also be available to you, and you can use them to edit your table.

Copy and Paste an Existing Excel Spreadsheet

If you have prepared data in an Excel spreadsheet but need to move it to your Word document, you can simply copy and paste it.

• Open your Excel Worksheet, highlight the spreadsheet you need, and select the Copy button.
• Open Word and position your cursor where you need to insert the spreadsheet.
• Select the Paste drop-down menu on the Home tab in Word and choose Keep Source Formatting .

• You can also right-click your mouse and select Keep Source Formatting under Paste Options.

Quick Tables

If you don’t want to customize your tables, choose one of Word’s templates from the Quick Tables menu. You can also create your own design and save it in the Quick Tables Gallery for later use.

• Go to Insert , then select Tables , and Quick Tables .

• Select the template from the Quick Tables menu that fits your project.

• You can continue modifying it if you want to change the details.

Convert Text to Table

Converting text to a table used to be messy in Word. The data in a table would end up misplaced. That’s because previously, we had to use tabs to separate the data in individual cells.

Microsoft improved this feature, and now you can separate the table fields with commas, paragraphs, or any other separation characters. Let’s see how to convert a simple grocery shopping list into a table.

• Enter your data in a Word document. Remember to separate each data entry you want into individual cells with a comma. The rows will be separated by hitting enter and starting a new paragraph. Your list should look something like this:

• Select the list, go to Insert , Tables , and choose the Convert Text to Table option.

• In the dialog box, make sure that Commas are selected under the Separate text at the panel. Then click OK .

• Word will do the conversion for you, and a table will appear. You can then use the Table Design and Layout tabs to modify it.

How to Customize a Table

Table Design and Layout tabs are filled with helpful table tools you can use to format tables. Use Table Design to stylize your table and change its looks. Here you’ll find tools for shading, painting borders, and setting their thickness, style, and color. You can also select one of the many offered table styles.

In the Layout tab, you’ll find tools to add or remove cells, rows, and columns, merge cells, split them, or split the whole table into several ones. You’ll also use this tab to set other table properties, such as the table’s dimensions, or to align the text.

However, there are quicker ways to achieve anything these tools allow you to do. Let’s see how to quickly resize, align, add, or remove columns, rows, cells, and much more in Word tables.

How to Resize a Microsoft Word Table

Resizing the table manually means you can adjust its size or modify rows and columns individually. It’s as easy as dragging and dropping.

Resize the Whole Table

You’ll have to grab and drag to make the entire table larger or smaller.

• Select your table.
• Grab the little square that appears at its bottom-right corner.

• Drag the table to the size you want.

Resize a Column or a Row

Adjusting only the column or a row is just as easy.

• Place your cursor over a column or a row border until you see a double-sided arrow. The arrows will face left and right for columns and up and down for rows.

• Click and drag the arrow right or left to resize a column and up and down to resize a row.
• When you are done, simply release the mouse button.

How to Align the Table in MS Word

You can align your table to the left, center, or right to best fit your Word document. This is especially useful if you resize the table to fit text around it. Here’s how:

• Select the table and go to the Home tab.

• In the Paragraph section you’ll find Align Left, Center, and Right buttons. Use them to align your table.

How to Insert or Remove Columns and Rows

If your table has too few or too many rows and columns, you can easily fix it.

Add Columns and Rows

Adding a single column or a row is simple:

• Place your cursor on top of the columns or on the left side of the rows until a plus sign appears.

• Click this plus sign to add a new column or row.

If you want to insert multiple rows and columns:

• Select the same number of already existing rows or columns (if you want to add two columns, select two existing ones).

• Right-click, then go to the Insert menu and select to insert columns to the left or right and rows above or below.

Remove Columns or Rows

To delete rows or columns, select them, right-click, and select Delete Columns (or rows).

How to Add Borders or Shading

Table borders and shading are crucial to making your table look professional. With these simple tools, you can make your table stand out and make it easier to read. You’ll find both tools in the Table Design tab.

Adding Borders

Go to the Table Design tab and:

• Click Borders . A drop-down menu will let you choose the type of borders you want to add. Add them around each cell, or only highlight the outside of the table with borders. Place the cursor over the options, and you’ll get a preview of how each one changes your table.

• Once you decide on the border style, click it to apply it to your table.

• To place borders around a specific cell, row, or column, first select it and then choose the border style.

Add Shading

Spice things up by adding a background color to your tables . Use the shading drop-down menu to choose a color with which you’ll shade your table. You’ll find it in the Table Design tab.

If you want to shade a specific row, column, or cell, first select it and then choose the color. You can also shade only the selected cells.

How to Apply a Style

Microsoft Word has many table styles to offer, and you can choose one to make your table look professional. You can also do this to skip adding border style and shading.

• Select the table and go to the Table Design tab.
• Locate the Table Style box at the top of the window, and use the up and down arrows, or the “More” arrow, to browse the gallery.

• If you place your cursor over a specific style, you’ll see its preview on your table.

• Click on the selected style to apply it to your table.

To adjust the premade table style, go back to the Table Design tab and check or uncheck the boxes in the Table Style Options section. By doing this you can add or remove the Header Row, First Column, or Banded rows. There are more options so you can experiment with them and see how they influence your table design.

Use Table Properties

If you need to set a specific row height and a column width, you should use Table Properties. Here’s how:

• Select your table and right-click it. Then, choose Table Properties from the menu.

• When a dialog box opens, use the Table , Row , Column , Cell , and Alt Text to adjust their size, text wrapping, alignment, and more.

• When you’re done with adjustments, click the OK button to apply them to your table.

