Using Layout Actions in MS Word

Last updated on 2024-11-05

Overview

With the help of layout actions, you can apply a layout you have defined in Lucanet Disclosure Management’s layout robot to an Excel worksheet that you want to insert in Word.

By saving a layout robot, you can use layout actions in MS Excel and MS Word to give your tables a uniform design. Use the Configure document option to assign a layout robot to a document.

This article contains the following sections:

Opening the Layout Actions Assistant

To use layout actions in MS Word:

  1. In the Word document, position your cursor in the table to which you want to apply layout actions.
  2. Go to the Word ribbon and click the Layout Actions Assistant button.
    Opening the ‘Layout Actions Assistant’ dialog from the Word ribbon
  3. The Layout Action dialog is displayed in MS Word:

    'Layout Action’ dialog
  4. Configure the layout actions (see Configuring Layout Actions), then click Apply.
Configuring Layout Actions

The following options are available in the Layout Action dialog:

Displays the 'General' area of the 'Layout Actions' dialog 'General' area in the 'Layout Action' dialog
Description

In the General section of the Layout Action dialog, you can select and configure the table layouts defined in the layout robot.

Layout Action

Click the corresponding table in the Word document and select the required layout from the drop-down list.

If there are no entires in the Layout Actions drop-down list, you will first need to assign a layout robot to your document under Configure document.

The screenshot displays the 'Parameter' area of the 'Layout Action' dialog. 'Parameter' area in the 'Layout Action' dialog
Description

In the Parameters section of the Layout Actions dialog, you can edit the properties of the table. The following options are available:

Table width

The absolute width of the table in cm, e.g. 15.5. Equivalent to the Preferred width table property in MS Word.

Double Tab position

Moves the number in the table by the specified factor in order to ensure the numbers wrap around existing footnotes or brackets, for example. This value is specified in cm, e.g. - 0.2 would move the numbers 2 mm to the left.

In the example below, negative numbers are written in brackets in MS Excel. This has resulted in the numbers no long being positioned below one another (left-hand column). Entering a double tab in MS Excel will realign the numbers so they are below one another again (right-hand column):

In two columns, 6-digit numbers are displayed in cells one below the other. Both numbers are the same, the lower number is placed in brackets. In the left column, the numbers are not aligned with each other. In the right-hand column, the numbers are aligned one below the other. Using a DoubleTab to align numbers one below the other in MS Word

Table indentation

The indent the table in cm, e.g. 2. Equivalent to the Indent from left table property in MS Word.

First layout column

Numerical value indicating which column should be treated as the first layout column. Layout columns are empty columns created between value columns in MS Excel.
Layout columns are used purely for aesthetic reasons.
If a column does not contain any content and its width is <= 0.5 px, the layout robot will register it as a layout column.

First DoubleTab column

Numerical value indicating which column should be the first to include a double tab.

Do not separate paragraphs

Presents paragraph breaks in the table, ensuring it stays together as intended.  

Invert zebra pattern

Inverts the pattern of alternating colors used in a table (e-g- each white column is followed by a gray one, etc.).

Do not apply DoubleTab to percentage values

The position of the DoubleTab entered under the Position of the DoubleTab option is not applied to percent values.

Displays the 'Columns' area of the 'Layout Action' dialog. The 'Use generic column widths' tab is displayed in the dialog. 'Use generic column widths' in the 'Layout Action' dialog
Displays the 'Columns' area of the 'Layout Action' dialog. The 'Use fixed column widths' tab is displayed in the dialog. 'Use fixed column widths' in the 'Layout Action' dialog
Description

In the Columns section of the Layout Actions dialog, you can edit the column widths of the selected table. The following options are available:

Use generic column widths

Combination of fixed and calculated column widths.

For example, you can enter the widths for number columns and layout columns (in cm). The width of the Name column is calculated automatically.

This value is specified in cm. Alternatively, you can use an Auto column; the column width will then be calculated automatically based on the value you enter in the other column.

You can use generic column widths if your table regularly alternates between column types, e.g. Name column, Layout column, Value column, Layout column, value column, etc.

Use fixed column widths

Use this option to define fixed column widths.

You can use fixed column widths if you don’t want your columns to alternate regularly, e.g. if you want several Name columns next to each other.

When using fixed column widths, you will need to enter the width of each column in turn, in cm. Each width should be separated with a semi-colon, e.g. 0.3#1.2#2.0#3#4.1.