Selection.Tables(1).Rows(iRow + iHeads).Shading.Texture _ IRowTtl = Selection.Tables(1).Rows.Count - iHeads IHeads = InputBox(prompt:='Number of heading rows?', _ If Selection.Information(wdWithInTable) = True Then The following is a good example of a macro that can apply shading to every third row in a table: In this instance it may be best to use a macro to do your formatting. They don't work so well if you want the formatting applied to every third, fourth, or fifth row. The solutions described so far work great if you want to apply formatting to every other row in a table. The formatting automatically adjusts as you change the number of rows in the table. You can apply this style to the table, as desired. You've now created a shading style for either odd or even rows. Set the style name and other properties, as desired.

Use the controls in the dialog box to set the formatting you want applied to the rows.

Using the Apply Formatting To drop-down list, choose Odd Banded Rows or Even Banded Rows, depending on whether you want this style to apply to odd or even rows.

The Create New Style from Formatting dialog box. Word displays the Create New Style from Formatting dialog box. Click it to display the full range of table styles defined in Word.

At the right side of the thumbnail images in the Table Styles group you'll notice up and down arrows.

Place the insertion point somewhere within a table.

(This is how the Table AutoFormats do it.) Follow these steps: You can define a table style that automatically applies shading to either the even or odd rows in a table. Styles have been available in Word for years and years. How is this done? Glad you asked that leads to the second method of shading table rows-creating your own table styles. Many of the table formats are 'smart,' meaning that they can adjust row shading even if you add new rows to the table.

Using the thumbnails in the Table Styles group, click one that uses shading on the table rows.

Make sure the Design tab of the ribbon is displayed.

Place the insertion point somewhere within the table.

Create your table as you normally would.

One approach is to use some of the predefined table styles that Word makes available. You may want to accomplish the same task in Word, and the program provides several approaches you can take. In Excel it is possible to use conditional formatting to shade every other row (or every nth row) of a data table.

Insert new header row in word table