Keeping Table Rows Together

For some documents, it is par for the course to have tables extend from one page to another. As your tables get larger, Word automatically breaks tables so the most information can get on each page. This may mean that a row of your table may start on one page and end on the following page. Obviously, this is not acceptable for some tables. You may have the need to make sure that entire rows of your table stay together.

To make sure that Word doesn't break a particular row of your table, follow these steps if you are using Word 97:

1. Select the row (or rows) that you want to keep together.
2. Choose Cell Height and Width from the Table menu. Word displays the Cell Height and Width dialog box with the Row tab selected.
3. Make sure the Allow Row to Break Across Pages check box is cleared.
4. Click your mouse on OK.

If you are using Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003 the process is slightly different. Follow these steps, instead:

1. Select the row (or rows) that you want to keep together.
2. Choose Table Properties from the Table menu. Word displays the Table Properties dialog box; you should make sure the Row tab is selected. (Click here to see a related figure.)
3. Make sure the Allow Row to Break Across Pages check box is cleared.
4. Click your mouse on OK.

Finally, if you are using Word 2007 you should follow these steps:

1. Select the row (or rows) that you want to keep together.
2. Make sure the Layout tab of the ribbon is displayed.
3. Click the Properties tool in the Table group at the left of the ribbon. Word displays the Table Properties dialog box.
4. Make sure that the Row tab is selected.
5. Make sure the Allow Row to Break Across Pages check box is cleared.
6. Click your mouse on OK.

If you are not sure about where a table may break (or even if it will), but you want to make sure that no row of the table is divided, you simply need to select the entire table in step 1 rather than selecting a single row.