When you create a new table in Word, Word automatically applies to it a plain, grid-style border and automatically sizes the table's columns equally to fit snugly within the page margins. Although this default formatting is convenient, you'll often find yourself customizing your table's default size and formatting to achieve a more appealing and easy-to-read design. Fortunately, Word 2000 offers greatly improved table formatting features-among them the ability to set a new default table format.

To change the default table format, choose Table | Insert | Table from the menu bar to access the Insert Table dialog box. In the Table Size panel, specify the number of rows and columns you'd like new tables to use by default. Next, specify a default fixed or automatic column width setting using the options in the AutoFit Behavior panel. Finally, click the AutoFormat button to choose and customize the default AutoFormat setting you'd like to apply to new tables.

To save your new table settings as Word's default table formatting, select the Set As Default For New Table check box in the Insert Table dialog box, and then click OK. The next time you create a new table using the Table menu or the Insert Table button located on the Standard or Tables And Borders toolbar, the size, column width and AutoFormat options you set as the new default options will be applied automatically. (Note: When you create a new table using the Table button on the Standard toolbar, Word applies only the default AutoFit Behavior and AutoFormat settings you've specified. The numbers of rows and columns is instead determined by the setting you specify in the Insert Table's pop-up table size grid.)

Keep in mind that Word's default table formatting is simply a convenience tool; you can always customize a table's default formatting (without affecting the saved default settings) using the options in the Insert Table dialog box, the Table menu or the Tables And Borders toolbar.

Created Date: 12/07/2001  Last Reviewed: 12/07/2001  Rev. Date: