Make a Table in InDesign

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A table consists of rows and columns of cells. A cell is like a text frame in which you can add text, inline graphics, or other tables. You can create tables from scratch or by converting them from existing text, or export them from other applications. You can also embed a table within a table.

When you create a table, the new table fills the width of the container text frame. A table is inserted on the same line when the insertion point is at the beginning of the line, or on the next line, when the insertion point is in the middle of a line.

Tables flow with surrounding text just as inline graphics do. For example, a table moves through threaded frames when the text above it changes in point size or when text is added or deleted. However, a table cannot appear on a text-on-path frame.

Below are some important features to get you started. For a video tutorial on creating and formatting tables, see http://www.infiniteskills.com/demos/movie-player.php?h=565&w=970&sku=01710&movie=http://infiniteskills.bc.cdn.bitgravity.com/iskills-media/indesigncs6-demo/1101.mp4  (Ignore the part about following along with demo files.)

Create a table from scratch

The table you create fills the width of the text frame.

1. Using the Type tool, place the insertion point where you want the table to appear.
2. Choose Table > Insert Table.
3. Specify the numbers of rows and columns.
4. If your table contents will continue on more than one column or frame, specify the number of header or footer rows in which you want the information to be repeated.
5. (Optional) Specify a table style.
6. Click OK.

The row height of a table is determined by the specified table style. For example, a table style may use cell styles to format different parts of the table. If any of these cell styles include paragraph styles, the leading value of the paragraph styles determines the row height of that area. If no paragraph style is used, the document’s default slug determines the row height. (The slug is based on the leading value. In this context, a slug is the approximate height of the highlighting in selected text.)

Create a table from existing text

Before you convert text to a table, make sure that you set up the text properly.

1. To prepare the text for conversion, insert tabs, commas, paragraph returns, or another character to separate columns. Insert tabs, commas, paragraph returns, or another character to separate rows. (In many instances, text can be converted to a table without having to be edited.)
2. Using the Type tool, select the text you want to convert to a table.
3. Choose Table > Convert Text To Table.
4. For both Column Separator and Row Separator, indicate where new rows and columns should begin. Choose Tab, Comma, or Paragraph, or type the character, such as a semicolon (;), in the Column Separator and Row Separator field. (Any character you type appears in the menu the next time you create a table from text.)
5. If you specify the same separator for columns and rows, indicate the number of columns you want the table to include.
6. (Optional) Specify a table style to format the table.
7. Click OK.

If any row has fewer items than the number of columns in a table, empty cells fill out the row.

Selecting Table Cells, Rows and Columns

When you select part or all of the text in a cell, that selection has the same appearance as would text selected outside a table. However, if the selection spans more than one cell, the cells and their contents are both selected.

If a table spans more than one frame, holding the mouse pointer over any header or footer row that is not the first header or footer row causes a lock icon to appear, indicating that you cannot select text or cells in that row. To select cells in a header or footer row, go to the beginning of the table.

Select cells

Using the Type tool, do any of the following:

• To select a single cell, click inside a table, or select text, and then choose Table > Select > Cell.
  
• To select multiple cells, drag across a cell border. Be careful not to drag the column or row line so that you don’t resize the table.
  

To switch between selecting all of the text in a cell and selecting the cell, press Esc.

Select entire columns or rows

 Using the Type tool, do any of the following:

• Click inside a table, or select text, and then choose Table > Select > Column or Row.
  
• Move the pointer over the top edge of a column or the left edge of a row so that the pointer becomes an arrow shape, and then click to select the entire column or row.
  

Before and after selecting Row

Select all header, body, or footer rows

1. Click inside a table, or select text.
2. Choose Table > Select > Header Rows, Body Rows, or Footer Rows.

Select the entire table

Using the Type tool, do any of the following:

• Click inside a table, or select text, and then choose Table > Select > Table.
  
• Move the pointer over the upper left corner of the table so that the pointer becomes an arrow shape, and then click to select the entire table.
  
  
  

  Before and after selecting table
• Drag the Type tool across the entire table.
  

You can also select a table in the same way you select an anchored graphic—place the insertion point immediately before or after a table, and then hold down Shift while pressing the Right Arrow key or Left Arrow key, respectively, to select the table. 

Formatting Tables

Use the Control panel or Character panel to format text within a table—just like formatting text outside a table. In addition, two main dialog boxes help you format the table itself: Table Options and Cell Options. Use these dialog boxes to change the number of rows and columns, to change the appearance of the table border and fill, to determine the spacing above and below the table, to edit header and footer rows, and to add other table formatting.

Use the Table panel, the Control panel, or the context menu to format the table structure. Select one or more cells and then right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) to display a context menu with table options.

Read more at http://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/creating-tables.html