How to merge cells in a table, and split them again

Select the cells you want to join and choose Merge cells in Write by Zaweba. They become a single cell that spans the space the originals took up. If you change your mind, Split cells divides a cell again. Both work across a row, down a column or over a block of cells.

Why you would merge cells

A plain grid is fine for a list, but real tables often need a cell that covers more than one column or row. A heading that sits across three columns of figures. A label down the left side that covers two rows of a timetable. A wide box at the bottom of a form for comments or a signature. Merging gives you all of these without drawing anything by hand.

Merging step by step

Click in the first cell you want to merge and drag across to the last, so the cells are highlighted. They must form a rectangle: two side by side, three in a column, or a block. Then choose Merge cells. Any text that was in the cells is kept in the merged one, so check it reads properly and tidy it if needed.

To split a cell, click in it and choose Split cells. This is useful when you build a form and later realise one box needs to become two.

Building a tidy table around merged cells

Merged cells look best when the rest of the table is settled first. Insert the table with the number of rows and columns you need, set the column widths and row height, then merge. Changing the column count after merging can leave odd shapes that take longer to fix.

Borders and shading finish the job. Write's border options include all, outside, inside or none, and a width setting, and cells can be shaded. A merged heading cell with light shading and the text centred is the classic look for a table header. Table properties are in a dialog if you want to set everything in one place.

For a long table that runs over more than one page, turn on repeating header rows so the heading row appears at the top of each page.

Moving round the table

Tab moves from one cell to the next, and pressing Tab in the last cell adds a new row, which is the quickest way to add entries to a list. ## Tables in other people's files

Tables with merged cells come through when you open a .docx from another word processor, and they go back out the same way when you save as .docx. Forms handed out by schools and councils very often use merged cells, so this matters more than it might seem. Write lays out the same table on screen, on paper and in PDF export, so a form that looks right on screen will print right.

If a table looks wrong after merging, Ctrl+Z puts it back, and Write keeps unlimited undo, so you can experiment freely. With a few merges and some light shading, Write by Zaweba turns a plain grid into a clear timetable, invoice layout or form.