Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Table Header Rows after a Manual Page Break.
Ed had his table set up the way he wanted, with a couple of rows repeated at the top of each page. He ran into a problem, however, when he inserted a manual page break in the middle of the table. When he did, the formerly repeating rows no longer repeated at the top of the table.
The reason for this is rather simple—when you insert a page break into a table you are, in reality, splitting the table into two separate tables. The rows that were repeating are no longer in the new table, but in the original table.
To get around this problem, don't insert a manual page break in the table to force a row to a new page. Instead, use this formatting approach:
Figure 1. The Line and Page Breaks tab of the Paragraph dialog box.
Now the row will always start at the beginning of a new page, your table is not "broken" into two parts, and your desired rows will still repeat at the top of each page.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (3504) 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: Table Header Rows after a Manual Page Break.
Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2013. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word 2013 Step by Step today!
Tables are often used to organize information into an understandable format. If your company requires that tables in ...
Discover MoreDo you need a way to protect the information you put in a table? Word doesn't have a way to do this, but there are a few ...
Discover MoreNeed a way to make sure your text fits within the space available in a table cell? Word has a handy setting that will ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2018-04-20 00:06:52
Lavanya
I am unable to repeat my header to every page even after this step. Please help me.
Thanks
2016-12-14 17:05:08
Susan Stromer
Can you help me with the issues?
1. I have a document with a number of tables. I went through and selected the "Page Break Before check box" for those tables that needed it. Everything was looking great until I got to one of the last tables. Instead of inserting a single page break before the selected row, Word inserted a page break before every row in the table. Tried to figure out what made that table different from the others and came up empty handed. Any idea why this happened? Advice on fixing? I ended up splitting the table, but I hate inconsistent formatting.
2. I have one table with several paragraphs and bullet points within a single cell. The cell is to big to insert a page break where the row starts but I do want to keep all lines within each bullet point together. One of the bullet points has widowed/orphaned line that I can't seem to correct. I tried checking the widow/orphan control check box and the "keep lines together" check box but nothing worked. I ended up just hitting enter until the paragraph started on the next page, but I don't like doing that. How can I fix?
2016-12-06 15:55:52
Jules
An excellent tip, but it might be worth bearing in mind that in many cases the reason you want to put a page break in a table is simply to make sure that a certain group of rows stay on the same page ... in which case, the better option is to select the contents of all of those rows except the last, then use the "Keep with next" option on the same dialog. That way, if you change something above and they start fitting at the bottom of the page you're moving them from, they will move up into the space you've left.
2016-06-02 10:37:34
TJA
Thank you so much - this had been driving me mad trying to find a solution.
Worked a treat in Office 10
2016-05-09 20:14:53
Jeremy
Awesome! Thanks.
2016-02-04 11:30:02
Devkant Gandhi
Exactly what I needed. Very clear instructions. Thank you
2015-11-30 14:44:08
jahooper
Worked perfectly in Word 2010! Thanks.
2015-11-12 10:56:13
Angie
Thank you! This is all I wanted to do with my table, and it worked beautiful. You are the best! :) :) :)
2015-05-18 13:30:13
CJ Shank
Can't get it to work in Word 2010.
2015-04-13 20:39:31
Tracy Adams
No it doesn't work!
2015-03-12 07:51:42
It worked once and then it stopped
I had it working but when trying to repeat it gave the message "indent size to long". Any thoughts?
2015-02-07 16:18:54
anonymous
Thank you. Solved a problem with a resume template.
2014-11-26 15:39:36
Lillian Rangel
Wonderful!!!!! This saves me soooooo much time! It's a fantastic way to create Validation protocols. So, why doesn't Microsoft highlight this?
2014-11-21 17:25:04
Katie
Thank you so much! Great tip!
2014-08-28 22:11:55
Peter Ward
Fantastic to finally find out how to do this, thanks.
2014-08-05 10:06:08
Spyros
Thanks, Allen, for the helpful tip.
I ran to a rather different problem with word 2002. I've inserted a big table below my text. The table breaks into two parts. Half of it remains under the text, on the first page, while the other part goes to a new page. Now, I want to 'glue' the two parts together on the next page.To achieve this I've placed my cursor next to the last paragraph sign of my text and pressed ctrl+enter.The first part joins the second, on the next page, but the entire table does not begin at the top of the page. To delete the paragraph at the top of the page I press alt(left)+ctrl+enter. This command deletes paragraph, but I'm wondering if this is the correct command to achieve this? Please help.
Thanks
2014-04-08 04:35:46
Bob Aikenhead
A truly excellent tip (and like many of Alan's tips enables one to achieve what many other sources say can't be done !!!)
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.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2018 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: 
Comments