Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Office 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Applying Table Formats.
At times formatting can be rather tedious, particularly if your worksheet is large or presents complex information. Excel includes a very powerful formatting tool that you can use to help with your formatting tasks. This is the table formatting feature, which allows you to format data tables within your worksheet quickly and easily. With the click of a mouse button, you can format an entire table, including setting all formatting attributes and row and column sizes.
To use this feature, simply make sure you select a cell in or around a data table. When you select a cell within the data table, AutoFormat does real good at just selecting the cells that make up the data table. However, if you choose a cell around the data table (within one row or column of the data table), AutoFormat selects the entire data table plus the extra row or column that contains the cell you selected. If you want to format only the data table and no extra rows or columns, you will want to make sure the cell you select is actually within the data table.
Once you have selected a cell (or the entire data table), follow these steps:
Figure 1. The Format As Table dialog box.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (6256) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Office 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Applying Table Formats.
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2018-09-15 23:09:20
John Mann
This has me puzzled. If I create a table then decide to reformat it by selecting a cell within the table, then everything works as described.
However, if I select a cell in either immediately to the left or immediately above the table I get different results. I get a the dialogue box shown, but the range is NOT the complete table plus the extra row or column, it is the single cell I have selected.
Am I doing something wrong, or misunderstanding the tip above?
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Office 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: 
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