Layout Tables with Microsoft Word

Layout Table

Here is an example of a table used for layout. This table has two cells. The heading is in the left cell and this block of text fills a column made by the right cell. You can’t see the table borders because they are set to 0.

That is a heading over there, by the way. It’s an “h3,” not a header cell. You don’t want header cells in a layout table because that data-table markup could cause a screen reader to mistake the layout table for a data table.

The most important accessibility issue with layout tables is making sure text will read in the correct order, as explained on the main tables page. The following tips on using tables are mostly for visual formatting, rather than accessibility.

Make a “liquid” layout

To make a table that adjusts it’s width to the width of the browser window, base your layout on a table with a width set in percent.

  1. Insert your table on the page and click once anywhere inside the table.
  2. From the “Table” menu, choose “Table Properties.”
  3. At the top of the “Table Properties” dialog box, make sure the “Table” tab is selected.
  4. Check the “Preferred width” box and change “Measure in” unit from inches to percent.
    Screen shot of table width set to 90 percent.
  5. To create margins between your layout and the edges of the browser window—or WebCT content frame—set the width to less than 100 percent and center the table. A 90-percent width, for example, will yield 5-percent margins one each side.

Make your layout table invisible

Screen shot of none being selected for the border.To make your layout table invisible, turn of the table borders.

  1. Insert your table on the page and click once anywhere inside the table.
  2. From the “Format” menu, choose “Borders and Shading.”
  3. Make sure the “Borders” tab is selected at the top of the “Borders and Shading” dialog box.
  4. At the lower right of the dialog box, make sure “Table” is selected for “Apply to.”
  5. At upper right of the box, click “None” under “Setting,” then click OK.

In Word, you may still see a faint outline of the table borders. But they will be invisible in a Web browser.