Table of contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Data order in tables
  3. Hierarchy and grouping
  4. Column spacing
  5. Fonts
  6. Bold text in tables
  7. Number alignment
  8. Number rounding
  9. Effective rounding
  10. Totals
  11. Measures
  12. Shading, gridlines and other lines
  13. Units
  14. Titles and subtitles
  15. Annotations
  16. Source

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Introduction

Tables should be used to:

  • allow comparison of individual data values
  • present a very precise level of detail
  • show multiple units of measure (for example, measurements and percentages)
  • present only a small number of data values
  • show values and their sums

Types of table

Dataset

Use a dataset (or reference table) to make statistics available for future reference. These typically have a large number of entries covering a variety of different statistics broken down into different categories. They are supplied alongside the main commentary in an accompanying spreadsheet or dataset.

Presentation table

Create a presentation table to demonstrate a point that is being made in the text. These use data extracted from datasets, laid out so as to quickly reinforce the point. The design should ensure that patterns and exceptions are obvious at a glance.

Presentation tables are created using table builder in Florence. We recommend no more than nine columns as there are some restrictions on how the tables are formatted.