This blog is for you if you’d like to learn how to add a table into a Canva template.
As things stand at the moment you cannot insert or upload an Excel spreadsheet directly into Canva. However, I’d like to show you how to easily solve this problem by creating a table within Canva.
Once you’ve learnt the basic technique you can enjoy customising each table template. Get creative with different Canva elements, change the background colour, upload a photo as a background and stamp your template with your own visual brand style.
So here’s what you’re going to learn -
How to add a table to a Canva template
How to customise a Canva table by -
○ changing the background colour
○ adding a background photo
Secure your template for sharing online
How to create and annotate a PDF version of a Canva table
You’ll find any any references or suggested tools and apps in the Resources section right at the bottom of this blog.
[Feel free to watch the full YouTube tutorial if you prefer, or follow the step-by-step instructions as you watch.]
Let’s dive into the details…
1. How to add a table to a Canva template
It doesn’t matter what size template you use, it depends entirely on your project (I used an A4 template in my video tutorial).
Before you start creating your table work out on a piece of paper how many ‘columns’ and ‘rows’ you’ll need for your table.
Since you’re going to be creating the ‘cells’ within your table, you’ll also need to consider how much text will be added to each one. This will help you get a rough idea of how big to make each ‘cell’.
(i) Step 1
So open up a Canva template and begin by adding a header. I’m using a Client Booking Form by way of example.
Now add a margin.
As with all working documents it’s helpful to use margins as guidelines to ensure all the elements you add are perfectly aligned.
To add a margin head over to the side bar, select ‘Elements’ → Square Border. Click it once to add it to your template.
Hold down and drag the side buttons to re-shape the square border until you have the shape you need.
(ii) Step 2
Now you’re going to start making ‘rows’ and ‘columns’ for your table by creating individual ‘cells’. This is where any text will be added.
Go to the side bar and select ‘Elements’ → Square.
Click the square once to bring it up onto your template. The square will be the ‘cells’ within your table.
Drag the corner buttons to re-shape the square so that you create the correct size for each cell.
If the cells are going to be the same size in each row save yourself a bunch of time by creating a couple of rows, grouping them together and duplicating them.
[Not sure how to do this? Refer to my Canva tutorial, “How to Group Elements in Canva”. You find the link in the resources section below ⬇️].
(iii) Step 3
Your template should now look something like this, with all the cells created.
You will see that I have two columns and nine rows in my table.
(iv) Step 4
Now let’s think about adding text to each row / column.
⭐️ Tip: once you’ve created one text box with your desired font style, size and colour click the “Duplicate” tab in the top right hand corner of your Canva toolbar.
This will copy the text box with exactly the same font style as before and ensure consistency throughout your table.
Go ahead and edit the wording for each text box.
2. How to Customise a Table in Canva
(v) Step 5
This is when the fun starts! You can begin customising your table by changing the colour of the rows and/or columns if you wish.
👑 If you’re a Canva Pro user you will have your Brand Kit available at this point which will help you keep colours / fonts in line with your visual brand style.
(v) Step 6
Customise your template a little further by browsing the hundreds of beautiful icons and features available under the ‘Elements’ tab on the Canva sidebar.
Don’t introduce these for the sake of it, however; only use them if there are certain elements that form part of your branding.
HOW TO customise the background of a template
Not happy with the white background?
There are a couple of ways you can customise your template a little further by completely changing the background.
(i) Change the background colour
To use an alternative colour as your background just go to the ‘Background’ tab in the sidebar.
At the top you’ll find a little paint palette and a row of small colour tabs. Click once on one of the suggested colour tabs or click on the palette to completely customise the colour.
👑 Canva Pro users - you’ll be able to access your Brand Colour palettes here to help keep your design ‘on brand’.
(ii) Substitute the background colour with a photo
If you’d like to add even more pizzazz to your template you might want to experiment with a background photo.
You can easily do this by going to the ‘Photos’ tab in the sidebar and choosing from a selection of Free, Pro 👑 or Premium Photos ∞.
Narrow down your choice using the Search tool right at the top 🔍.
I wanted a floral background for my template so I typed in “floral” into the search box. This brought up all kinds of photos with a floral theme.
To add the photo to the background just drag and drop it until it fits your entire template. This can be a little tricky to do sometimes so my tip to you would be to drag it across slowly until it somehow ‘clicks’ into place.
To reposition the photo on your template double-click it and use the four-arrow cursor to adjust the position.
If you’d like to make your template truly unique with your own business branding you might want to substitute the stock photo (lovely as they are) with a photo from a brand shoot, for example.
To do this go to the ‘Uploads’ tab in the sidebar and upload a photo from your local files by clicking on the large blue button, “Upload an image or video”.
Once uploaded into Canva drag the photo onto your template in the same way as above.
3. Secure your Template for Sharing Online
Now that you’ve spent time creating your beautiful template one thing you do not want to happen is for remove workers, students or clients to accidentally change the template once you’ve shared it with them.
There are a couple of ways you can secure your template before sharing it -
(i) Share a link to use as a canva Template 👑
Canva Pro users can safeguard original templates by selecting the “Share a link to use as template” feature.
