Tables

Many people can work on the same Acrobat.com table at the same time. You don’t have to check it out (or in) from the server or send a copy to each person in e-mail. You can create, collect, analyze, and share data sets, with everyone working on the same worksheet simultaneously. You can see everyone’s changes as they work. When someone is editing a cell, it becomes gray as a visual clue. You can move your pointer over a cell with to see who is working on that entry. You can also set permissions so that some collaborators can edit the content, and some can only view or read it.

Create data tables and share them
Create project plans, customer contact lists, schedules, or employee records, and share them with colleagues for further updates or review.
Note: You can copy and paste data from Excel and CSV files into a table.

Filter and sort table data simultaneously
The team can view the entire document at once.

Calculate values
Calculate data values (sums, averages, or more complex formulas) by using formulas and summary rows. You can also calculate the sum of a table row.

Restrict data types
Restrict data type and formats to allow only certain types of data to be entered, such as text or numbers.

View data privately
Each member can switch on Private View to filter and work on specific data without disrupting the shared table organization. Changes to data that you make while in Private View are saved.

Preview and print a table
Adjust the page layout and preview what the printed content will look like.

Export data to PDF, Excel, and CSV
Your document versions are saved automatically, with the date, time, and name of the author. You can view a specific version at any time.

    View content history (versions)

    1. In an open table, click the History icon in the lower-right part of the Collaborator bar.

    2. The leftmost black circle indicates the current document version. Select a different circle to view a previous version. The date, time, and person who changed the file are displayed.

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      Create a table and enter data

      When you create a table, an empty worksheet of rows and columns appears. You can click the column headings and rows and start entering data directly in the table. Column headings remain fixed as you scroll down the rows. The Copy, Paste, Undo, and Redo commands are available in the Edit menu. Select a cell and then press Delete or use the Edit menu to clear the contents of a table cell.

      • Select a cell and press Delete, or use the Edit menu to clear the contents of a table cell.

      • Right-click a column heading or a single cell to access certain commands. Clear contents, delete row or column, and filter a direct match for a selected cell. The commands for a selected column include alphabetical sort, hiding a column, and filtering.

      • Use the row context menu to copy or delete from the row.

      • Paste text or data into tables from other files.

      • Find and replace data (Edit > Find).

      • Set page layout (Table > Page Setup) to set paper size, orientation, margins, and print order.

      • Print a table or export to PDF, Excel, or CVS format.

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      A.
      Toolbar

      B.
      Filter tab

      C.
      Share button

      D.
      Sharing List menu

      E.
      Collaborators

      F.
      History icon

      G.
      Private view

      H.
      Zoom

      I.
      Synchronator

        Add or delete a row or column

        1. Choose New > Table.

        2. To add a row or column:

          • Click the plus sign above or below a row, or the plus sign between columns.

          • Select Insert > Row or Insert > Column. Pressing Enter or Return after entering data moves the pointer focus to the next row down.

          • Press Tab at the end of a row to add a new column.

          • Press Enter or Return in the last row of a column to add a new row.

        3. To adjust column widths, drag the vertical guides between columns.

        4. To delete, copy, or paste the contents of a row, hover the pointer over the row number and select from the row context menu .

        5. To select multiple rows or columns, drag across deselected rows/columns. Or, click one row and then Shift-click on another to select those two rows and all rows in between.

        Calculate formulas in a cell, range, or column

        In Tables, you can apply a formula to a column, to an individual cell, or to a range of cells. Use summary rows to apply calculations to columns of data.

        You can copy and paste formulas between cells. Tables allows for both relative and absolute cell references. When you copy a formula with relative cell references (for example, =A1, =A2, and so on), the cell references are automatically updated when pasted in a new location. Use absolute cell references when you want a cell reference to stay fixed on a particular cell (for example, =$A1, =$A2, and so on).

        Summary rows

        Summary rows allow for complex calculations using entire columns of data. Insert a summary row anywhere in a table and enter a formula in the summary row. For example, if your table includes a column that lists hours worked by employee, and you want to see the total hours worked, enter =SUM(@ColumnName) in the summary row.

