Designing Standard Tables

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 19, 2019)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


As you already know, when you create a table in Word, it adds a set border of one-half point around each cell in the table. If your "standard" table is different from what Word thinks it should be, however, you may be up a creek, since Word doesn't allow you to define what a standard table should look like.

If you have a "standard" table that you use over and over again in your document, there is a way around this problem. Remember, however, that a "standard" table (by this definition) will always have the same number of columns and rows and be exactly the same as every other standard table. (Of course, you can modify your standard table once it is inserted in your document.)

I've found that the easiest way to create your standard table is through the use of the AutoText feature. (I know that you can create table styles, but I find them less than easy at times.) All you need to do is follow these general steps:

  1. Create your standard table, as desired. Make sure it is formatted as desired, and that it includes any standard text.
  2. Select the entire table.
  3. Press Alt+F3. The Create AutoText dialog box appears. (See Figure 1.)
  4. Figure 1. The Create AutoText dialog box.

  5. Provide a name for your standard table.
  6. Click on OK.

Your standard table is now created. To use the table, simply type the name you entered in step 4, and then press F3. The table appears in your document.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (863) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Squaring Table Cells

Inserting a table is fast and easy in Word. You may want to make sure that the cells in the table are as square as ...

Discover More

Getting the Name of the Worksheet Into a Cell

Excel allows you to change the names assigned to the worksheets in a workbook. If you want to have those names appear in ...

Discover More

Replacing the Last Comma

When you need to perform certain editing tasks over and over again, you start to look for ways to make your work faster ...

Discover More

Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 2013 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Access) with VBA programming, using it for writing macros, automating Office applications, and creating custom applications. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2013 today!

More WordTips (menu)

Repeating the First Column of a Table

Need the first column of a table to be repeated on multiple pages? You can't do it automatically in Word, but you can use ...

Discover More

Quickly Inserting Tables that Don't Go From Margin to Margin

Adding a table to your document is easy. Adding one that doesn't extend from margin to margin may seem a bit harder. ...

Discover More

Converting Text Into a Table

You can easily convert regular text into a table using a couple of different methods. This tip explains how to make the ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 2 + 2?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Videos
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.