How to Create Professional Page Layouts for Your Documents with Tables

Create professional a page layout using tables to design a new form, sales brochures, newsletters, flyers, calendar, booklets, business cards, certificates, resumes and even web sites. Any type of document that needs a more complicated layout design can be easily created with a table.

A table will give you the flexibility needed to create many different sections for a complicated page layout by adding or deleting columns and rows, moving individual cell borders and even combining columns and rows.

Layout graphics by inserting them into a cell. Graphics move with the text automatically. A tab can also be inserted into a table cell by pressing the Ctrl key with the Tab key. Tab settings should be set before inserting the table but changes can be made at any time.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Computer
• Microsoft Word
• Graphics
• Information

1. Type the Information
   
   Start by typing the information in Microsoft Word. The text will be copied and pasted into the cells of the table later. A cell is a box where the row and column meet.

2. Create the Table
   
   Begin the page layout process by inserting a table with several columns and rows. (Table, Insert, Table, Columns 5, Rows 5.) The number of columns and rows doesn't matter at this point, because of the adjustments that will be made later.

3. Overview of Table Options:
   
   ~ Auto Fit
   ~ Auto Format
   ~ Boarders – all, none or some
   ~ Calculations
   ~ Change cell sizes – drag boarder to new locations
   ~ Convert table to text, convert text to table
   ~ Draw table
   ~ Fill an individual cell with color
   ~ Graphics – insert into a cell
   ~ Insert another table into a table
   ~ Insert more rows or columns
   ~ Merge cells together
   ~ Properties – changes column and width size numerically
   ~ Sort
   ~ Split cells
   ~ Tabs – use the Ctrl + Tab keys together

4. Table Properties
   
   Use the Table Properties to adjust the alignment, text wrapping, margins, column width and row height.

5. Cut and Paste the Information
   
   Cut and paste the information into the desired table cells. Insert your graphics into cells, format them either; "In line with text" or "Tight". This will cause the images to move as the text is adjusted.
   Adjust the cells according to the amount of text or the size of the graphic. You may either increase or decrease the size of the cell.

6. Continue Working with the Layout Design
   
   Continue arranging and re-arranging the text and graphics until you have created the desired look. Add table background images or shading, auto formatting or even add calculations. There is no limit but your imagination.
   
   Turn off the table boarders, some or all when you finish the document. (Format, Boarders and Shading, None.)

Tips & Warnings

• A table can be converted to text only, or text can be converted to a table.
• A table can also be used with the mail merge program.
• Try the Auto Formatting options, there are many pre-designed color schemes and layouts that give you a professional looking document with little effort.
• Use a table whenever you need a template to create many similar documents.
• Tables can also be imported and linked to Excel, PowerPoint and other Word documents.

[loyal123]

on 10/28/2009 Excellent article on How to Create Professional Page Layouts for Your Documents with Tables

[sonni57]

on 9/3/2009 Thanks for the good info on page layouts using tables.