- name
- docx-tables
- version
- 2.0.0
- description
- Create Word documents with properly formatted tables using docx npm library. Tables work consistently across Word and Google Docs. Use when creating DOCX files with tables, especially itineraries, schedules, or data tables.
- author
- Jimmy
- tags
docx-tables
Create Word documents with tables that work everywhere - Word, Google Docs, etc.
⚠️ THE 5 CRITICAL RULES
1. Dual-Width Sizing (MOST CRITICAL)
Set widths in TWO places - on table AND on each cell:
// Table level
new Table({
width: { size: 9360, type: WidthType.DXA },
columnWidths: [1872, 7488],
rows: [...]
})
// Cell level - EVERY cell needs width!
new TableCell({
width: { size: 1872, type: WidthType.DXA },
children: [...]
})2. Use DXA Only, Never Percentages
Percentages break in Google Docs. Use DXA:
- 1 inch = 1440 DXA
- US Letter with 1" margins = 9360 DXA
// ❌ WRONG
width: { size: 100, type: WidthType.PERCENTAGE }
// ✅ CORRECT
width: { size: 9360, type: WidthType.DXA }3. Use ShadingType.CLEAR
const { ShadingType } = require('docx');
// ❌ WRONG - black background!
shading: { type: ShadingType.SOLID, fill: "E0F2F1" }
// ✅ CORRECT
shading: { type: ShadingType.CLEAR, fill: "E0F2F1" }4. Add Cell Padding
const cellMargins = { top: 80, bottom: 80, left: 120, right: 120 };
new TableCell({
margins: cellMargins,
children: [...]
})5. Column Widths Must Sum Exactly
For 1" margins: 9360 DXA
columnWidths: [1872, 7488] // = 9360 ✓
columnWidths: [3120, 3120, 3120] // = 9360 ✓Complete Working Example
const { Document, Packer, Paragraph, TextRun, Table, TableRow, TableCell,
WidthType, AlignmentType, BorderStyle, TableLayoutType, ShadingType } = require('docx');
const fs = require('fs');
const TOTAL_WIDTH = 9360;
const COL1 = 1872;
const COL2 = 7488;
const cellBorders = {
top: { style: BorderStyle.SINGLE, size: 1, color: "CCCCCC" },
bottom: { style: BorderStyle.SINGLE, size: 1, color: "CCCCCC" },
left: { style: BorderStyle.SINGLE, size: 1, color: "CCCCCC" },
right: { style: BorderStyle.SINGLE, size: 1, color: "CCCCCC" }
};
const cellMargins = { top: 80, bottom: 80, left: 120, right: 120 };
const doc = new Document({
sections: [{
properties: {
page: { margin: { top: 1440, right: 1440, bottom: 1440, left: 1440 } }
},
children: [
new Table({
layout: TableLayoutType.FIXED,
width: { size: TOTAL_WIDTH, type: WidthType.DXA },
columnWidths: [COL1, COL2],
rows: [
new TableRow({
children: [
new TableCell({
children: [new Paragraph({
children: [new TextRun({ text: "Header", bold: true, color: "FFFFFF" })],
alignment: AlignmentType.CENTER
})],
width: { size: TOTAL_WIDTH, type: WidthType.DXA },
columnSpan: 2,
shading: { type: ShadingType.CLEAR, fill: "1565C0" },
borders: cellBorders,
margins: cellMargins
})
]
}),
new TableRow({
children: [
new TableCell({
children: [new Paragraph("Col 1")],
width: { size: COL1, type: WidthType.DXA },
borders: cellBorders,
margins: cellMargins
}),
new TableCell({
children: [new Paragraph("Col 2")],
width: { size: COL2, type: WidthType.DXA },
borders: cellBorders,
margins: cellMargins
})
]
})
]
})
]
}]
});
Packer.toBuffer(doc).then(buffer => {
fs.writeFileSync('output.docx', buffer);
});Column Width Cheat Sheet
For US Letter with 1" margins = 9360 DXA:
| Layout | Column Widths |
|---|---|
| 2 cols (20/80) | [1872, 7488] |
| 2 cols (25/75) | [2340, 7020] |
| 2 cols (equal) | [4680, 4680] |
| 3 cols (equal) | [3120, 3120, 3120] |
| 3 cols (25/25/50) | [2340, 2340, 4680] |
Troubleshooting
Tables narrow in Google Docs?
- Use
WidthType.DXA, not PERCENTAGE - Add
widthto EVERY TableCell
Cell backgrounds black?
- Use
ShadingType.CLEAR, not SOLID
Text touching borders?
- Add
margins: { top: 80, bottom: 80, left: 120, right: 120 }
Columns uneven?
- Verify column widths sum to exactly 9360