aligning on a comma in a table

[Pike]

Hi;

I'm trying to use tables to create a set of accounts, and I need to align
numbers. My negative figures are in brackets, so when I conventionally align
the table, they aren't properly aligned.

Say; three figures; 150, 1,500 and (1,500). When right aligned, the zeros of
the 150 and 1,500 will line up above the ) bracket of the (1,500).

I'm sure it can be done - I managed it in Wordperfect 6 a few years ago, so
office 97 should be able to hack it, - but it's eluded me for months so far,
and I'm either going to have to dump word in favour of Corel, or find a get
round or something.

Regards

Tim

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

If you use a decimal tab stop, the numbers will align properly. Word doesn't
allow you to select the alignment character, but it automatically aligns on
the first nonnumeric character (other than the thousands separator). This
means that numbers with and without decimal points, in parentheses or not,
with asterisks or other footnote references, etc., will align on the decimal
point or where the decimal point would be if there were one.

If you're working in a table, you don't even have to enter a tab character;
just set the decimal tab stop. But your numbers must be LEFT-aligned for
this to work. If they're currently right-aligned, change them before
inserting the tab stop to see the effect immediately.
--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft Word MVP
Words into Type
Fairhope, AL USA

Pike <pike_by...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:OJ$DLVu3AHA.1380@tkmsftngp04...

[Tonya Marshall]

Select the table column you where you want to have the numbers align. If
the ruler isn't on, select View/Ruler. To the far left of the horizontal
ruler there is a small button with a tab (most likely a small L-looking
character). Click on the "L" until it turns into an upsidedown T with a
dot to the right. Click on the ruler above the column where you want the
numbers to end and insert the tab where you want the numbers to align.
Tonya Marshall

[Jonathan West]

Hi Tim,

If you set a decimal tab, the number will align on it and the parenthesis
will stick out to the right.

In the ruler at the top of the document window, a decimal tab symbol is the
one that looks like an upside-down capital T, with a dot above & to the
right of it.

--
Regards
Jonathan West - Word MVP
MultiLinker - Automated generation of hyperlinks in Word
Conversion to PDF & HTML
http://www.multilinker.com
Word FAQs at http://www.multilinker.com/wordfaq
Please post any follow-up in the newsgroup. I do not reply to Word questions
by email

"Pike" <pike_by...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:OJ$DLVu3AHA.1380@tkmsftngp04...

[Pike]

Thanks to all - it would seem what I was trying to do was use the tab method
AFTER I'd inserted the text. It only works if you put the dsecimal tab in up
front, and then input the data.

Thanks again

Tim

"Tonya Marshall" <to...@harborside.com> wrote in message
news:3B03F6EE...@harborside.com...

[Dave Rado]

Not necessarily - to tab to a tab in a table, use Ctrl + Tab.

Regards

Dave

"Pike" <pike_by...@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:ebtO9F43AHA.1376@tkmsftngp04...

[Pike]

I tried that, but if I'd placed the data in first, then added the tab, and
tabbed to it (as it were), it just seemed to treat the data as "right
aligned", and not "decimalised"

Anyway, works now!

Thanks again

Tim

"Dave Rado" <dr...@onetel.net.uk> wrote in message
news:OxyFMW43AHA.1368@tkmsftngp05...

[Dave Rado]

I don't get that problem - it was defintely a *decimal* tab? If so, could
you email me an example of it not aligning on the decimal point? (Don't
attach it here though).

Regards

Dave

"Pike" <pike_by...@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:Ow5XwJ53AHA.2064@tkmsftngp03...

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

As stated previously, it is not necessary to use a tab character with a
decimal tab stop in a table. All you have to do is insert the tab stop. And
this can be done (in fact, is better done, so that you can visually correct
the placement) after the data is input. But, as also stated, if the data has
been imported from Excel, say, it will be right-aligned. It must be changed
to left-aligned before the tab stop will work.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft Word MVP
Words into Type
Fairhope, AL USA

Pike <pike_by...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
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