4 Fun Ways To Insert a Table in Microsoft PowerPoint 2010

If you are working on a presentation that requires you to display complex data in an organized manner, you can display them in a tabular format. Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 provides 4 different ways to insert a table to display such data. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to insert a table in Microsoft PowerPoint using four different methods that guaranteed to be fun as well. If you’ve got time on your hands, you can draw a table, if not, just adopt the quickest way around.

How to Insert a Table in Microsoft PowerPoint

Here are 4 fun filled ways to insert a table in Microsoft PowerPoint 2010:

1.Use the Insert Table Dialog Box

1. On the Ribbon, select the Insert tab.

2. In the Table group, click Table and from the drop-down, select Insert Table.

OR

On the slide, click the Insert Table icon.

3. In the Insert Table dialog box, in the Number of columns text box, enter the number of columns you want your table to hold. In the Number of rows text box, enter the number of rows you want your table to hold and click OK.

4. Enter the desired values in the table.

2. Use the Table Grid

1. On the Ribbon, select the Insert tab.

2. In the Table group, click Table and from the drop-down, hover the mouse pointer over the number of rows and columns you need for the table and click to add to the slide.

3. Enter the desired values in the table.

3. Draw a Table

Use this method if you want an unconventional table or if you want to create your own custom table with maybe uneven height or width.

1. On the Ribbon, select the Insert tab.

2. In the Table group, click Table and from the drop-down, select Draw Table.

4. On the slide, click and drag the mouse to create a rectangular outer boundary for the table.

5. On the Table Tools Design contextual tab, in the Draw Borders group, click Draw Table to display the pen tool.

6. Inside the table, click and drag to draw the rows and columns you want. You can draw a complete row or column or you can stop at any point to make a partial row or column.  When you drag vertically or horizontally,
a blue line displays the exact vertical or horizontal line structure.

Note: You can also draw a diagonal line between the corners of two cells.

7. If necessary, on the Table Tools Design contextual tab, click Eraser and then
click the line to erase a line.

8. Click the Esc key to remove the pen or eraser tool.

9. Enter the desired values in the table.

4. Insert an Excel Spreadsheet

If you want to perform calculations in the table, this is the best method.

1. On the Ribbon, select the Insert tab.

2. In the Table group, click Table and from the drop-down, select Excel Spreadsheet.

3. A tiny Excel spreadsheet is displayed on the slide and the Ribbon displays the Excel tabs and tools.

4. Click and drag the corner selection handle to enlarge the Excel spreadsheet.

5. Enter the desired values in the table. You can perform Excel calculations using the tools on the Ribbon. If there are unused cells, resize the table using the selection handles.

6. Click outside the slide to view the table on the slide. The Excel spreadsheet is replaced with a PowerPoint table that fits the content placeholder.

There you have it! 4 fun ways in which you can create and insert tables in  Microsoft PowerPoint 2010.

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