Working with Columns in Word

Create columns to continue a story or text in the next column
on the same page

1. Switch to print layout view (View, Print Layout).

2. To format the entire document in columns, click Select All on the Edit menu.

3. To format part of the document in columns, select the text.

4. To format existing sections in columns, click in a section or select multiple sections.
   Note: if you are starting a new document, no selecting needs to be done.

5. On the Standard toolbar, click Columns

6. Drag to select the number of columns you want.

7. If you want to adjust the column widths and spacing, drag the column markers on the horizontal ruler.                                           
   This will only work if your columns are not set to be of equal width.

8. If you want:
   - more than 4 columns
   - need to specify specific widths or spacing between columns
   - need to turn on/off the setting for equal widths
   - or to add a vertical line between columns
   Click on Format, Columns
   

9. To force text to the next column, click the mouse where you want the break.  Click Insert, Break, select Column Break, Ok.

Create columns to continue a story or text in another column on a different page:  Using Text Boxes

1. Switch to print layout view.

2. On the Insert menu, click Text Box.

3. Click or drag in your document where you want to insert the first text box.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to insert additional text boxes where you want the text to flow.

5. Click the first text box.

6. On the Text Box toolbar (if not visible, click View, Toolbars, Text box), click Create Text Box Link

7. Click in the empty text box that you want the text to flow to.
   Note: When you move the upright pitcher over a text box that can receive the link, the pitcher turns into a pouring pitcher.

8. To link to additional text boxes, click the text box that you just created the link to, and then repeat steps 6 and 7 to create links.

9. In the first text box, type or paste the text that you want. As the text box fills, the text will flow into the other text boxes that you've linked

Notes

• To use the Text Box shortcut menu, move the pointer over the border of the text box until the pointer becomes a four-headed arrow, and then right-click the border.

• If you click Create Text Box Link and then decide you don't want to link to another text box, press ESC to cancel the linking process.

• To change the appearance of a text box — for instance, to remove or change borders or add background colors or textures — select the text box, click the Text Box command on the Format menu, and then select the options you want. To select multiple text boxes, hold down SHIFT and select each text box.

• Instead of the rectangular or square containers that text boxes provide for your story, you can use circles, banners, flow chart shapes, and other AutoShapes as containers.  On the Drawing toolbar (View, Toolbars, Drawing), click Draw, point to Change AutoShape, point to a category, and then click the shape you want.

• To change the appearance of an AutoShape — for instance, to remove or change borders or add background colors or textures — select the shape, click AutoShape (Format menu), and then select the options you want. To select multiple objects, hold down SHIFT and select each object.  If the text doesn't fit in the linked shapes, you can make the text smaller or make the shape larger.