Word offers you a lot of tools, but creating and customizing tables is a quick and easy task. Not only can you use the pre-formatted table templates, but you can also easily customize your own table based on the needs of your project. Whether it’s adding new rows or columns for different parts of your data or varying the widths and heights of cells, you have all the tools you need to create a professional table. Let us know in the comments below if you have any questions!

Nicolae is a Jack of all trades technology writer with a focus on hardware, programming languages, and AI image-processing software. Over the last five years, he has ghostwritten numerous tech how-to guides and books on a variety of topics ranging from Linux to C# programming and game development. Nicolae loves everything that has to do with technology and his goal is to share his knowledge and experience with others. Read Nicolae's Full Bio

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Word  - Tables

Word  -, word tables.

Word: Tables

Lesson 23: tables.

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Introduction

A table is a grid of cells arranged in rows and columns . Tables can be used to organize any type of content, whether you're working with text or numerical data. In Word, you can quickly insert a blank table or convert existing text to a table. You can also customize your table using different styles and layouts .

Optional: Download our practice document .

Watch the video below to learn more about creating tables.

To insert a blank table:

• Place the insertion point where you want the table to appear.

• Click the grid to confirm your selection, and a table will appear.

To navigate between cells, use the Tab key or arrow keys on your keyboard. If the insertion point is in the last cell, pressing the Tab key will automatically create a new row.

To convert existing text to a table:

In the example below, each line of text contains part of a checklist , including chores and days of the week. The items are separated by tabs . Word can convert this information into a table, using the tabs to separate the data into columns.

• Go to the Insert tab, then click the Table command.

Modifying tables

You can easily change the appearance of your table once you've added one to your document. There are several options for customization, including adding rows or columns and changing the table style .

To add a row or column:

You can also right-click the table, then hover over Insert to see various row and column options.

To delete a row or column:

• Place the insertion point in the row or column you want to delete.

• The row or column will be deleted.

To apply a table style:

Table styles let you change the look and feel of your table instantly. They control several design elements, including color, borders, and fonts.

To modify table style options:

Once you've chosen a table style, you can turn various options on or off to change its appearance. There are six options: Header Row , Total Row , Banded Rows , First Column , Last Column , and Banded Columns .

• Click anywhere in your table, then navigate to the Design tab.

Depending on the Table Style you've chosen, certain Table Style Options may have a different effect. You might need to experiment to get the look you want.

To apply borders to a table:

• Click the drop-down arrow below the Borders command.

Modifying a table using the Layout tab

In Word, the Layout tab appears whenever you select your table. You can use the options on this tab to make a variety of modifications.

Click the buttons in the interactive below to learn more about Word's table layout controls.

Rows and Columns

Use these commands to quickly insert or delete rows and columns. This can be especially useful if you need to add something to the middle of your table.

Merge and Split Cells

Some tables require a layout that doesn't conform to the standard grid. In these cases, you may want to merge multiple cells (i.e., combine them into one) or split a cell in two.

Change Cell Size

You can manually enter a desired row height or column width for your cells. You can also use the AutoFit command, which will automatically adjust the column widths based on the text inside.

Distribute Rows/Columns

To keep your table looking neat and organized, you may want to distribute your rows or columns equally . This will make them all the same size. You can apply this feature to the entire table or just a small portion of it.

Align Cell Text

By changing the alignment of your cells, you can control exactly where the text is located. In the example below, the text has been aligned to the center .

Change Text Direction

You can easily change the direction of your text from horizontal to vertical . Making your text vertical can add style to your table; it also allows you to fit more columns in your table.

• Open our practice document .
• Scroll to page 3 and select all of the text below the dates July 8 - July 12 .
• Use the Convert Text to Table to insert the text into a 6-column table. Make sure to Separate text at Tabs .
• Delete the Saturday column.
• Insert a column to the left of the Friday column and type Thursday in the top cell.
• Change the table style to any style that begins with Grid Table 5 . Hint : Style names appear when you hover over them.
• In the Table Style Options menu, uncheck Banded Rows and check Banded Columns.
• Select the entire table . In the Borders drop-down menu, choose All Borders .
• With the table still selected, increase the table row height to 0.3" (0.8 cm).
• Select the first row and change the cell alignment to Align Center .

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How to create and customize tables in Microsoft Word

Creating tables in Microsoft Word used to be so annoying that most people just did it in Excel, then imported it into Word. It’s worth giving Word 2013’s table tools a try, though, because the process is easier, and there are some new graphical options. 

Seven ways to create tables

Microsoft now provides five different methods for creating tables: the Graphic Grid, Insert Table, Draw Table, insert a new or existing Excel Spreadsheet table, and Quick Tables, plus an option for converting existing text into a table. To start, open a blank Word document from the Home/New page. Position your cursor in the document where you want the table inserted.

Graphic Grid/Select Table from Graph

Under the Insert tab, click the Table  button. The Insert Table dialog box will open, showing a basic grid pattern as well as traditional menu options below it. Place your cursor on the first cell in the grid and slide it down and over until you highlight (for this example) four columns and five rows, then click once.

Notice that once the table is created, a new option called Table Tools appears on the Ribbon bar with two new tabs: Design and Layout. See the Layout and Design section below for details regarding these options.

Create a new table using the graphical grid.

Insert Table

Click Insert > Tables > Insert Table from the dropdown menu. In the Insert Table dialog box, enter the number of columns and rows you want in this table (four columns and five rows). In the AutoFit Behavior panel, select Auto , or click the down arrow to choose a specific size. You can also choose AutoFit to Contents (produces narrow columns that expand as you add data) or AutoFit to Window (expands the table to fit the document size). Check the Remember Dimensions for New Tables box if you want the sizes you’re entering now to become your defaults for future tables.

Create a new table using Insert Table.

