why can’t I resize tables when formatting restrictions are turned on?

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I am in charge of lotsa company templates, and I need to restrict formatting because we create controlled documents. However, when I create a new doc from a template in which I have turned on formatting restrictions, users can insert new tables but then they cannot resize rows or cols. This is a killer, our documents contain many tables and users need to be able to put new ones into documents if needed.

I know I have set up the restrictions correctly. Can’t figure out how to fix this. Table Grid is not locked. Will be very grateful for some help on this!

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I’m assuming this is a standard problem for everyone including you and not dependant on different users and/or different word versions
— The title of this post indicates to me that the tables can be resized when there aren’t any formatting restrictions
—— Is this true?
— The problem is for tables that are pasted into the template.
— Is the problem is the same for tables created within the template instead of being pasted in?

I don’t have the answer to your question yet, but consider the following ideas as processes of elimination

Instead of inserting a new table, create a new table within the template you created with the formatting restrictions
— Then see if you can resize rows & columns

If you cannot resize rows & columns, look more into the formatting restrictions
— In this case I would create a 2nd template without the formatting restrictions yet
— Add one restriction, create a new table within the new template and see if you can resize rows & columns
— If successful, add each of the following restrictions one at a time which conducting your test in between each on

You could also extract a table in which the rows & columns cannot be resized and check whether or not it does work ok on its own

HP EliteBook 8540w laptop Windows 10 Pro (x64)

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A simple workaround is to create the table in another document (or copy it to there from the restricted one), resize as necessary, then copy & paste into your restricted document. Less effectively, perhaps, you can also use the mouse to drag row/column borders to new positions within the restricted document.

Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

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Can you post a template where you have set up the restrictions so we can see what styles you have locked down?

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I did nothing more than turn on format restriction in a new empty document. These icons on the Table> Layout tab became grey: Properties, Merge cells, Cell size height and width, all alignment icons, and Repeat header rows. My guess is that this, like the restriction of other direct formatting, is by design.

But I am able to drag cell borders to resize tables. Can you do that? Or are you asking if there’s a workaround?

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Figure it out. I was trying to resize by dragging column markers on the ruler. They are locked for some reason when format restriction is on. But just determined that I can resize by dragging actual columns when restrictions are on. Mystery solved, though why the col markers on the ruler are locked is unknown.

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