Importing Tables: Free InCopy Tutorial

Importing Tables

Importing tables from external documents into your project maintains data integrity while giving you full control over formatting. Whether you're working with Excel spreadsheets or Word documents, the import process ensures your tabular data transfers cleanly and remains editable. Here's how to handle both scenarios effectively.

Importing Tables from an Excel Document

Excel files contain rich formatting and data structures that you'll want to preserve selectively. The import process gives you precise control over which elements to retain and which to strip away for a cleaner result.

1. Position the text cursor exactly where you want the table to appear in your document.

2. Navigate to File > Place to open the import dialog.

3. In the Place dialog that appears:

   • At the bottom of the window, enable Show Import Options (click the Options button if this checkbox isn't immediately visible).
   • Browse to and select your Excel file, then click Open.

4. The import options dialog provides three distinct formatting approaches, each serving different workflow needs:

   Formatted Table:	Preserves Excel's original formatting as closely as possible, including colors, fonts, and cell styling
   Unformatted Table:	Strips Excel's formatting completely, creating a clean table structure ready for your custom styling
   Unformatted Tabbed Text:	Converts the table structure into tab-delimited text, useful for further text processing

   

5. Select your preferred option and click OK. Your table will import and become immediately available for styling and content editing within your document's design framework.

Importing Tables from a Word Document

Word documents present different challenges since they often contain mixed formatting applied by multiple users. The import process helps you decide whether to embrace this existing formatting or start with a clean slate.

1. Place the text cursor at your desired insertion point within the document.

2. Access File > Place to begin the import process.

3. Click once on your target Word document to select it in the file browser.

4. To maintain control over Word's formatting decisions, check Show Import Options at the bottom of the dialog window. You may need to click the Options button first to reveal this setting.

5. Click Open to proceed with the import.

6. If you enabled import options in the previous step, a formatting control dialog will appear. This critical decision point determines how Word's styling integrates with your current document:

   To strip out the formatting:	Choose Remove Styles and Formatting for complete control over the final appearance
   To maintain the formatting:	Select Preserve Styles and Formatting to retain Word's original styling decisions

7. Click OK to finalize your formatting choice.

8. Your imported table is now fully integrated into your document, ready for professional styling and content refinement to match your publication standards.

Both import methods preserve the underlying table structure and data integrity while giving you the flexibility to apply consistent formatting that aligns with your document's overall design aesthetic.