Click Insert> Tables > Draw Table . The cursor turns into a pencil, which you drag down and across to draw a box. Don’t worry about the exact dimensions; you can modify it any time.

Once the box is created, position the cursor inside the box and draw lines over and down for the columns and rows (one at a time). Don’t worry about crooked lines, either—Word straightens them as you draw.

To add or remove columns and/or rows later, click anywhere inside the table, then select the Design tab under Table Tools. Click the Draw Table button to add or continue drawing lines with your pencil cursor, or click the Eraser button to remove lines with the eraser cursor. To remove a line, just touch the line with the eraser cursor, and the line disappears.

Create a new table using Draw Table.

Excel Spreadsheet (create In Word)

Click Insert > Tables > Excel Spreadsheet . An Excel spreadsheet inserts at your cursor location. You can continue using Excel and its menus and commands, but after you enter your data it converts to a non-editable graphic.

If you want to add, delete, or modify the spreadsheet, right-click anywhere inside the worksheet graphic, select Worksheet Object from the dropdown menu, then click Edit . The original spreadsheet reappears for editing. Notice the top menu has changed to an Excel menu for edits.

Also from the Worksheet Object dropdown menu, you can click Open to open the spreadsheet in Excel, so you can manipulate it in that program. Or click Convert to view a Windows dialog box that lists file-conversion options.

Create a new table using Excel Spreadsheet.

Excel Spreadsheet (copy and paste existing worksheet)

In the old days, Excel spreadsheets had to be imported into Word. Now you can just copy and paste. Open Excel, highlight the spreadsheet, and copy it. Then open Word, position your cursor at the desired location, and select Paste > Keep Source Formatting .

The other options on the Paste dialog menu are Merge Formatting, which changes the text format to match the file into which you pasted the spreadsheet, and Keep Text Only, which pastes the text without the Excel grid, meaning you will likely have to realign your columns with tabs.

Copy and paste an existing table from Excel.

Quick Tables

Quick Tables are Word’s table templates. In addition to the nine templates provided, you can create your own designs and save them to the Quick Tables Gallery to use later. Click Insert > Tables > Quick Tables . Select a table template from the Quick Tables menu, then modify it to fit your project. 

Create a new table using Quick Tables.

Convert Text to Table

The table tools can also make lists a lot easier to customize and even reorganize later. For our example, we’ll turn a classic contact list into a table, using a list of names—first, middle, last—plus the city, state, region, and profession of each person on the list.

For eons, people have used tabs to separate the fields, adding a tab or two to accommodate longer strings of data. But if you do this, when you convert the table to text, it misplaces all the data.

With the Convert Text to Table feature, you can separate the fields (Name, City, State, etc.) with paragraphs, tabs, commas, or other separator character, but use only one separator between each field.

Convert an existing block of text to a table.

Layout and Design

There are three options to modify and/or decorate tables:

1. Use the Table Tools > Design —or— Table Tools > Layout commands on the Ribbon menu.

2. Right-click and use the Shortcut popup menus.

3. Use the keyboard shortcuts, which become visible when you press the ALT key on your keyboard.

All of these methods are fast and easy, but using a combination of all three will always be quicker. For example, use your mouse to highlight, then right-click to copy with your right hand; then arrow down to the new location and press CTRL-V to paste with your left hand.

The Layout tab lets you modify the structure of the table. The menu is fairly self-explanatory, and you can roll your cursor over a feature to get further clarification.

Roll your mouse over each button to view how each feature works.

The dialog boxes below also illustrate each feature. Click Table Tools > Layout > Insert or Delete (from Rows and Columns group) to add or remove them; Merge or Split Cells or Split a Table (from the Merge group); or Text Direction (from the alignment group) to rotate the text inside the table.

Menu options to modify a table structure.

Other features include Table Properties, which provides several options for aligning the table with the text or wrapping text around your table. Select  Cell Margins to change the margins inside each cell. With the table still highlighted, click Table Tools > Layout > Data > Sort to sort the table data alphabetically or numerically, just like in Excel. You can sort by column numbers or by column headers, and it provides two sort levels. For example, you can sort by Last Name, then by First Name. The table below is sorted by Last Name.

You can also convert your table back to a text block. Just choose the separator you prefer, so when the table grid disappears, the data isn’t all jumbled together.

You can even insert formulas to calculate your numeric data. I added a Salary column to the table below and entered some dollars, plus a new row at the bottom for the salary totals. To calculate the total salaries, position your cursor in the last row and the last column cell, and click the Formula button under the Data group. In the Formula dialog box type the SUM() formula [or Count() or Average() ] in the Formula field box. If you are unfamiliar with the formulas Word provides, click the down arrow under the Paste Function field, and choose a formula from the list.

Type Above between the parentheses, choose a format under Number Format such as dollars, percent, or general, then click OK . Word calculates the column of numbers and places the calculation in the target cell (where your cursor resides). Review the Formula Format table in the graphic below for the correct commands that tell Word which direction to calculate (these go inside the parentheses).

Wrap text around a table, change cell margins, convert table back to text, sort the table data, and/or add formulas.

The Design tab is for adding borders, shading, styles, and customizing the header columns and rows. Highlight your table, then select Table Tools > Design> Table Styles , Shading , Border Styles , Borders , or Border Painter  (see the graphic below for ideas). There’s no learning curve, just play with the features and see what happens. If you don’t like a feature you’ve added, just click the Undo button or press CTRL-Z.

There’s also an option to add artwork borders to your pages. Select Table Tools > Design > Borders > Border Painter , and click the Page Border tab in the Borders and Shading dialog box. Click the down arrow in the field box under Art, then choose a border—mostly simple clip art—from the list. 

