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Instructions

Section 4.1: Table Formats

When creating a table in Microsoft Excel, you always want to be sure that your table has a clean format. A clean format shows that the data is organized, easy to read, and easy to understand.

  1. To create a standard table format, highlight the rows and columns you want formatted into a table.

    A spreadsheet with cells A1 to C4 highlighted

  2. Go to the Insert Tab and click the Table Button.

    Insert button in ExcelTable button in Microsoft Excel

  3. In the Create Table Box, click “My Table has Headers”, then click OK. Your standard table will be created. You can expand it or shrink it as much as you want. Also, you can write out the text in each cell then format it as a table by doing the same steps.

    Create table panel with your table cells entered, and my table has headers is checked.Cells A1 to C4 are now a table.

Rules for Accessible Tables

When creating any table, remember the following rules for making a table accessible for all users.

Rule 1: Every single table should have a clear title.

A table of fruit, quantity and price per unit. There is no title.

This table has no title. Anyone who reads this table will want to know that the table is about. While the data will help give hints, it simply is not enough. Always include a title.

A header called Table 1 - Supermarket Produce has been added to the table in Cell A1

A title is included above the table. All readers will now know what the table and data is about.

Rule 2: There should only be one table per worksheet

Two tables of the top selling fruit on the left and top selling vegetables on the right

This spreadsheet has two tables. This is unnecessary, and one of these tables has to be moved to another spreadsheet. Seeing two tables would confuse the screen readers in how to give the information to the readers.

A table of the top selling fruit in the USA in its own spreadsheet.A table of the top selling vegetables in the USA in its own spreadsheet.

Now the tables are on separate spreadsheets and the data is much more organized. Screen readers and readers in general will have a lot less trouble reading the data on the spreadsheets.

Rule 3: If multiple tables are placed in the same worksheet, there should only be one row of separation.

Two tables of the top selling fruits and vegetables in the usa with no separation

There is no separation between the tables. Screen readers will not have any gap to slow down. If there is no gap or “breathing room”, the reader will be confused on when one table ends or starts.

Two tables of the top selling fruits and vegetables in the usa with one line of separation

A space has been added in between the two tables. Though it may look like a small difference, this small change makes a huge impact on people who use screen readers. Now they will know when a table starts and finishes.

Rule 4: All tables must have headers, and must have meaningful names

A table of the top 10 highest populated cities in the USA with the headers unnamed.

This table has a header, but there are no meaningful names. Column1 does not mean anything and would be unhelpful to people trying to learn the information.

A table of the top 10 highest populated cities in the USA with the headers named Rank, City, State, and Population 2021

The headers have good labels that tell readers exactly what the content in that row will about.

Rule 5: Each table can only have one header row and/or one header column

A table of teams practice schedule with two header sections for sports level and days of the week.

Due to this table having two different header rows, the screen reader will read the rows off in an asemantic order. A person using a screen reader will struggle to know what data belongs to the individual categories.

A simplified table of the football teams practice schedule with one header row.

This table has only 1 header row. The information is very organized and told in a semantic order.

Rule 6: Complex tables must be broken down into simple tables

A complex table of political views by salaries and education with a multiple header rows.

This complex table is very complicated to read. It would be very difficult to readers with visual disabilities to know the categories and the data within them.

Three tables of political views by salary and education.

The same chart has been simplified. Now it is much easier to read and there are no unnecessary headers or data.

Rule 7: Table headers and the data itself must not be separated by blank rows or columns

Three tables of political views by salary and education with a cell between the header and data cells at the top table.

There is a space between the headers and the data. This is unneeded and does not look very presentable.

Three tables of political views by salary and education with no spaces between the header and data cells.

There is no space between the headers and the data. This will make reading it much easier and improves the overall look of the table.

Rule 8: No merged cells. Instead, write the same data in multiple cells.

A table of states and their major cities population with the states cells merged

This table shows the states column having merged cells. This is table would be very difficult for some readers.

A table of states and their major cities population without merged cells.

This table shows the state names repeated next to their major cities. This is much easier for students to read when using screen readers.

Rule 9: If conditional formatting is used, the same information must be available to read in text format.

A table of franchise restaurants with the most locations, with the restaurants with more than 23000 locations highlighted in green.

This table uses conditional formatting, by making all of the restaurants with more than 23,000 location glow green. This is not accessible because screen readers will not tell the student the color of the cell.

A table of franchise restaurants with the most locations, with the restaurants with more than 23500 locations visible

This table is created separately for restaurants that fulfill the requirement. This is much easier to read and understand.

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