Spacing between Caption and Table

Question

With tables that do not fit on a single page, my caption (above the table) jumps to the top of the next page. Then the table begins at the top of the page after that, leaving an almost blank page under the caption. Additionally, the table headings do not repeat on subsequent pages, even though I have checked "Repeat as header row at the top of each page." Smaller tables work as they should.

Answer 1

To add to what Charles has said, if the table is large (tall) and its rows are set to "Keep with next," Word will move the entire table to the next page, if it doesn't fit on the current page.

Answer 2

For Header Rows in tables to be repeated, you need to mark them as header rows. It is confusing. The control for this, with the row(s) selected is on the contextual Layout tab for tables.

Header Rows

To have your Caption above your table stay on the page with your over-sized table, you need to change the paragraph formatting in the Caption to Keep with next. If you are always placing captions above the item, you may simply want to modify the paragraph formatting of the Caption style.

Answer 3

I hadn't noticed there was a Table Layout section and had not seen the Repeat Header Rows option there.

Clicking on that, magically, both problems were resolved. Not only did the header repeat on subsequent pages, but the table jumped up to right under the caption, where I wanted it.

This is a problem I've been sporadically fighting the past four years. You solved it in an hour.

Can't tell you how happy I am.

Answer 4

Here are typical screen shots of subsequent pages.

I thought I had chanced on something, changing the table caption on the Frame setting from text wrapping to None, which worked on one of my tables, but obviously not on this one.

You'll see the table heading here doesn't repeat on the next page., either Under Table Properties, I have the repeat headings set up just as you instruct. Working as a contractor for NOAA, as with most of the federal agencies where I have worked, we don't have the latest version of Word and can only change headings to repeat under Table Properties. I never use manual page breaks, except between document sections, so that is not the issue, I do have Keep with Next checked under Paragraph, Line and Page Breaks.

Stefan says having Keep with Next checked is what is moving the tall tables to the next page. I've tried unclicking Keep with Next, which changed nothing about the table's position. and tried putting the caption beneath the table. I've also tried creating a table within the same frame as the caption, and that didn't work either.

Answer 5

Hi Nicholas,

Thanks for posting in the community.

For the spacing between caption and table, please provide screenshots for us to better understand. You can zoom out, then take screenshots.

For the table headings don’t repeat on subsequent pages, please check the following points.

For your reference: Repeat table header on subsequent pages

Regards,

George