Make your table pop with Table Styles, Shading, Border Styles, Borders, or Border Painter.

The table below uses one of the many preset styles that comes with Word. Select Table Tools > Design > Table Styles , then scroll through the gallery of styles. If you want to change the font or customize the paragraphs inside the table, use the Format Shortcut menu. Right-click anywhere inside the table, and this small menu pops up adjacent to the longer Table Options menu. If the formatting feature you need is not on the Shortcut menu (which is fairly limited), click the Home Tab and select the features you need from the Font or Paragraph group. All of the buttons and groups on the Home tab are available for formatting tables as well as documents. The options are endless. 

Choose a Table Style with Banded Rows (i.e., every other row is different for easier viewing), then customize the fonts and paragraph spacing.

Stay tuned for more articles on getting the most out of Word 2013.

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Working with Tables in MS Word

Microsoft Word or MS-WORD is a graphical word processing program that users can type with. It allows the users to type and save documents very similar to other word processors. There are many versions of MS-word in market, which the user can install as per te. In this tutorial, we will learn about the tables in MS-Word. 

Tables in MS Word are made up of rows and columns with an organized arrangement of text. These tables can be used to align numbers in columns and then various operations can be performed on them. Tables can also be used to create page layouts. Rows in a table are series of data banks laid out horizontally in a table or spreadsheet. Columns are vertical series of cells in a chart, table, or spreadsheet.

How to Create a Table?

Tables in MS Word can be created in the following two ways:

1. Using the Grid

2. Using Table Dialogue Box

Using the Grid

Following are the steps of creating a table using the Grid provided in MS Word:

Step 1: Go to the Insert tab and click on the Table button.

Step 2: In the dropdown menu, select the number of rows and columns from the Grid.

Using Table Dialogue Box

Following are the steps of creating a table using Table Dialogue Box in MS Word:

Step 2: Under the grid, you will see an Insert Table button. Click on it.

Step 3: In the Insert Table Dialogue box, mention the number of rows and number of columns as per the requirement and click on OK button.

How to Modify a Table?

We can also edit/modify a table to make it more creative. Multiple operations can be performed on a table like changing the layout, splitting of cells, merging the cells, applying borders, etc. Here, we will see some of the operations performed on a table in MS Word.

Changing Layout of a Table

Changing the layout of a table can be done with the help of the following steps: 

Step 1: Select the table for which the layout is to be changed. Go to the design tab .

Step 2: Click on the dropdown menu to get various different types of layouts for your table.

Step 3: Select any layout as per the need.

Splitting the Cell

Splitting of a cell can be done with the help of the following steps:

Step 1: Select the cell that you want to split into multiple cells. Then go to the Layout tab and click on the Split Cells button.

Step 2: In the dialogue box , mention the new dimensions as per the requirement. 

Step 3: Click on the Ok button.

Merging the Cells

Merging of various cells can be done by the following steps:

Step 1: Select all the cells that are to be merged into a single cell. Then go over the layout tab, and you will see a Merge Cell button.

Step 2: Now click on the Merge Cell button and the selected cells will be merged.

Applying Borders and Styles on a Table

Borders and styles can also be applied to a table in a similar way as the layout of a table is changed. Go through the following steps to do the same:

Step 1: Select the entire table and go over the design tab.

Step 2: Select the style that you want to apply to your table.

Converting Text to a Table

MS Word allows the conversion of existing text into a table with the help of the following steps:

Step 1: Select the text that is to be converted into the table. Now go to the Insert Tab and you will see a Table button.

Step 2: Click on the Insert Table button and in the drop-down menu, click on the Convert Text to Table button.

Step 3: In the dialogue box, mention the dimensions of the required table and other data that is required. 

Step 4: Click on the OK button and the selected text will be converted to a Table.

Inserting Images in a Table

MS Word allows adding images inside the table cells. To insert an image in a table, go through the following steps:

Step 1: Select the cell in which you want to add the Image. Go to the Insert tab and select the Pictures button.

Step 2: You can either choose a picture from your device or select one online.

Step 3: Choose a picture from the browser window and click on the Insert button.

Step 4: Selected Image will be added in the cell selected.

Performing Calculations in a Table

Mathematical calculations can also be performed on the values present in the table. Microsoft provides various formulas to perform these operations. By default, the sum of the values lying in the rows to the left or column lying above are calculated by Word. Following are the steps to do the same:

Step 1: Select the cell in which the result of the mathematical operations is required. 

Step 2: Now go to the Layout tab and select the formula button. 

Step 3: In the dialogue box, define the formula for the mathematical operation, the default formula is the sum of the values to the left or above.

Step 4: After defining the formula, click on the OK button to apply the formula on the cells given in the formula.

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How to Create & Manipulate Tables in Word

by Jason Morrell   May 10, 2021

Tables in Word are useful in so many situations. In this post you'll discover how to create tables, then manipulate and design them in the quickest and easiest way to provide that visual punch.

RELATED POST :

Enhance your Word tables with these advanced features

1.  What are tables in Word good for?

Tables are useful for 2 distinct reasons.

• To show an actual table of data, or
• To organise and postion text, images and other elements on the page.

Many years ago, typewriters ruled the world. And a feature of a good typewriter was the tab stop , which was a device that essentially let you control indentation.

Over the years many people have continued to use tabs to indent text, because of its convenience, but they are hard work to set up properly.

Tables provide a much easier way to organise content on a page.

2. How to create TABLEs in Word

1.   Select the Insert tab.

2.   Click the Tables icon in the Tables group.

3.   Move your mouse pointer into the table grid until the required number of rows and columns are highlighted orange, then left-click.

An empty table is inserted into the document.

Two new tabs, Design and Layout are also added to the ribbon area, under the banner of Table Tools .

3. MOVING AROUND A Word TABLE

• While the table is empty, you can use the cursor keys to move around the cells. However, when the cells contain information, using the cursor keys will move through the cell content first before moving to the next cell
• You can left-click in any cell to position the cursor.
• Press  Tab to move to the next cell. The cursor will move across and then down the table.
• Press  Shift  +  Tab to move to the previous cell.

NB. Using Tab is better than using the cursors as it will move to the next/previous cell regardless of whether there is information in the cells.

NB2. If you press Tab while you are in the last cell, a new row will be added to the bottom of your table

4. SELECTING A CELL, ROW, COLUMN OR THE ENTIRE TABLE

To select a cell:

1.   Position the mouse pointer inside the cell on the bottom-left corner of the cell. The pointer will change shape to a solid black arrow that points up and right.

2.   Left-click.

To select a row of a table:

1.   Position the mouse pointer in the left margin in line with the row you want to select. The mouse pointer will change to a white arrow that points up and right.

To select a column

1.   Position the mouse pointer so that it rests on the top border of the table, above the column you want to select. The mouse pointer will change to a solid black arrow pointing down.

To select the entire table:

1.   Position your mouse pointer over  the 4-headed arrow icon situated at the top-left of the table.

5. INSERTING AN EXTRA ROW OR COLUMN

To insert an extra row:

1.   Position the cursor in a cell.

2.   Select the Layout tab, under the Table Tools banner.

3.   Click Insert Above or Insert Below in the Rows and Columns group

Here is a quick way to insert new rows:

1.   Position the cursor to the left of the table, but in close proximity.

2.   A plus symbol will appear above or below the mouse pointer indicating where the new row will be added.

3.   Nudge the mouse pointer up or down to move the plus sign above or below.

4.   Left-click to insert the new row,

To insert an extra column:

3.   Click Insert Left or Insert Right in the Rows and Columns group

Here is a quick way to insert a new column:

1.   Position the cursor above a column, but in close proximity to the table.

2.   A plus symbol will appear to the left or right of the mouse pointer indicating where the new column will be added.

3.   Nudge the mouse pointer left or right to move the plus sign to the left or the right of the column.

4.   Left-click to insert the new column,

6. DELETING A ROW OR COLUMN

To delete the current row or column:

1.   Position the cursor in any cell of the row you want to delete.

3.   Click the Delete icon in the Rows and Columns group.

4.   Choose Delete Row or Delete Colum n from the drop-down menu.

7. Quickly fORMATTING tables in Word

Word provides you with a number of pre-set table designs. This means that it formats the headings and the data, applies a variety of borders and colours the cells in a way that makes it look like a professionally produced table. As a beginner this simple technique will give you a good-looking table.

1.   Position the cursor in any cell in the table.

2.   Select the Design tab under the Table Tools banner.

The Table Styles group lists a number of table designs. To get the full list, click the More button   beneath the table styles scroll bar

The default table style is Table Grid in the Plain Tables category which adds simple gridlines but no shading to your table.

Live Preview allows you to hover over a design and see it applied to your table. If you like what you see, click to select the table design.

In the Table Style Options group of the Design tab, tick the components that you have in your table. For example, if your table has column headings, tick Header Row . In doing this, the various parts of your table are formatted accordingly

Header Row This will emphasise the header row by making the text bold or applying a different cell colour (depending on the table style selected.

Total Row This will emphasise the bottom table row by making the text bold or applying a different cell colour (depending on the table style selected.

First Column This will emphasise the first column (for labels etc.) by making the text bold or applying a different cell colour (depending on the table style selected.

Last Column This will emphasise the last column (for row totals etc.) by making the text bold or applying a different cell colour (depending on the table style selected.

Banded Rows This will make odd rows one colour and even rows a different colour. This helps readability.

Banded Columns This will make odd columns one colour and even columns a different colour. This helps readability.

8. SETTING THE BORDERS AND SHADING

The Table Styles Gallery allows you to completely format a table with one click. Whereas you used to need some nous, anybody can now create a professional looking design.

However, you will often still need to apply your own border and shading, and manually change a table design. With a little effort can add a lot of flavour to your page and dramatically enhance the overall appearance of the document.

To set the borders for tables in Word:

1.   Select the portion of the table that you wish to set the borders for. This may be the entire table, a row or rows, a column or columns or a selection of cells.

3.   Select the Borders icon. A drop-down list appears. This list shows every combination of border that can be turned on or off. The icons with a shaded background are currently switched on. The rest are switched off.

4.   Click any icon to switch the border on or off. The border style that is applied is the default style ( ½ pt solid black line ) or the last style that was used.

5.   To apply customised borders, with different colours, styles and widths, click the Borders & Shading option at the bottom of the list to display the Borders and Shading dialog box.

Your selection will always have an outer border, and if you selected more than one cell, you will have some inside borders as well. The easiest way to use the dialog box is to start on the bottom-middle and work your way up and right.

1.   Select the colour and width (thickness)  that you would like for your border.

2.   Choose a style (e.g. dotted, dashed, double, solid etc.)

3.   Paint your borders. There are two ways to do this.

• The first way is to click directly on a border in the Preview itself.
• The second way is to click the appropriate icon around the edge of the  Preview section that represents each border. Depending on which cells you selected in your table, some of these icons may not be available.

On the left-hand side of the dialog box, there are some pre-defined border combinations which you can use to save yourself some time. Depending on your selection of cells, the pre-defined options may differ. Here’s a run-down:

To shade the cells of tables in Word:

1.   Select the portion of the table that you wish to shade. This may be the entire table, a row or rows, a column or columns or a selection of cells.

3.   Click the Shading icon. The colours that you see displayed match the current them of the document. Themes were discussed earlier in the course.

4.   Click a colour in the palette.

While you can pick any colour, it is recommended to stick with the light colour shades, otherwise your tables will appear very loud and ugly, like they’re shouting in your face. Subtle is the order of the day. The exception to this is column headings or other cells that you wish to differentiate. Under these circumstances, you can use a dark colour, but use a light font with it.

If you cannot find the exact colour you need,

• Click the  More Colours  link underneath the palette. This displays a larger, more accurate colour palette.
• And if that’s not enough, click the Custom tab and you’ll get a really fine selection of colours (you can even enter your own RGB settings if you know them)

9. REPEATING table HEADINGS ON EVERY PAGE WHEN PRINTING

When you have large tables that occupy two or more pages, many people insert manual page breaks, then copy and paste their table header rows at the top of each page.

When rows are added or removed from tables in Word, the table headers end up half way down the page.

There is a simple tool that will eliminate this problem

1.   Ensure that the table is a single table, with no manual page breaks in the middle, and one header at the top. The table header may occupy more than one row, it doesn’t affect the way this feature works.

2.   Position the cursor somewhere in the top row of the table.

3.   Select the Layout tab under the Table Tools banner.

4.   Click the Repeat Header Rows icon ion the Data group.

Now, it doesn’t matter how many rows tables in Word contain, if the table ever spills across into another page, the header row (which normally displays the column headings) will always appear at the top of the table.

10. All the key points again

• Tables in Word serve 2 distinct purpose: to display a table of data and to organise and position items on the page
• To create table, select 2 tabs -  Design and  Layout under the  Table Tools  banner.
• There are 2 tabs -  Design  and  Layout  under the  Table Tools  banner.
• You can press the TAB key to move direct to the next cell and SHIFT and TAB together to move backwards through a table.
• The four elements of a table are cells, rows, columns and the whole table. Each can be selected.
• Rows can be inserted by selecting the Layout tab under Table Tools , then clicking the Insert Above or Insert Below icons. Alternatively, hover to the left of a row and click the plus symbol that appears above or below the mouse pointer.
• Columns can be inserted by selecting the Layout tab under Table Tools , then clicking the Insert Left or Insert Right icons. Alternatively, hover above a table column and click the plus symbol that appears to the left or right of the mouse pointer.
• Columns and rows and be removed from the table, by positioning the cursor in the row or column to be removed, then clicking the Delete icon on the Layout tab of Table Tools and choosing Delete Row or Delete Column .
• Tables can be formatted using the Table Style gallery or by manually setting the shading and borders manually. Both sets of tools are found on the Design ribbon of the Table Tools .
• When using the Microsoft Table Styles , you can control the behaviour of the formatting by setting the Table Style options – 6 tick boxes that define the structure of your table.
• For long tables that spill across onto subsequent pages, the top row, which normally contains the column headings can be set to repeat automatically . So there is no excuse for cutting and pasting headings midway through your table or taping pages together to make sense of the table!

I hope you found plenty of value in this post.  I'd love to hear your biggest takeaway in the comments below together with any questions you may have. Have a fantastic day.

About the author

Jason Morrell

Jason Morrell is a professional trainer, consultant and course creator who lives on the glorious Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia.

He helps people of all levels unleash and leverage the power contained within Microsoft Office by delivering training, troubleshooting services and taking on client projects. He loves to simplify tricky concepts and provide helpful, proven, actionable advice that can be implemented for quick results.

Purely for amusement he sometimes talks about himself in the third person.

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How to create and modify tables in Word

A table is a collection of information or data, usually represented by horizontal rows and vertical columns . Each column and each row can have a header. Some tables have only column headings or only row headings. The box at the junction of each column and row is a cell that contains data such as text, numeric information, or images. Some cells can be merged or split (see more about formatting tables ). E.g.:

Microsoft Word has many features that make working with tables simple and convenient.

Create a table

There are several ways how to insert or create a table:

• Create a blank table of up to 10 columns and 8 rows ,
• Create a blank table with more than 10 columns or more than 8 rows ,
• Create a blank table manually (Draw a table) ,
• Create a table using predefined templates (Quick Tables) ,
• Create a table from the existing data (Convert Text to Table) ,
• Insert a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet .

To create a blank table in a Word document, do the following:

   1.   Place your cursor where you want to insert the table.

   2.   On the Insert tab, in the Tables group, click the Table button:

   3.   Do one of the following:

Create a blank table of up to 10 columns and 8 rows

Click on a cell in the grid with the expected number of rows and columns (or press Enter ) to insert an empty table to fit the width of the text (paragraph).

The table has the specified number of single-line text rows in the current paragraph and equal-width columns. E.g., the table of 3 rows and 5 columns:

Create a blank table with more than 10 columns or more than 8 rows

• Create a table with exactly 10 columns or 8 rows, then add as many columns or rows as you need (see below how to customize table ).

In the Insert Table dialog box:

• In the Table size group, specify the number of columns and rows,
• Select the Fixed column width option to customize width in the appropriate field: select Auto (used by default) or specify width. E.g., 0.75" :

• Select the AutoFit contents option to adjust cell sizes to the document content. E.g.:

• Select the AutoFit to window option to adjust the table's width to the document content width. E.g.:

• Select the Remember dimension for new tables check box if you want to create tables with the same options later. Word will remember your customization.

Create a blank table manually

Click anywhere in a document but the table itself by the pencil to stop drawing a table.

• We recommend displaying the rulers or gridlines to help you place the lines correctly.

