Do you want to organize your data neatly and professionally on your iPad using WPS Office? Tables are an excellent way to present information clearly, whether it's for a report, a budget, or a simple list. This comprehensive guide will walk you through every step of inserting and customizing tables in WPS Office on your iPad, making you a master of data presentation!
Step 1: Let's Get Started – Open WPS Office!
First things first, let's open the WPS Office app on your iPad. Look for the familiar red square icon with the white "WPS" logo. Tap on it to launch the application.
Step 2: Creating or Opening Your Document
Now that WPS Office is open, you have two main options:
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Option 2.1: Starting a Brand New Document If you want to create a table in a fresh document, tap on the "+" icon (usually found at the bottom right or top right of the screen). From the menu that appears, select "Document" (or "Writer" depending on your WPS Office version). This will open a blank document, ready for your table.
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Option 2.2: Opening an Existing Document If you already have a document where you want to insert a table, navigate to it from the WPS Office home screen. You can usually find your recent documents listed, or you can browse your iPad's files by tapping "Open" or the folder icon. Tap on the document name to open it.
Step 3: Positioning Your Cursor for Table Insertion
Before you insert the table, you need to tell WPS Office where you want it to appear in your document.
- Tap on the screen at the exact spot where you want the top-left corner of your table to be. A blinking cursor will appear, indicating your insertion point.
Step 4: Accessing the 'Insert' Tab
Now comes the magic! To insert a table, you need to go to the "Insert" tab.
- Look at the top of your WPS Office screen. You'll see a series of tabs like "Home," "View," "Insert," etc.
- Tap on the "Insert" tab. This will change the ribbon below, displaying various insertion options.
Step 5: Inserting Your Table – The Initial Grid
Within the "Insert" tab, you'll find the "Table" option.
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Tap on the "Table" icon. This will usually bring up a small grid or a prompt to select the number of rows and columns.
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Option 5.1: Using the Grid Selector If a grid appears, simply drag your finger across the grid to select the desired number of rows and columns. For example, if you want a 3x4 table (3 columns, 4 rows), drag your finger to cover 3 squares horizontally and 4 squares vertically. As you drag, you'll see the dimensions (e.g., "3x4 Table") displayed. Lift your finger when you've selected the desired size.
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Option 5.2: Manually Entering Dimensions If a grid doesn't appear, or if you prefer more precise control, you might see options to manually enter the number of rows and columns. Tap on the respective fields and use the on-screen keyboard to input the desired numbers. Then, tap "OK" or "Insert."
Voila! A basic table will now appear in your document at the cursor's position.
Step 6: Customizing Your Table – Making it Your Own!
Once your table is inserted, a new set of tools will appear, often in a "Table Tools" or "Table Design" tab, allowing you to customize its appearance and structure.
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Step 6.1: Adding and Deleting Rows/Columns
- Adding: To add a row or column, tap inside a cell near where you want the new row/column to appear. Then, look for options like "Insert Above," "Insert Below," "Insert Left," or "Insert Right" in the Table Tools tab.
- Deleting: To delete a row or column, select a cell within that row/column. Then, find options like "Delete Rows" or "Delete Columns" in the Table Tools tab.
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Step 6.2: Resizing Rows and Columns You can easily adjust the size of your rows and columns.
- Manual Resizing: Tap and hold on the borders of the table cells. Small resize handles will appear. Drag these handles to increase or decrease the width of columns or the height of rows.
- Distribute Rows/Columns Evenly: In the Table Tools tab, you might find options like "Distribute Rows Evenly" or "Distribute Columns Evenly." This is handy for making your table look neat and professional.
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Step 6.3: Table Styles and Design WPS Office offers various pre-set table styles to quickly enhance the visual appeal of your table.
- In the Table Tools or Table Design tab, look for a "Table Styles" or "Design" section.
- Tap on different style thumbnails to preview how they look. Tap on the style you like to apply it to your table. These styles often include different header row formatting, banded rows, and border styles.
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Step 6.4: Borders and Shading If you want more granular control over your table's appearance:
- Borders: Select the cells you want to modify. In the Table Tools tab, look for "Borders." You can choose which borders to apply (all, inside, outside, none), as well as their line style, thickness, and color.
- Shading: Select the cells you want to shade. In the Table Tools tab, find "Shading" or "Fill Color." Tap on a color from the palette to apply it to the selected cells.
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Step 6.5: Merging and Splitting Cells
- Merging: To combine multiple cells into a single larger cell (useful for titles or headings), select the cells you want to merge. Then, in the Table Tools tab, tap "Merge Cells."
- Splitting: To divide a single cell into multiple cells, select the cell you want to split. Then, in the Table Tools tab, tap "Split Cells." You'll be prompted to specify how many rows and columns you want to split the cell into.
Step 7: Entering Data into Your Table
Now that your table is structured, it's time to fill it with your information!
- Tap on any cell in the table. A blinking cursor will appear inside the cell.
- Use the on-screen keyboard to type your data.
- To move to the next cell, you can either:
- Tap on the next cell directly.
- Tap the "Tab" key on the on-screen keyboard (if available).
- Tap the arrow keys on the on-screen keyboard to navigate between cells.
Step 8: Saving Your Document
Don't forget to save your work!
- Tap on the "Done" or "Back" arrow icon (usually at the top left of the screen) to exit editing mode.
- WPS Office will often automatically prompt you to save if you've made changes to a new document. For existing documents, you might need to manually save.
- Tap "Save" or the disk icon to save your document. Give it a descriptive name if it's a new document.
Step 9: Practice Makes Perfect!
The best way to get comfortable with tables in WPS Office on your iPad is to experiment. Try out different styles, practice adding and deleting rows, and merge and split cells. You'll quickly become proficient!
10 Related FAQ Questions
How to delete a table in WPS Office on iPad?
To delete a table, tap anywhere inside the table, then look for a "Delete Table" option in the Table Tools tab, or sometimes a "Delete" button that appears when the table is selected, then choose "Delete Table."
How to add a new row at the end of a table in WPS Office on iPad?
Tap in the last cell of the last row, then in the Table Tools tab, look for "Insert Below" or "Insert Rows" and choose to insert a row below.
How to change the border color of a table in WPS Office on iPad?
Select the cells whose borders you want to change, go to the "Table Tools" tab, find "Borders," and then select a desired color from the color palette.
How to make text bold inside a table cell in WPS Office on iPad?
Select the text within the cell, then go to the "Home" tab, and tap on the "B" icon for bold formatting.
How to adjust column width automatically in WPS Office on iPad?
After selecting the table, in the "Table Tools" tab, look for an option like "AutoFit" and choose "AutoFit Contents" or "AutoFit Window" to automatically adjust column widths based on content or the document width.
How to merge cells horizontally in a table in WPS Office on iPad?
Select the cells you want to merge in the same row, then go to the "Table Tools" tab and tap "Merge Cells."
How to split a cell into multiple columns in WPS Office on iPad?
Select the cell you want to split, go to the "Table Tools" tab, tap "Split Cells," and then enter the desired number of columns (and rows if applicable).
How to shade alternate rows in a table in WPS Office on iPad?
Manually select each alternate row (or cells within them), then go to the "Table Tools" tab, find "Shading" or "Fill Color," and apply your desired shade. Some table styles might do this automatically.
How to add a header row to an existing table in WPS Office on iPad?
Tap in the first row of your table, then in the "Table Tools" tab, look for an "Insert Above" option to insert a new row at the top, which you can then format as a header.
How to remove all borders from a table in WPS Office on iPad?
Select the entire table, go to the "Table Tools" tab, find "Borders," and then choose "No Borders."
