For some tables, such as complex calculations, formulas or when using checkboxes, it may make sense to integrate them directly into an Excel file. It is possible to insert an Excel file into your layout or to create an Excel sheet directly in Word.
Importing a Table from an existing Excel Spreadsheet
To import a table from an existing Excel document, first highlight (drag a box with the mouse) the part of the table in Excel that you want to display in Word and copy it using CTRL + C (Mac: CMD + C).
In Word, click where the table should be inserted and paste it using CTRL + V (Mac: CMD + V).
Tip
Make sure the table’s width fits within the document. Empty columns should be deactivated or not copied at all.
Creating an Excel Table within Word
If you want to create the table directly in Word, first click on Insert in the menu bar, then choose Table, and finally click on Excel Spreadsheet.
A table should now appear at the cursor's position. The table can now be edited and filled in just like in Excel.
Text anchors for tables in the layout
If you are not yet familiar with how to use text anchors, feel free to consult this help article.
To ensure that the tables appear in the correct location in the final export of the template, it is important to correctly set the text anchors in both the layout and in LAWLIFT.
If only one text anchor is used, the table will appear either at the beginning or at the end of the document. If the table is placed in the layout before the text anchor, it appears at the beginning; otherwise, at the end of the document.
If the table is to appear at a specific place in the document, multiple text anchors must be used.
Table on a separate page
If the table is to appear on its own on a separate page, first insert a page break (Windows: CTRL + Enter, Mac: CMD + Enter) under the original text anchor {@TEXT}.
Now insert the table on the new page, followed by another page break below the table.
On the new page, place the second text anchor, e.g., {@TEXT1}. In LAWLIFT, all headings that should appear after the table must now also be changed to the second text anchor – in this example, {@TEXT1}.
Tip
If a page break (::pb) is set in LAWLIFT for the first heading after the table, it should be removed, as a page break is already inserted in the layout.
Table within the (dynamic) text
If the table is to be embedded within the text, additional text anchors must be used. First, the heading in LAWLIFT under which the table is to be inserted must be assigned a separate text anchor, e.g., {@TEXT1}.
Rules and text under this heading remain unchanged up to the point where the table is to be inserted.
Everything that should appear below the table later (including all rules) is moved to a new heading, which receives a new text anchor, e.g., {@TEXT2}.
It is important that this heading is hidden so that it does not appear in the final export.
All following headings must now receive another text anchor, e.g., {@TEXT3}.
It is important that the same text anchor is used consistently here, otherwise the order may get mixed up.
In the Word layout, place the text anchor of the visible heading above the table and the one from the hidden heading below the table.
On the blank page under the page break, set the text anchor, e.g., {@TEXT3}, for the remaining headings.
The exported document will look like this if formatted as described above:
