Can you insert a table around existing text?

Question

Hello, I want to create a table around existing text. When I select the text and go insert>table>convert text to table it doesnt exactly get me what I want. Ami I missing something. Please see screenshot which looks the way I want ONLY after I copied and pasted the text into a brand new table--which is not what I want to do.

Answer 1

Hi Jcmu99,

Thanks for posting in the forum.

To insert a table around existing text, please follow the steps below:

1. Insert separator characters—such as commas or tabs—to indicate where to divide the text into table columns.
2. Use paragraph marks ¶ (in your Word document, click Home tab, click Show/Hide icon in Paragraph group) to indicate where you want to begin a new table row.
3. Select the text that you want to convert, and then click Insert > Table > Convert Text to Table.
4. In the Convert Text to Table box, choose the options you want.

For detail steps, see Convert text to a table or a table to text

Regards,

Neha

Answer 2

Yes you can, if you separate the columns by tabs.

**Converting Text Into a Table**

http://wordribbon.tips.net/T007725_Converting_Text_to_a_Table.html

You can easily convert regular text into a table using a couple of different methods. This tip explains how to make the conversion as problem-free as possible.

@ 8 Formatting Tips for Perfect Tables in Microsoft Word (2013 2016)https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/8-formatting-tips-perfect-tables-microsoft-word/ (web page)http://infopackets.tradepub.com/free-offer/8-formatting-tips-for-perfect-tables-in-microsoft-word/w_make212 **(PDF download)**On Word, tables are not just containers for data – they are essential formatting tools. Microsoft Word 2013 brought a new layout engine and finer controls for creating those little grids of cells. One of the little improvements was that text inside tables is not forced to align with text outside the table.

Microsoft makes it easier to create and format basic tables. Smart and subtle improvements are sure to continue with the arrival of Microsoft Office 2016. Download this free guide to help you learn how to properly format tables in Word.

.  How to Make a Table in Word                         .  How to Position Your Table on the Page?

.  Use the Ruler                                                  .  Convert Text to Table (and Vice Versa)

.  Auto-Fill Column Numbers                              .  Freeze Those Tables!

.  Change Rows Into Columns in a Table           .  Paste Perfect Excel Tables into Gmail

.  Reuse Your Tables to Save Time

Exactly how is this original document formatted? Can you upload an example file we can play with.

Upload Example - Trouble Shooting - Share Personal OneDrive File (not Business OneDrive)

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Trouble shooting problems in files can be like a visit to the dentist, a long, slow painful process of us trying to “extract” the clues needed to recognize the problem in a back and forth flow of questions and answers so that we can come up with a / “the” solution.

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Often it is faster and easier for everyone if we have a “sample file” get "hands on", to look at, and to “play with”.

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This next link provides some tips on setting up a sample file and specific instructions for uploading and "sharing" it for us to access:

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https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_other-winapps/trouble-shooting-share-onedrive-file/a231a097-bcbf-4e34-ad6c-a33118baf471

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Includes links to macros to randomize text in Word and numbers in Excel

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Answer 3

Thanks you  - this is very helpful!

Answer 4

Thank you so much!