How to Convert Text into a Styled Table in Adobe InDesign
- Angelo Montilla
- Jul 24
- 5 min read
Tables are a useful way to organize information, but creating and formatting them in Adobe InDesign can sometimes feel overwhelming. The good news is that you do not have to build every row and column manually.
In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to place a tab-delimited text file into InDesign, convert it into a table, and transform the default design into a polished part of your layout.
Along the way, we’ll use paragraph styles, cell insets, alignment controls, alternating fills, and the Stroke Proxy to customize the appearance of the table.
Before getting started, you can download the exercise files for this tutorial to follow along step by step with me.
Step 1: Place the Text File
Start by opening your InDesign document and creating or selecting the text frame where you want the table to appear.
Choose File > Place.
You can also use the keyboard shortcut:
Command + D on macOS
Ctrl + D on Windows
Locate the tab-delimited text file included with the exercise files and click Open. Click inside the text frame to place the content.
The text may appear relatively small when it is first imported. Select it and increase the type size as needed. In this example, the text is set to approximately 28 pt so it works within the presentation layout.
Step 2: Convert the Text into a Table
Select all the imported text and choose:
Table > Convert Text to Table
The Convert Text to Table dialog box determines how InDesign separates the content into columns and rows.
Because each column in the source file is separated by a tab, set the Column Separator to Tab.
Each row is separated by a paragraph break, so set the Row Separator to Paragraph.
Click OK.
InDesign converts the text into a basic table. The information is now organized correctly, but the table still needs formatting to match the rest of the design.
Step 3: Adjust the Table to Fit the Layout
Begin by resizing the table to fit the available space.
Drag the bottom edge of the header row downward to give the column headings more room.
Next, drag the bottom border of the table down until it aligns with the lower margin or desired position in the layout.
At this stage, some of the body rows may have inconsistent heights. To make them equal, select the body rows, right-click, and choose Distribute Rows Evenly
This creates a more balanced and consistent table structure.
Step 4: Apply a Paragraph Style
Paragraph styles make it easier to control typography consistently throughout the table.
Select all the text in the table and open the Paragraph Styles panel.
Apply the paragraph style created for the body cells. In this example, the style is called: Cell Text Black
Applying the style at this stage establishes the typeface, size, leading, and other basic text formatting before the colours are added.
Step 5: Adjust the Cell Insets
Cell insets control the amount of space between the text and the edges of each cell.
Select the body rows beneath the header and choose: Table > Cell Options > Text
Increase the cell inset values to move the text away from the edges. In this example, the insets are set to approximately 30 pixels.
The exact amount you use will depend on the size of your table and document, but the goal is to give the text enough breathing room.
Step 6: Centre the Text Vertically
While still inside the Cell Options dialog box, locate the Vertical Justification setting.
Choose: Align Centre
This positions the text in the vertical centre of each cell.
Click OK to apply the changes.
For the header row, you can also control vertical alignment directly from the Control panel.
Select the header cells and click the Align Centre icon.
Then centre-align the header text horizontally.
Select the final two columns and centre-align their text as well.
This works especially well for large figures and percentages.
Step 7: Add Alternating Column Fills
Now that the structure and typography are in place, you can begin adding colour and contrast.
Click anywhere inside the table and choose: Table > Table Options > Alternating Fills
From the Alternating Pattern menu, choose: Every Other Column
By default, InDesign may apply a black fill with a low tint. Replace those default settings with colours that match your design.
For the first alternating column, select the vibrant blue swatch and set the tint to 100%.
For the second alternating column, select the vibrant green swatch and also set the tint to 100%.
Click OK.
The alternating fills make it easier to distinguish the columns and give the table a much stronger visual presence.
Step 8: Format the Header Row
To separate the header from the body of the table, select the entire first row.
Open the Swatches panel and apply a black fill to the header cells.
The dark header creates a clear visual hierarchy and provides a strong contrast with the brighter columns below.
Step 9: Update the Text Styles for Each Column
Now adjust the text colours and styles so they remain readable against the new backgrounds.
Select the first column and apply the white body-text paragraph style: Cell Text White
Next, select the third column and apply the white figure style: Figure White
Select the final column and apply: Figure Black
Using separate paragraph styles for body copy and figures lets you create stronger contrast while keeping the formatting consistent.
Step 10: Remove the Outer Border
The table is almost complete, but the default border can make it feel heavy.
Select all the cells in the table. In the Control panel, locate the Stroke Proxy.
The Stroke Proxy is the small border diagram that lets you choose which cell or table borders you want to edit.
Select the outer borders in the Stroke Proxy and set the stroke colour to: None
This removes the border around the outside of the table.
Step 11: Add White Inner Grid Lines
Select all the table cells again.
In the Stroke Proxy, deselect the outer borders and select only the inner horizontal and vertical lines. You may need to hold Shift while clicking to select or deselect individual lines.
Change the stroke colour to the white swatch used in the document.
Increase the stroke weight to approximately 6 pt.
The white strokes create clean gaps between the rows and columns, helping each section feel more like an individual design block rather than part of a rigid spreadsheet.
Creating tables in InDesign does not have to be a daunting task. By breaking the process into smaller steps, you can take a simple block of tab-delimited text and turn it into a polished, visually appealing part of your design.
