Quickly Accessing the Column Tab

There are many ways you can adjust column width and other table settings. For precise adjustment of column width, you might want to access the Table Properties dialog box (Word 2000, 2002, 2003, and 2007) or the Column tab of the Cell Height and Width dialog box (Word 97). You can do this quickly in the following manner:

1. Position the insertion point in any cell of the table.
2. Using the mouse, point to one of the "dotted boxes" on the ruler. These mark the boundaries of each column in the table. When you position the pointer over the box, the pointer changes to a double-headed arrow.
3. Double-click the mouse, on the box marker. Word displays the desired dialog box.

Word 2000, 2002, 2003, and 2007 also provide an alternative way to access the same dialog box, and you may find it easier to use. You can follow these steps:

1. Position the mouse pointer right above a column whose width you want to change. The mouse pointer should change to a downward pointing arrow.
2. Right-click the mouse. The table column is selected and a Context menu appears.
3. Select Table Properties from the Context menu. The Table Properties dialog box appears, from which you can easily select the Column tab. (Click here to see a related figure.)