Create a table using predefined templates

To create a table using predefined Word templates of tables and calendars, do the following:

   2.   On the Insert tab, in the Tables group, click the Table dropdown list, then select Quick Tables list:

   3.   From the Quick Tables gallery, select the template you prefer.

For example:

Create a table from the existing data

To create a table from the existing data in a document data (either as regular text or as a tabbed list), do the following:

   1.   Select the document data you want to shape into a new table.

   2.   On the Insert tab, in the Tables group, click the Table dropdown list, then select Convert Text to Table... :

   3.   In the Convert Text to Table dialog box:

• In the Table size group, specify the number of columns,
• In the AutoFit behavior group, specify whether the width of the columns should be fixed (see details above),
• In the Separate text at group, select the character that separates text into columns in the selected text: paragraph marks , commas , tabs , or some other character.

Insert a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet

Note : It is possible to insert a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet in a document. To do so, on the Insert tab, in the Tables group, click the Table dropdown list, then select Excel Spreadsheet :

Word opens the Excel spreadsheet where you can enter the data. You can use Excel features such as functions and formulas to create or manipulate the data. Note that it is not a Word table .

Add rows and columns

To add a row and a column to a table, do the following:

   1.   Position the cursor:

• to a cell in a row above or below which you need to insert a row,
• to a cell in a column left or right which you need to insert a column.

   2.   Do one of the following:

• Click the Insert Above button to insert a row above the row with the cursor,
• Click the Insert Below button to insert a row below the row with the cursor,
• Click the Insert Left button to insert a column left to the column with the cursor,
• Click the Insert Right button to insert a column right to the column with the cursor.

After selecting the option and clicking the OK button, Word adds an entire row or column, not a cell. Word just moves cells according to the selection.

Delete a table element

To delete a table element , do the following:

   1.   Select the cell, multiple cells, the entire column or multiple columns, the entire row, or multiple rows .

   3.   Select one of the proposed options:

• Delete Columns
• Delete Rows
• Delete Table

Note : You can select the element you want to delete, right-click on the selection and select the appropriate item in the popup menu. For example, if the entire table is selected or the column is selected:

Convert a table into text

To convert a table into text in Word, follow the next steps:

   1.   Click anywhere in the table.

   2.   On the Layout tab, in the Format group, click the Convert to Text button:

   3.   In the Convert Table to Text dialog box, select the charter to separate cells data in the text:

   4.   Click OK .

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Erin Wright Writing

Writing-Related Software Tutorials

Three Ways to Insert Tables in Microsoft Word

By Erin Wright

This tutorial shows three ways to insert tables in Microsoft Word so you can choose the method that is most appropriate for your content:

• Create a table from the Table menu (best for general use)
• Create a table from the Table dialog box (offers the most sizing options)
• Insert a Quick Table (fastest setup)

Note that you can also draw a custom table and import a table from Excel .

Don’t miss the five tips for working with tables at the bottom of this tutorial:

• How to delete a table
• How to resize an entire table
• How to resize individual rows and columns
• How to add rows and columns
• How to add color to a table

This tutorial is also available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real time.

Watch more than 250 other writing-related software tutorials on my YouTube channel .

The images below are from Word for Microsoft 365.The steps are the same in Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word 2016 and similar for Word 2013 and Word 2010. However, your interface may look slightly different in those older versions of the software.

Method 1: Create a Table from the Table Menu

This method is appropriate for most users who want to create a basic table for general use.

• Place your cursor where you want to insert the table.
• Select the Insert tab in the ribbon.

• Select the Table button in the Tables group.

• Move your pointer across and down the grid to select the number of cells (organized as rows and columns) needed in your table.

The selected cells will turn orange.

• Click the selected (orange) part of the grid or press Enter on your keyboard to insert the table.

Method 2: Create a Table from the Table Dialog Box

This method provides advanced sizing options.

• Select the Insert tab in the ribbon (see figure 1).
• Select the Table button in the Tables group (see figure 2).
• Select Insert Table from the drop-down menu.

• Enter the number of rows and columns in the Insert Table dialog box.

• Select an AutoFit behavior:
• Fixed column width can be set to Auto or a specific width between 1/100 inch and twenty-two inches using the increment arrows.
• AutoFit to contents adjusts cell sizes to the content.
• AutoFit to Window adjusts the width of the table to the viewer’s Word window or browser window.

• (Optional Step) Check Remember dimensions for new tables if you want to create the same size table in the future.

• Select the OK button to close the Insert Table dialog box and insert your new table.

Method 3: Insert a Quick Table

Quick Tables are prebuilt tables and calendars you can modify for your own use.

• Select Quick Tables from the drop-down menu.

• Select a table from the gallery.

• Add your own content by typing over or deleting the table’s example text.

Now let’s look at some tips for working with tables.

Five Tips for Working with Tables in Word

The following tips cover the basics of working with tables. We will dive into this topic in much greater detail in a separate tutorial.

Tip 1: How to Delete a Table

• Select the table selector, which looks like crossed arrows, to select the entire table. You may have to hover your pointer over the table to reveal the table selector.

• Right-click the table.
• Select Delete Table from the shortcut menu.

Tip 2: How to Resize an Entire Table

• Click and hold the resizing handle in the bottom right of the table. You may need to hover your pointer over the table to reveal the handle.

• Drag the table to the size you want and then release the handle.

Tip 3: How to Resize Individual Rows and Columns

• Hover your pointer over a row or column border until your pointer becomes two lines with two arrows.

Note that the pointer in figure 14 is enlarged to make it easier to see. Your pointer will be smaller.

• Click and hold as you drag the border to resize the row or column.

Tip 4: How to Add Rows and Columns

• Right-click inside a cell.
• Select Insert from the shortcut menu.

