Compare options with tables and columns
Use a table when readers need to compare the same facts across several options. Use columns when two explanations belong beside each other. Build a small decision page, practise the visible row and column controls, and choose a reading width that suits the content.
Document editor → / → Table or Columns; document toolbar → Page widthWhat you’ll learn
- Build a comparison with consistent criteria.
- Add or remove table rows and columns.
- Distinguish content columns from page width.
Captured in Boilerrum with an illustrative project. The app interface is shown in English.
In this guide
01
Start with a small comparison table
In an empty paragraph type / and select Table. The inserted table starts with three rows and three columns, without a designated header row. Use the first row for labels such as Option, Benefit and Cost, then enter two candidate approaches below it. Keep each cell concise so readers can compare one criterion down a column without reading a paragraph.
02
Extend the table deliberately
Select a table row or column using its edge control to reveal its action menu. Add row before and Add row after create space for another option. Add column before and Add column after introduce another criterion. Fill the new cells immediately and check their alignment with the existing labels. Delete row or Delete column removes the selected structure and its contents.
03
Put related explanations side by side
Below the comparison, insert Columns from the slash menu. Write the recommended approach in one column and the reasons in the other. With the cursor inside the layout, use Two columns for balanced content, Sidebar left for a smaller left-hand explanation, or Sidebar right for a smaller right-hand explanation. Inspect both columns after switching so the relationship between them remains clear.
04
Choose the reading width
Open Page width in the document toolbar or focus header. Compare Narrow, Normal and Wide while viewing your table and nearby prose. Narrow can keep a short narrative comfortable; Wide gives a larger comparison more room. This control changes the reading surface rather than adding content columns. Choose the width that makes both labels and paragraphs readable without unnecessary line wrapping.
05
Check the comparison in its final context
Read each row from its option name to its final criterion and make sure no value has slipped under the wrong label. Follow the recommendation beneath the table and confirm that it cites the visible trade-offs. Use Copy Markdown and paste into a text editor if you need a portable text check; tables export as Markdown, while visual column layout should be reviewed separately.
A concise comparison and a supporting layout that make the recommendation easy to evaluate.