To create columns within a single column area in a document, you typically need to use section breaks to define the specific part of the page where you want the nested columns to appear. This allows you to apply a different column format to just that isolated area.
Understanding Nested Columns
Creating "columns in a column" means taking a block of text that currently occupies the width of a single main column (or the full page width if it's a single-column document) and dividing that specific block into two or more narrower columns. This is useful for things like:
- Sidebars with smaller text or lists.
- Creating varied layouts on a page.
- Fitting more information compactly within a specific area.
As demonstrated in resources like the video titled "Word Columns Within a Column," the process involves careful formatting.
Practical Steps to Create Columns Within a Column
The most common method involves using section breaks in word processing software (like Microsoft Word). Here's a breakdown:
- Identify the Area: Decide exactly where on your page you want the nested columns to start and end.
- Insert a Section Break (Before): Place your cursor at the beginning of the text where you want the nested columns to start. Go to your document's Layout or Page Layout tab. Find "Breaks" and under "Section Breaks," select Continuous. This creates a new section on the same page, allowing you to change the formatting from this point onwards.
- Apply Column Formatting: With your cursor in the new section, go back to the Layout or Page Layout tab. Find the "Columns" option. Choose the number of columns you want for this specific area (e.g., Two, Three, or More Columns for custom settings like width and spacing).
- Add Your Content: Now, type or paste the information you want to appear in these nested columns. Just as shown in the reference, you would put your "Information more information even more information in this column." Content will flow from one nested column to the next within this section.
- Use Column Breaks (Optional): If you want to force text from one nested column to jump to the next before filling the current one completely, insert a Column Break from the Breaks menu (under "Page Breaks"). The reference mentions creating a "column. Break," which is how you control text flow within these nested columns.
- Insert a Section Break (After): Once you have finished the content for your nested columns, place your cursor immediately after it. Insert another Continuous section break. This marks the end of the nested column area.
- Return to Original Formatting: Place your cursor in the section after the second continuous break. Go back to the "Columns" option and select the layout you were using before (e.g., One Column, or the original multi-column layout of the main page).
Following these steps isolates the specific area where you apply the nested column format, preventing it from affecting the rest of your document layout.
