How to Use Columns in a Word Processing Program
There are several ways to use columns in a word processing program. Columns used in tables can organize and sort your information efficiently, making it easier and faster to read. Using columns can make creating documents easier whether it's for your personal use or for business use.
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Instructions
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Learn how to insert columns in your word processing program if you don't already know how. See the eHow article titled "How to Add Columns to a Microsoft Word Document."
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Use columns to sort information. This can be done alphabetically or numerically. Select the part of the table that contains information you want to sort. Start by opening the "Table" menu and click on "Sort." Open "Sort by" list. Choose the column that shows the entries to sort by. For example, if you'd like to sort by last name, click on the column number that contains the last name list.
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Go to the "Type" drop-down menu and choose the type of items you want to sort. The types will be "Number," "Text" or "Date." Click on the sort order you want: "Ascending" (1, 2, 3 or A, B, C) or click "Descending" (Z, Y, X or 10, 9, 8). Then click "OK" to start sorting the entries.
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Consider adding a calculations formula to your columns if it suits your needs. A Word table cannot perform the complicated operations that a spreadsheet can do, but it can do simple things like totaling a column of numbers.
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Choose the column of numbers you want to total. Click in the cell under the column. Open the "Table" menu. Then click "Formula." Click on "OK" to total the numbers.
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Tips & Warnings
Be sure you don't select the top row column descriptions when you are sorting lists. If you do, the list description will be sorted along with the other rows.
