You can easily join tables in Word by simply removing the paragraphs that originally separated the tables. However, this may present a problem if the tables had different numbers of columns or if the column widths in each table were different. There are many different ways you can approach this problem, most of which involve some sort of repetitious activity that can get very tiring if you have many columns in the table.
One quick solution to this problem is to allow Word to do the formatting for the columns. To do this, you follow these steps:
At this point you can make any additional changes you want to the widths of the columns.
The problem with the methods discussed so far is that you still may not end up with the column widths you want. After all, you are leaving the widths up to Word, and that may not produce the best results for your needs. More often, you may want the joined tables to assume the column widths already set in the first table. In this case, the following method will work great. Just make sure you do these steps before you join the two tables:
If you followed these steps precisely, Word will have pasted the information at the end of the table, inserting rows as necessary. In addition, the columns are the same width as the other columns in the first table. You can then delete the second table since it is no longer needed.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (9924) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Office 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Adjusting Column Widths on Joined Tables.
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 great for organizing and presenting information in a document. If you have a document containing multiple ...
Discover MoreOne of the most esoteric shortcuts available in Word is one that allows you to move table rows, either within a table or ...
Discover MoreWant to create cells that span multiple columns or multiple rows? You do this in Word by merging cells together. Here's ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2022-04-05 11:01:57
Frank A
Allen thanks for the "Adjusting Column Widths on Joined Tables." Over the years I have spent MANY hours trying to "adjust" columns lifted from the web and elsewhere. Very frustrating! Your explanation was great! You are a life saver!
2015-06-08 08:54:41
Jennifer Thomas
As someone with considerable experience fixing corrupt tables in legal documents, I endorse Rod Grealish's method of converting to table to text and back again.
If table merging is done incorrectly, it is very easy to get two tables looking like one table without actually merging them, and this causes a variety of issues as the documents evolve.
The 'best' way is really to use your table select and paste options correctly, but for the less experienced user, Rod's way will spare you a lot of tears.
2015-06-06 15:07:57
Rod Grealish
I find it easier to convert the merged table to text and the convert the text back into a table. This gets rid of many oddities.
2015-06-06 09:59:39
Maryland, USA
I don't think this tip will work if the second table contains fewer either by design or because cells have been merged or split.
Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2022 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments