Columns

Word enables you to format text with multiple columns, like those in a newspaper.

Tips

• Although you can edit multi-column text in any view, you must be in Page Layout view (Figure 26) to see the columns side by side. In Normal view, the text appears in the same narrow column (Figure 27).

  Figure 26. A section of multi-column text in Page Layout view.

  
  
  

  Figure 27. The same document in Normal view.

  
  
  

• Column formatting applies to sections of text. You can insert section breaks as discussed earlier in this chapter to set up various multi-column sections.

To set the number of columns

1.	Select the text for which you want to set the number of columns (Figure 28). Figure 28. Select the text for which you want to set columns.
2.	Click the Columns button on the Standard toolbar to display a menu of columns and choose the number of columns (Figure 29). Figure 29. Choose the number of columns from the Columns button menu on the Standard toolbar.

If you are not in Page Layout view, Word switches to that view. The text is reformatted with the number of columns you specified (Figure 26).

Tips

• To set the number of columns for an entire single-section document, in step 1 above, position the insertion point anywhere in the document.

• To set the number of columns for one section of a multi-section document, in step 1 above, position the insertion point anywhere in the section.

• If necessary, Word inserts section breaks to mark the beginning and end of multi-column text (Figure 27).

To set column options

1.	Position the insertion point in the section for which you want to change column options. or Select the sections for which you want to change column options.
2.	Choose Format > Columns (Figure 11) to display the Columns dialog (Figure 30). Figure 30. The Columns dialog.
3.	To set the number of columns, click one of the icons in the Presets section or enter a value in the Number of columns box.
4.	To set different column widths for each column, make sure the Equal column width check box is turned off, then enter values in the Width boxes for each column. You can also enter values in the Spacing boxes to specify the amount of space between columns.
5.	To put a vertical line between columns, turn on the Line between check box.
6.	To specify the part of the document that you want the changes to apply to, choose an option from the Apply to pop-up menu (Figures 9 and 10). or To insert a column break at the insertion point, choose This point forward from the Apply to drop-down list (Figure 9), then turn on the Start new column check box.
7.	Click OK.

Tip

• You can see the effect of your changes in the Preview area as you change settings in the Columns dialog.