• Select the location of your new row or column:
• Insert Columns to the Left
• Insert Columns to the Right
• Insert Rows Above
• Insert Rows Below
• Insert Cells

If you select Insert Cells, a dialog box will appear asking where you want to insert your new cells. Note that regardless of your answer, you will be inserting an entire row or column, not an individual cell.

Tip 5: How to Add Color to a Table

• Select the table selector, which looks like crossed arrows, to select the entire table (see figure 11). You may need to hover your pointer over the table to reveal the table selector.
• Select the Table Design tab in the ribbon. (Note that this tab only appears in the ribbon when a table is selected.)

• Select the down arrow in the Table Styles group.

• Select one of the styles from the gallery.

Alternatively, you can use the shading menu to add custom colors to individual rows and columns.

Pro Tip: For even more customization, add a background image to your table . Then, save your customized table as a template for reuse in future documents, as shown in “ How to Save Tables as Templates in Microsoft Word .”

Related Resources

How to Create and Customize Charts in Microsoft Word

How to Save Tables and Figures as Images in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)

How to Insert Figure Captions and Table Titles in Microsoft Word

How to Change the Style of Table Titles and Figure Captions in Microsoft Word

How to Update Table and Figure Numbers in Microsoft Word

How to Create and Update a List of Tables or Figures in Microsoft Word

How to Export PDF Tables from Adobe Acrobat to Excel (PC & Mac)

How to Write Table Titles

How to Write Figure Captions for Graphs, Charts, Photos, Drawings, and Maps

How to Reference Tables and Figures in Text

Updated August 27, 2023

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Word 19 Advanced Table Practice Document

In this practice project for Word, students create a document with a table showing a school schedule. The blocks in the table are different sizes and will take individual work within the blocks to create the correct layout. The document includes a title and has the date in the top right corner.

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All about tables: creating accessible tables in MS Word, PowerPoint, PDF, and in Canvas

Tables can be a good way to communicate data trends in an accessible way. Try to avoid creating super complex tables as these are less understandable for people using screen readers. It can be beneficial to break complex tables into two or more simple table. To create accessible tables in your favorite application, look for the way to specify header cells, one of the essential features of an accessible table. An accessible table also should include a caption describing it or a heading about the table directly above it. Here are some descriptions of creating accessible tables in different apps: TOC

MS PowerPoint

Acrobat pdf.

• To create an accessible data table in MS Word go to ‘Insert’ > ‘Table’ and draw out the table’s rows and columns.

• Select the table and then click on the ‘Table Design’ widget. Enter the name of your header cells in the first row and make sure ‘Header Row’ is checked in the table Design settings.
• To create an accessible data table in MS PowerPoint go to ‘Insert’ > ‘Table’ and draw out the table’s rows and columns.
• A common issue with tables in PDFs is not having true table header cells. To fix you can go to the Tags panel and manually change the <TD> into <TH> for each header cell.
• Another issue with tables in PDFs is that the format cannot handle cells that span more than one column. So, You’ll need to redo your tables to have no merged or column spanning cells or else you’ll get an error in the accessibility checker. However, other formats like HTML can handle slightly more complex accessible tables. You can use HTML tables in Canvas course pags.
• To insert a table in a Canvas course pages, Edit a course page to get access to the table maker.
• Click on the arrow next to the table icon and then choose ‘Table’.
• Use the table tool to draw out your rows and columns.
• A limitation of the Canvas table maker is that you can’t specify true table header cell in the editor, so you’ll need to go the code view and change the normal <td> cells into <th> cells.

• The checker will also let you know if a table needs a caption and prompt you to add it. If the table has an H2 heading directly before it, then you don’t need a duplicate caption. Below is a screen showing the option to ad a caption to a table in the accessibility checker.

• Change margins Article
• Create newsletter columns Article
• Change page orientation to landscape or portrait Article
• Add a border to a page Article
• Insert a header or footer Article
• Insert page numbers Article
• Insert a page break Article
• Insert a table of contents Article

Insert a table of contents

A table of contents in Word is based on the headings in your document.

Create the table of contents

Put your cursor where you want to add the table of contents.

Go to References > Table of Contents . and choose an automatic style.

If you make changes to your document that affect the table of contents, update the table of contents by right-clicking the table of contents and choosing Update Field .

To update your table of contents manually, see Update a table of contents .

If you have missing entries

Missing entries often happen because headings aren't formatted as headings.

For each heading that you want in the table of contents, select the heading text.

Go to Home > Styles , and then choose Heading 1 .

Update your table of contents.

Word uses the headings in your document to build an automatic table of contents that can be updated when you change the heading text, sequence, or level.

Click where you want to insert the table of contents – usually near the beginning of a document.

Click References > Table of Contents and then choose an Automatic Table of Contents style from the list.

Note:  If you use a Manual Table of Contents style, Word won't use your headings to create a table of contents and won't be able to update it automatically. Instead, Word will use placeholder text to create the look of a table of contents so you can manually type each entry into the table of contents. To update your manual table of contents, see Update a table of contents .

If you want to Format or customize your table of contents , you can. For example, you can change the font, the number of heading levels, and whether to show dotted lines between entries and page numbers.

Click where you want to insert the table of contents—usually near the beginning of the document.

On the toolbar ribbon, select References . 

Near the left end, select Insert Table of Contents . (Or select Table of Contents > Insert Table of Contents . 

The table of contents is inserted, showing the headings and page numbering in your document.

If you make changes to your document that affect the table of contents, you can update it by right-clicking the table and selecting  Update Table of Contents .

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For a hands-on guide that steps you through the process of creating a table of contents, download our Table of Contents tutorial . Or, in desktop Word, go to File > New , and search for table of contents .

Update a table of contents  

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