On a recent project of mine, I tasked a team member with creating a communication to send out to users. This communication involved making a table in the body of the email. We use Gmail (Google Mail) as our email system and he couldn’t find a way to create a table in Gmail. He even went as far as to insert a picture of a table from Excel instead of a simple table. Looking at the icons in Gmail, there is no way that I see to make a table:
I said there has to be a way as I have seen other emails with tables in them so I knew we could do it.
Here is a sample of table that I wanted to add in a Gmail email text body:
But if I copy this table of values from Excel to Gmail email, this is what it looks like:
You lose some of the formatting. The numbers are now left justified. The cell borders are gone. The bolding is gone. There has to be a way to make a table with borders in Google Mail. Here is the quick trick on how to do it.
The Breakdown and Step-by-Step
1) Create a Table in Excel Spreadsheet Cells
2) Copy the Table of Spreadsheet Cells from Microsoft Excel and Paste in Microsoft Word
3) Copy the Table of Spreadsheet Cells from Microsoft Word and Paste in Gmail Email Text Body
That is the trick. Copy from Excel to Word. Then copy from Word to Google mail.
Here is what the Gmail table looks like when copied to Word from Excel and then to the email:
See all the formatting and table structure with borders are intact. Simple trick for a confusing problem when using Gmail, tables and Excel.
Video Tutorial
Check out this technique in this short video demonstration:
What other cool tricks do you use when using Excel? Let me know in the comments below. Also, don’t forget to subscribe up for my blog so you get the next posting delivered directly into your inbox.
Steve=True
Another way to copy/paste an excel table onto gmail without having to use Word is as follows:
(1) Instead of using the “copy” function, go under “paste” and you’ll see a function called “copy as picture.” Use that.
(2) “Paste” the table back on the excel sheet (just off to the side for the purpose of efficiency).
(3) “Copy” the recently pasted image and you can “paste” it onto your gmail.
Thanks SM for the Tip! Steve=True
This is a great tip. It actually works. Thank you so much for it 🙂
great tip and thanks!!
That’s an amazing & time saving trick.
Thanks for the great comment.
Steve=True
Saved the day! It worked on my Mac. Thanks for the tip!
Thanks for the great comment Jane. So glad to help and also know that it works on a Mac. Steve=True
Hi..Thanks a lot for the solution. It works like a charm!
Thanks,
Gautam
Awesome, so happy to help. Glad it worked for you. Thanks for the great comment. Steve=True
You saved me…thanks!
Awesome, I am so glad to help Tayo. Thanks. Steve=True
It not working can you please tell me about the setting for the same.
Hi Prinyanka, I am not sure what you mean. I am not aware of a setting. There are extensions available in the Chrome extensions store.
It’s nice !!Your tick is really work thanks
Glad it worked out. You are welcome
Nice trick. It works well when needed.
Thank you!
Thanks AnkA.
Awesome Tip bro or sis not sure who really you are. Thank you so much for the help!!!!!!!!!
Great tip. Easy as well.
Thanks
Good trick! Was struggling with formatting on gmail. On doing Ctrl+V, no other option comes apart form simple paste, so definitely this works for me!!
Yeah, very frustrating. Glad to help!
Thank you very much for this trick. It worked for me 🙂
You are very welcome! Glad it worked.
Thank You
You are very welcome.
Thanks for this.
Thanks for the great comment. Much appreciated!
If you are working on the Excel and have to send that Excel report to anyone, Gmail is the best platform for that. You just have to copy that Excel report that you have been created and then can paste and send it to the wished email address.