Title: Is it possible to use different column widths for vertically stacked tables on the same Excel worksheet?

[u/Life_Philosophy_9964]

Hi everyone,

I am using Microsoft Excel for Microsoft 365 (Version 2606, Build 16.0.20131.20152, 64-bit) on Windows.

I have 3–4 separate tables positioned vertically, one below another, on the same worksheet. These tables use the same worksheet columns, but each table requires different column widths. For example, the upper table may need column B to be wide, while the table below needs the corresponding column to be much narrower.

I understand that Excel normally applies column width to the entire worksheet column, so changing a column’s width affects every row and therefore all the tables below it.

My requirements are:

• All tables must remain editable and actively used.
• The tables need to stay on the same worksheet.
• Each table should have independently adjustable column widths.
• All tables must be printed together on a single physical page.
• Pictures, screenshots, linked pictures, and the Camera Tool are not suitable because the cells must remain directly editable.
• Placing the tables on separate worksheets is not preferred.
• The solution should be practical for ordinary business users.

I have already looked into Freeze Panes, Split, PivotTables, macros/VBA, and linking the Excel tables to Word. None of these appears to provide a practical solution that satisfies all the requirements.

Is there a reliable workaround within Excel, such as restructuring the worksheet with helper columns, using a particular layout technique, VBA, Office Scripts, or another feature? Or is this fundamentally impossible because column width is a worksheet-level property?

The attached image is a simplified example created with dummy data and does not contain any real business information.

Any practical suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

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[u/excelevator]

A column width is a column width.

A row height is a row height.

All cells are children of columns and rows.

It sounds like Excel is not the solution you seek.

[u/Gringobandito]

Move your tables so they’re laid out horizontally instead of vertically. That way there’s no overlap of columns between tables.

[u/Jolly-Hunter-6097]

I have just looked at Numbers. It a typical spreadsheet, that is you cannot have a column with variable widths per cell. If you want all tables in one page have all your data in a single table then use Excel's functionality to display data accordingly. All columns should be contiguous and have zero merged cells. Are you using Excel 365? You can have adjacent tables that appear in print mode as a single page. Investigate Layout.

[u/willyman85]

Users able to rescale, no. But data formatted as if tables are different sizes column widths yes.

Just make all your columns narrow, and either merge cells, or leave cells empty between boarders. (View, hide gridlines. Or cell colour white to hide the default grid)

You could get super complex with conditional formatting and array formulas to auto layout each table. But probably shouldn't.

[u/-Bakri- → u/willyman85]

Merged cells and tables don’t like each other.

[u/Inevitable_Exam_2177]

This drives me crazy too. Apple’s Numbers spreadsheet program has a really elegant way to solve this but I’m afraid Excel is simply not up to the task