        Acrobat.com Tables applies the formula to all the rows above the summary row in a column. As you add new rows to the column, the row data is automatically included in the summary calculations. This feature is an advantage over traditional spreadsheets where you must re-edit the formula when you add rows to the end of a range. Acrobat.com Tables adjusts the calculation for you automatically.

        Summary rows can contain formulas or text. For example, you can put the label “Total” in cell C25 to identify the calculation in cell D25.

        1. Add data in at least two rows in a column. Click the Add Summary Row icon . Or, select the item from the Insert menu in the Table toolbar .

        2. Create the calculation in the summary row by entering a formula, starting with = and using the built-in functions. Or create a calculation using = and the arithmetic operators, such as +, *, and others. You can also click the equal sign (=) on the right side of the cell and select one of the frequently used functions. By default, these functions use the values in the column you’re working in to make the calculation.

          SUM
          The sum of the values in the column.

          AVERAGE
          The sum of the row values divided by the number of values.

          COUNT
          The total number of cells where data appears (empty cells are not counted).

          MIN
          The smallest value in the column.

          MAX
          The largest value in the column.

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          In a summary row, enter a formula to calculate the column value you want or select from the menu of functions.

        Add worksheets, tables, or text to the canvas

        The canvas surrounds the response table. You can add elements to the canvas, such as additional worksheets, new tables, or text blocks. To add a worksheet, table, or textbox, make sure that you're in Normal View (choose View > Normal View at the upper right of the window). Then, choose an option from the Insert menu.
        Sheet
        Adds a worksheet to the canvas. To name a worksheet, double-click the tab and the top of the worksheet and enter a name. Authors and Co-authors can create, rename, modify, and delete sheets.

        Table
        Creates a table on the canvas. Move the table by dragging the tab in the upper-left corner of the table. Authors and Co-authors can add tables to the canvas and modify the contents of those tables.

        Text Box
        Adds a textbox so that you can enter text. Use the text controls in the toolbar at the top of the window to format the text that you enter. Resize the textbox by dragging its handles. Use the Border Color and Border Width buttons in the toolbar to assign a color and border width to the textbox. Authors and Co-authors can add textboxes to the canvas, and edit the contents of those textboxes.

        Sort and filter data

        Sort column data in ascending or descending order, for example, alphabetically from A-Z or Z-A. Or, you can filter the data and show only what is important to you. For information that you need but don’t want others to see, you can also hide columns of data. When you sort a column, the row numbers update. If you then change the data, it does not automatically resort but you can choose the command to sort again.

        1. To sort a table based on a column of data in either ascending or descending order, right-click a column heading and select an option. Or, click the column context menu and select an option.

          Note: You can only sort on one column as the key for the sort.
        2. To filter a table to show only the data that you want to view, do one of the following:

          • Right-click an individual cell and select Filter By to filter the cell value.

          • Click a column letter (or right-click a column heading) and select Filter, then select the checkbox for each row to filter on.

          • To filter on specific criteria, click the column menu and select Custom Filter or click the Custom Filter icon in the upper-left corner of the work area and select Click To Create A Filter.

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          The Filter dialog box lets you set criteria to display specific data.
          Note: The remaining steps apply to creating a custom filter.
          If you open the Filter dialog box and other users are editing the table, you are prompted to use Private View. In this view, you can filter the table without changing the table view for everyone else. If you don’t use Private View, all other users see your filter (see View data in Private View).
        3. In the Filter dialog box, select the criteria for the filter you want to perform. Options include the following:
          All
          A strict filter that displays data only when every one of the criteria is met. For example, the Sales Representative column must be “Niki Silva” AND the Sales Q1 (USD) column must be “greater than $10,000.”

          Any
          A loose filter that displays data that meets at least one of the criteria you specify. For example, the Sales Representative column must be “Genessa Matthews” OR the sales amount must be greater than $10,000.

          Criteria restrictions vary depending on the data in your table. When you set the data type, such as Currency or Text, the menu provides the acceptable terms. For example, you can filter currencies that are “greater than” a number, but you can’t filter text that is “greater than” other text.

        4. To add a second set of criteria for the filter, click the area below the first set and add it. To remove all the filter criteria, click the Clear button. To remove a single set of criteria, click the minus (-) button next to the set.

          Note: While the Filter dialog box is open, you can see the filtered results behind it. You can apply multiple filters to see the data without closing the dialog box (but you can’t access or edit the data).

