Get columns to work independantly

[Linda RQ]

Hi,

Word 2003. I am trying to figure out the best way to create physician
orders in word. I am trying out using a table. Basically the orders have 2
columns. My problem is on the left side sometimes I need to insert a
section with many rows of text, this causes the right side to expand the
cell as well...The right side is a numbered or list with check boxes, and I
use bullets to make the boxes. Is there a way to have the left and right to
space independantly?

I have played around and figured that merging cells on the left works but
it's not too kind when you need to change things later.

Thanks,
Linda

 

[Lene Fredborg]

You could use a 2-column setup (Format > Columns – click the "Two" icon).

In the first column, you can insert a 1-column table (the left column of
your current table). Insert a column break after the table (Insert > Break >
Column break).

You can then type whatever needed in the second column independently of the
table in the first column. You can insert a table if you want and it will
still be independent of the leftmost table.

--
Regards
Lene Fredborg
DocTools - Denmark
www.thedoctools.com
Document automation - add-ins, macros and templates for Microsoft Word

 

[Linda RQ]

Ok...If I type too much in the first column, it carries over to the second
column. The other issue, is I need the borders to butt up to one another
without the line looking heavier in the middle. The left side on each page
has to have the title of the orderset at the top. On the bottom of each
left side there needs to a few lines of text. On the first page I need a
section for title, a large blank space for a patient sticker to be placed on
the orderset, another row with 4 cells, room number, and 3 pharmacy cells to
fill in. In between this top section on the first column, I need to type in
some instructions. At the bottom, I need a couple of rows for additional
text. The section on the right has to be one continuous row and sometimes
there are 4 pages to the order but at the top of each page, I need a top
bottom and side borders. It seems like I get going ok, then I add something
and everything disappears or skips a page. I pulled up the border toolbar
and typed in the text, then drew a line but that shifted stuff down too...

Not sure if you can help but typing it all out helps me to get it straight
in my head. It may be that I just need to keep playing around. Sometimes I
need the cell to be fixed and sometimes it's okay for overflow.

Linda

 

[Lene Fredborg]

Even though you have described a lot of details now, it is a bit difficult to
imagine exactly what your document looks like. When suggesting 2 columns, I
thought that it was a 1-page document (sorry, I could have asked). Since it
is not, the 2-column approach is not a good idea. Have you tried working with
nested tables (i.e. one table inside another)? Maybe this would work better
for you:

Create a 2-column "main" table with 1 row only (format borders etc. as
desired). In the leftmost table column, create another table (content from
the left column of your original table). If the content in the first column
of the "main" table exceeds the height available on the first page, the
"main" table will continue on the next page and the content in the first
column will remain in that column.

--
Regards
Lene Fredborg
DocTools - Denmark
www.thedoctools.com
Document automation - add-ins, macros and templates for Microsoft Word

 

[Linda RQ]

The column approach worked well for my 1 page order. I probably need
several designs for different scenarios.

I have tried the nested table approach. That has a bit of a learning curve
too since it seems to act like an object and things tend to move into
strange places when you discover you really needed 5 rows instead of 4 or
half the table is hidden behind half of the column I inserted it into.

What the document looks like is basically a 1 row 2 column table with
numbered orders on the right that can fill up just 1 whole page or several
pages. There are special instructions on the left that can be bulleted
lists or check boxes which I make with a square bullet but there also needs
to be some fixed rows with certain text. Our reprographics department used
to do this in adobe but there have been cutbacks there so since I "know all
about computers" I get to do it now but I need to do this in word so others
can hopefully do their own once I get it set up.<g>

I see all kinds of things in the table properties dialogue box, Fixed
height may be a good thing but I don't see autoflow...That's probably what I
need for the right side since the orders can be up to 5 or 6 pages long in
some cases. The left side, I need to have the same top and bottom rows on
each page and the ability to insert text on the first page.

Linda