I want to create a table with 4 columns and many rows in MS Word 2013. I want to split the table vertically into 4 tables close to each other (e.g. 10 mm distance to each other).
I saw some tutorial on the Internet but they usually teach splitting table from rows, or if it is vertically they are not clean and direct (drag and drop methods where they are appropriate for small tables) and they are not good for tables with many rows. I made a sample with MS Paint here.
Do you have any hints.
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3 Answers
You don't need to split into 4 separate tables like that. Just insert a blank column between them and remove all the cell borders
- Insert a new column and select the whole of it
- In Table Design select Borders and clear the inside, top and bottom borders
- Repeat with the remaining middle columns and resize as desired
Alternatively you can also change the border type to "No Border" then click Border Painter and click on the corresponding borders to remove
This way you can even change to a double walled border ║ then draw a line from top to bottom of the column and the whole column will become "separated". This is the best way if two small horizontal lines on top and bottom is acceptable
It's not easy to show many tables side-by-side. The simplest way to do that is to
- Create another 4-column table to contain the separated tables. Set borders to None
- Copy each column in your original table and paste as nested table instead of pasting contents as normal. You can do that by right clicking in the cell and select Paste Options > Nest Table, or press Ctrl+V as normal then press Ctrl to select the paste options dialog and select Nest Table (N)
Here's the result
Section Break (Continuous)
Table A Table B Table C Table D
Column Break Column Break Column Break Section Break (Continuous)Add section breaks. Format that section to have 4 columns. Add a table, then column break, then table, etc. You'll end up with four tables that are independent of each other and display as you desire. You'll need a new line after each column break or Word will merge your tables. You can change the line spacing and font size for that new line, though, so it all but disappears. Fiddle with the column gap to make them as close as you like. 10mm is about 0.4 inches.
With formatting marks:
With formatting marks and the new lines shrunk down:
Without formatting marks:
