What is a multi-column layout?

Multi-column layout, as the name suggests, divides the document text into multiple columns. It is very popular in magazines, brochures, newspapers and scientific articles.

The multi-column layout isn’t just for aesthetics; it helps save space, makes it easier to scan a document, and can be used to organize separate sections of text.

Microsoft Word offers flexible page layout settings that allow you to customize the number of columns in a document, whether the multi-column layout applies to the entire document or part of it, as well as the width and spacing of the columns.

Add columns to the entire document

To add columns to your document, go to Layout tab, select Columnsand choose Two or Three to separate your text into either two or three 3-inch columns with 0.15-inch space between them. For more than three columns, select Multiple columns and enter the required number in the field Number of columns box. You can create up to thirteen text columns in Microsoft Word.

Right or Left from Columns menu. This layout is a little looser, allowing you to highlight one side of the page for more prominent content, while keeping the other column for supporting information such as side notes or summaries. This approach can be particularly useful in news or newsletters where you want to highlight key points or visuals.

Adding columns to a single paragraph

Layout > Columnsand choose your preferred option from the drop-down list. The paragraph will be split into columns while the rest of the text remains the same.

Adding columns to a section

Section breaks allow you to use a multi-column layout in a single section of the document. You can add a section break by going to Layout > Endings > Section Endings. Then, choose where you want the next section to start: the next page, the same page, the next even-numbered page, or the next odd-numbered page. Once section breaks are in place before and after a particular point, you can apply a multi-column format to only that section.

Layout > Columns

Tips for creating a professional report

1. Use Text Wrap for images

Word wrap allows images in a document to blend seamlessly with the text. To apply text wrapping, select an image and tap Layout options next to it and select the text wrap layout from With Text Wrapping options. You can now resize the image outside the column boundaries and let the text naturally wrap around the image.

2. Customization Beyond Presets

You can further customize the multi-column layout by selecting Multiple columns from Columns menu. In the next window, you can add up to 13 columns, adjust their width and spacing individually (uncheck the Same column width box) and add lines between the columns.

3. Use Column Ends

Column wraps can be used to control the flow of text in columns. You can use it to make a row in one column start in the next column. To insert a column break, use a shortcut Ctrl + Shift + Enter or select Column from Layout > Breaks.

A multi-column layout can increase the visual appeal and readability of your message. They are quite easy to set up and customize. You can experiment with different column layouts—for example, two or three columns, or unequal column widths—to see which one works best for your document. Tables are another great way to organize information in Microsoft Word.