        5. Click OK to close the Filter dialog box and keep the filter in place. The filter criteria are displayed in the Filter toolbar. When you close the Filter toolbar, the Filter icon changes to red to indicate that a filter is in effect.

        Note: When collaborating on a table with others, it’s a good idea to leave the Filter toolbar open to see when others change data. Click Refresh to update the table with the new data.

        Hide and show columns

        If you’re working with complex data, such as calculations that many team members do not use, as the author or co-author, you can hide the columns where the complex formulas appear.

        1. To hide a column in a table, click the column letter and select Hide Column.

        2. To display a hidden column, click any column letter and select Unhide. A list of hidden columns appears so you can choose which one to show.

        Cell and column formats

        You can specify the type of data and format that is entered in a table column. For example, if you’re creating a schedule, you can set Date as the data type and 01/01/08 as the data format. You can also restrict the format on the data type so that only the specified type can be entered in a column. Restricting data types is useful when many people are entering information in the same table and you want to allow them to enter only a certain type of data. For example, if a colleague enters text in a column restricted to numbers, a message warns them that the text they enter will be erased.

        1. To set the data type, click the Table toolbar.

        2. Select a column and then choose the data type from the first menu. Options include General, Text, Number, Currency, Percentage, Date, Checkbox, and Email.

        3. Choose the data format, such as Decimal Places for Currency, or 10:00 A.M. for Date.

          Note: The format of a data type varies depending on the type of data in your column. For example, the Text data type has no additional format options available. If you choose Number as the data type, you can set decimal place, comma, and other options.

        4. To restrict a data type, select a column and click the Table toolbar.

        5. Choose a data type and format, and then choose an option from the Restrictions pop-up menu.

          Only the specified data type can be entered in that column until you deselect the option in the Restrictions pop-up menu.

          Format cell contents

          Format cells, columns, or the entire table using the toolbar at the top of the Tables application. You can format the text, apply a background color, and adjust the alignment and text wrap.

          • To format an individual cell, select the cell.

          • To format all the cells in a column or row, click the column or row header.

          • To format the entire table, click the square in the upper-left corner of the table to select all cells in the table.

          View data in Private View

          Private View is useful for isolating data without changing the column layout or information that others see while they’re working in the table. You can sort, filter, rearrange, and resize columns without affecting the view that everyone else sees. For example, you can filter the Bakery Dept. column to find out how many inventory items contain the word “chocolate.” Or you can view expenses or sales greater than $10,000 in a specific column.

          Colleagues do not see the filtering that you do while in Private View. However, if you enter new data, the data is part of the overall worksheet and others see it. All users roles can use Private View.

          1. To turn on Private View, click the Views icon in the toolbar.

          2. Select the Private View icon in the toolbar. The Private View tile appears in the Collaborator bar in the lower-right corner of the window.

          3. To turn off Private View and return to the shared view, click the Private View icon again to toggle it off. Or, move your pointer over the Private View tile in the Collaborator bar and click Turn Off.

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          When Private View is on, the tile in the lower-right corner displays a keyhole image.

            Print or export tables

            The Print Layout view provides a way to preview your document before you print or export it. While in this view, you can use the Edit > Find command or make other last-minute calculation changes to your table.

            1. In an open document, click the Views icon in the toolbar.

            2. Select the Print Layout View icon in the toolbar. The document appears in the page layout view.

            3. Click one of the rulers along the side or top of the document to open the Page Setup dialog box. Select the options you want to change, and click OK.

            4. (Optional) Use the slider in the toolbar to increase or decrease the scale of the content. The printed or exported file retains the setting.

            5. (Optional) Add header information by clicking in the top margin above the table to select the header box. (Choose the left, middle, or right cell to align the header.) Then select a header formula from the context menu, adding spaces between items if you want. Header formats include author or document name, sheet name, date, time, page number, and page count.

            6. Select File > Print or File > Export to print your document or export it to an Adobe PDF, Microsoft Excel, or CSV file.

            If there are multiple tables on the canvas when you export to Excel, each table is written separately, one below another in the exported file. When you export to CSV, only the selected table is exported.

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            Use Print Layout view to set margins., change the printed or exported table size, and add header information to a table.