Microsoft Word Tutorial: Creating Tables

Creating tables in Microsoft Word is a simple way to present textual or numeric information in an easy-to-comprehend, concise way for the reader to assimilate. Microsoft Word has a table command that will let you create many types of tables using backgrounds as texture or colors. Users of Excel can also copy tables and paste the information into documents. Tables can be used in almost every context.

Creating a Table in Word

Open the existing document or create a new one. When creating a table in a new document, hit the "Enter" key several times to create some lines before the table is inserted. By creating a few blank lines, the writer will be able to go to the top of the document and insert text. Go to the menu bar and select "Table." When you pull down the "Table" menu, the software will ask how many rows and columns you need. You do not need an exact count on the rows you will need, but you do need to know how many columns you will need. Put the number of columns you will need in the box marked "Columns" and the rows you anticipate you will need in the box marked "Rows." Fill the columns and rows with the contents you want. You can go to the "Insert" menu and put in an image. To move around the table, use the "Tab" key. Pressing the "Enter" key while inside a table will add rows to a cell.

Formatting a Table in Word

There are many options for the table style, the colors, the backgrounds and the font styles that will be appropriate to communicate to the reader. The "Table" menu has a command for "Format Table." There are lots of choices. Choose one that is appropriate for your document. When information is highlighted using colors or textures, it stands out. Moving from the "Table" menu to the "Format" menu and selecting "Borders and Shading" will show a vast array of colors and textures to use as background for each cell in the table. There are many more "Table" commands that will help you as you learn to make tables.

Using Excel to Create a Table in Word

Excel and Word are compatible with each other in many ways, but it is not possible to insert an Excel file into Word. But it is easy to copy the contents of the Excel worksheet and paste it into Word, then format it as any other table. When copying a table from Excel that has a lot of columns (more than eight), it might be necessary to reduce the font size in Excel to make sure all of the columns fit across the page in Word. You might also save an Excel file as a ".txt" file and import it into Word using the "Insert" menu, clicking on the "File" command, then formatting as you would any other table.