How to Insert Rows Independently in Two Side-by-Side Excel Tables in WPS Office
Question details
The user needs to expand one table that sits beside another on the same worksheet without moving or disturbing the adjacent table.
- Product
- WPS Office Spreadsheets
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Two tables are placed side by side on the same rows, and the user wants to add rows to only one of them.
- Observed behavior
- Inserting a full worksheet row shifts both tables down and disrupts the neighboring table content.
Open your workbook in WPS Office Spreadsheets and confirm that the two tables are independent ranges rather than one combined table. Identify the exact cells in the target table that need to move down before you insert.
Insert Cells with Shift Cells Down to Expand Only One Table
Use this method when you need to add blank rows or shift existing cells down inside one table without affecting an adjacent table on the same worksheet row.
Unlike inserting an entire worksheet row, the Insert Cells command with Shift cells down moves only the selected range in the target table. This keeps the neighboring table in its original rows while you create extra space in the selected area.
In WPS Office Spreadsheets, open your worksheet and select only the cells inside the table that need to shift downward. Do not select entire rows.
Right-click the selected cells and choose Insert from the context menu, or go to the Home tab and click Insert > Insert Cells.
In the Insert dialog, select Shift cells down and click OK. The selected table cells move down while the adjacent table remains unchanged.
Expand One Side-by-Side Table Without Moving the Other in WPS Spreadsheets
WPS Office Spreadsheets lets you insert cells and shift them down, so you can add space to one table only. This avoids the full-row insert behavior that moves adjacent content on the same rows.
- 1. Open your Excel file: Launch WPS Office Spreadsheets and open the workbook that contains the two side-by-side tables.
- 2. Select only the target table cells: Click and drag to select the cells within the table that you want to move down.
- 3. Open Insert Cells: Right-click the selection and click Insert, or use Home > Insert > Insert Cells.
- 4. Shift cells down: Select Shift cells down in the Insert dialog and click OK.
- 5. Check the neighboring table: Confirm that only the target table moved down and the adjacent table remains in its original rows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does inserting an entire row move my second table in WPS Spreadsheets?
A full worksheet row insert shifts every cell on that row across all columns, including any adjacent table. To avoid this, select cells only in the target table and use Insert Cells > Shift cells down.
How do I insert multiple blank rows in only one side-by-side table?
Select the same number of existing rows or cells in the target table that you want to add, right-click, choose Insert, select Shift cells down, and click OK.
Will Shift cells down affect formulas below the selected range?
It can change cell references for formulas that point to the shifted cells. Review formulas immediately below the selection after inserting to confirm they still reference the intended cells.
Can I use this method when the side-by-side items are actual Excel Tables?
Both formatted ranges and Excel Table objects can be expanded without moving the whole worksheet row. For a formatted range, select the target cells and use Insert Cells > Shift cells down. For an Excel Table object, use the Table tab or right-click menu to insert table rows only.
