Decimal alignment in MS Word Table

[Cherry]

I've made a table in word. Approx 10 columns across, several rows going down
(leading to several pages when complete). All columns/rows are text except
the last column/row which is numerical with decimal points in each figure.
The decimal is in different locations in the groups of numbers in each col.
In some, the decimal may have 2 numbers to the right and 3 numbers to the
left of it. Some may have one number to the right, 2 to the left... this just
varies in each row, some even have more numbers than others (in a particular
group). Left/right/center/justify doesn't work for me in this case because I
need the decimal point to align evenly all the way down this column, not the
numbers themselves. This will be several pages long. I don't want to use
Excel for this, just MS Word. Can anyone (oh please) tell me how to keep my
decimal aligned all the way down, regardless of how many numbers are to the
left/right of decimal in each row (group of numbers). I'm not working with
currency or anything like that. I hope someone can help me. I thank you in
advance so very much. I'm getting a migraine from this.

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

Select that all the cells in that column (move the mouse above the first
cell until the mouse pointer becomes a down pointing arrow, then left
click), then insert a Decimal Tab Stop in the location (across the cell)
where you want the decimal point to be.

Then, when you tab into any of the cells in that column, the insertion point
will be positioned at the location of the decimal point. Any numbers that
you then type will be inserted to the left until you insert the decimal
point and any subsequent characters will be inserted to the right of the
decimal point.

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Also, if you have cell contents that don't include a decimal point, they
will be aligned on the first nonnumeric character (other than the thousands
separator).

 

[Andrea Jones]

You can set a decimal tab stop in the cells where you want the decimals
aligned (you can highlight the whole column of cells together while you click
in the ruler to set the tab). Make sure the alignment is set to left-aligned
for those cells, the numbers may align to the decimal tab automatically, if
they don't you can place your cursor to the left of each number and press
CTRL+TAB. See http://www.allaboutoffice.co.uk/wordtabs.htm for more
information.

Andrea Jones