Tabs (Word 2007, 2010)

Tabs

Tab stops

• In early versions of Microsoft Word, using 'Tab Stops' was a vital method for formatting particular items within a Microsoft Word document.  Tabs were commonly used for displaying columns of data, with each column of data being separated from the next column by a tab space. 

• As newer versions of Microsoft Word have been released over the years the use of tab stops within a document has lessened, as Microsoft Word will now automatically insert tab spaces into document elements such as a ‘table of contents’.  Microsoft Word 2007 also has many pre-designed pages available to you such as customisable front pages which again makes the need to manually insert tab stops less important than it used to be in earlier versions of Microsoft Word. 

• When you create a new, blank document, by default the Ruler does not contain tab stops.

Setting and removing tabs

• Before manually inserting tabs stops, you should display the Microsoft Word Ruler.  This Ruler allows you to easily insert tab stops.  If the Ruler is not displayed click on the View Ruler button (displayed at the top of your vertical scroll bar).

• If clicking on this button removes the display of the Ruler, click on it again and the Ruler will be displayed again across the top of your document.  

• You can set the tab type by repeatedly clicking the tab selector (displayed at the left edge of the ruler) until it displays the required tab type.

• You can click along the ruler at the location you wish to insert the tab.  Tab types include:    Left Tab stop:  This sets the starting location of text which will display to the right as you type text into this tab stop location.   Centre Tab stop:  This sets the position used for the middle of the text, which will centre on this tab stop as you type in text.   Right Tab stop:  This sets the right end for your text and when you enter text at this tab stop

it will move to the left.   Decimal Tab stop:  This is used to align numbers around a decimal point.  Bar Tab stop:  This displays a vertical bar at the tab stop location.   NOTE: There are two more options, but these relate to indents rather than tab stops.    Indent First Line: Click on this control and then click on the top part of the horizontal ruler where you would like the first line of that paragraph to begin.    Hanging Indent: Click on this control then click the bottom half of the horizontal ruler where you would like all the lines after the first line of the paragraph to be indented to.  To move a Tab Stop left or right you can drag it using the mouse pointer (with the mouse button pressed down when you are dragging the tab stop).  To delete a Tab Stop drag it off the Ruler (with the mouse button pressed down when you are dragging the Tab Stop).

• Open a document called Tabs.  

• Select the data within the document as illustrated.   

• Click on the Ruler above the start of the text '2005 Sales', as illustrated. 

• Drag this tab stop to the right, as illustrated. 

• Click on the Ruler at the start of the text '2006 Sales' as illustrated. 

• Drag the tab stop to the right, so that the data now looks like this.    To change the tab type, double click on one of the tab stops on your Ruler and you will see the Tabs dialog box.  Experiment with changing the tab types of each of your Tab Stops and check the effect of your changes.

• Try deleting one of your tab stops by dragging it off the Ruler.  Use the Undo key to reverse this deletion.

• When you have finished experimenting, save your changes and close the document.