Working with Table Columns and Rows

As you work with tables in Word, there will be times when you need to add columns to a table. To insert a column or row in Word 97, follow these steps:

1. Select the column or row before which you want the column or row added.
2. Choose Insert Column (for a column) or Insert Row (for a row) from the Table menu.

If you are working with a later version of Word (Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003) the steps are only slightly different:

1. Select the column or row adjacent to where you want the column or row added.
2. Choose Insert from the Table menu. Word displays a submenu.
3. Choose one of the Columns or Rows options, depending exactly where you want the column or row inserted.

Another way to add rows is simply to move the insertion point to the very last cell marker on a row. (This is the marker to the right of the last column. It is clearly visible if you have non-printing characters displayed.) You can then press Enter and a new row appears.

To delete a column or row in a table, start by selecting the row or column you want to delete. Then, use one of these techniques, depending on your version of Word:

• Word 97: Choose Delete Column (for columns) or Delete Row (for rows) from the Table menu.
• Word 2000, Word 2002, and Word 2003: Choose Delete from the Table menu, and then choose either Columns or Rows.

You can also use the Cut option from the Edit menu to remove the column or row you have selected. The Clear option from the Edit menu will have no effect, however, other than to clear the contents of the cells in the row or column you selected.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (107) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Working with Table Columns and Rows.