Setting tab stops using the ruler

We use tabs to align data on our paper.
One way of setting tabs can be by means of the ruler.
If you do not see this, choose the “View” tab in the Ribbon, and click the box for the text “Ruler”, so this is checked.

We find the horizontal ruler on the left and vertical ruler on top, we also have the tab selector.
The tab selector contains the different types of tabs, we can use in our document.

	The left tab stop, is used to set the starting position of text, this is from left to right while typing.
	With a tab stop for centering, we set the position of the center of the text. While typing the text is centered in this position.
	With a decimal tab stop line, we round numbers from a comma. The point remains in the same position, regardless of the number of digits.
	With a line tab stop there is a vertical bar which is inserted in the tab position.
	With a right tab stop, we set text to the right end of the page. As you type it goes from the left to the right.
	First line indentation.
	Hanging indent

By default, the left tab stop is set.
By clicking on the tab selector, we can easily change the type of tab.

To set a tab in the ruler, first choose the type with the tab selector, and then click on the position where you want it in the ruler.

The cursor will automatically move to the next tab, when you click the tab key on your keyboard.
All data in this manner can be aligned properly.

Set tab stops using the dialog

A second way of tab stops can be set in the tab stop dialog window.

Click on the downward pointing arrow next to the group “Paragraph”.

This opens the dialog “Paragraph”, where you click on the “Tabs” at the bottom left of the window.

The various tabs that we see in the previous section of this lesson, are also in the box with the different tab stops.

To remove it, select the tab in the list, and click the “Clear” button.

To set a position to a tab, you have to set it in “Tab stop position”, eg 1 cm, select an alignment for the tab, and click “Set”.

Click the OK button when you finish setting up all your tabs.

To remove all tabs, click the button “Clear All”.

To move tabs, you can click and drag this in the ruler.
To remove tabs, click and drag it into the document.

Fill characters between tabs

Fill characters between the different tabs, can help us to read the data from our document in an easier way.

Default setting is set to “None”.
Do you want to insert a tab leader? Select the tab in the Tabs dialog box where you want to fill characters.
Select the type of tab leader you want.
And click the button “Set”.
Click OK when you have finished making changes.

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