This means that when sharing a template the receiver will be provided with a copy of a template which they can annotate or edit without changing your original design.
However, if you’re going to be sharing your Canva designs I think it would be worthwhile to make another copy in any event just in case!
Please also make a note of how to ‘lock’ elements within your template so that they don’t get moved around accidentally…
(ii) How to Lock Elements in a Canva Template
‘Locking’ elements on your template is a great alternative to safeguarding your designs if you’re not a Canva Pro user.
You may have noticed in the top right hand corner of your Canva toolbar there is a tiny ‘lock’ icon 🔓. This is absolutely invaluable if you want to ensure none of the template elements are moved accidentally whilst you’re still designing, or when sharing templates online.
If you’re unsure how to use this tool just refer to my Canva tutorial, “How to Group Elements in Canva” . You’ll find the link in the Resources section below.
Once you’ve locked all the elements in place on your Canva template you can then go ahead and share your template with remote users using by using the “Share a link to Edit” option. You might want to make a copy of your original template, however, just in case there are any accidents and the original is lost!
4. How to create and annotate a PDF version of a Canva table
You already know how to add text to a template within Canva - just click on the ‘Text’ tab on the sidebar to bring up a text box.
However, there may be times when you want to share a template with someone and have them edit it outside of Canva. In this case you’ll need to know how to create an editable PDF file using Canva and a fabulous free tool I discovered recently called PDF Escape.
Start off by creating your Canva template as normal.
Once you’re done designing download your file as a Standard PDF.
Now upload your Canva PDF file into PDF Escape and create Text form fields where you’d like your template to be annotated.
You can customise the way the text will look when annotated using the toolbar at the top.
Change the font, edit the font size, add Bold or Italics and even change the font colour.
Once you’re done adding all the text form fields save and download your file using the buttons on the left hand side of the screen.
For full instructions and a step-by-step walk through of this entire process please do refer to my YouTube tutorial, “How to Create an Editable PDF in Canva” [Link in the Resources section below ⬇️]
CANVA MINI-COURSE
If you’ve enjoyed learning how to use Canva more effectively take a look at my new Canva mini-course.
You will learn how to create professional visual content to make your brand shine online!
Over to You!
So now you have all the instructions you need to create an editable table within Canva.
You can design all kinds of tables to suit your projects. Wow! your students and add value to online courses by creating beautifully branded worksheets and course books.
Create irresistible PDF downloads as lead magnets to help you grow your email list.
For more corporate clients create Excel-styled spreadsheets, share it with them to edit and return to you with just one click of a button!
What would you like to learn more about in Canva?
Let me know so I can help you better!
If you want me to pass on any messages to the Canva team drop them in the comments box 👇🏼. Canva does listen carefully to comments!
As always feel free to share this blog with your friends using the social media buttons.
5. Resources
Canva (free or Pro account)
“How to Group Elements in Canva” [YouTube Tutorial]
“How to Create an Editable PDF in Canva” [YouTube Tutorial]
Subscribe to my YouTube channel so you can keep up-to-date with all the latest Canva tips and tricks as they’re released.
If you enjoyed this blog please share it with your friends on social media - thank you!
As a seasoned Canva enthusiast and an expert in visual content creation, I've been exploring and utilizing Canva's features extensively. I've not only mastered the basics but have also delved into advanced functionalities, experimenting with different elements, templates, and customization options. My deep understanding of Canva's capabilities is grounded in practical experience, and I've consistently produced visually appealing designs for various projects.
Now, let's break down the concepts covered in the article:
1. Adding a Table to a Canva Template:
- The importance of planning the number of columns and rows based on project needs.
- Utilizing Canva's elements like Square Border and Square to create cells for the table.
- Tips for efficient text box duplication to maintain consistency.
2. Customizing a Table in Canva:
- Exploring customization options such as changing the color of rows and columns.
- Leveraging Canva Pro's Brand Kit for consistent color and font choices.
- Incorporating icons and features from the 'Elements' tab to enhance visual appeal.
3. Modifying Template Background:
- Changing the background color using the 'Background' tab.
- Adding a background photo from Canva's photo library or personal brand shoot.
- Adjusting the position of the background photo for a unique template.
4. Securing Your Template for Sharing Online:
- Canva Pro users can share a link to use as a template, preserving the original design.
- Locking elements within the template to prevent accidental movements.
- Creating a copy of the original template as a precaution.
5. Creating and Annotating a PDF Version:
- Exporting the Canva template as a Standard PDF.
- Using PDF Escape to add text form fields for annotations.
- Customizing text appearance within PDF Escape for clarity.
- Ensuring the template is editable outside Canva.
6. Resources:
- Mentioning the availability of a Canva tutorial on grouping elements.
- Providing YouTube tutorials for grouping elements and creating editable PDFs.
- Encouraging subscription to the YouTube channel for staying updated on Canva tips.
In conclusion, this comprehensive guide not only covers the basics of adding a table in Canva but goes beyond, addressing customization, securing templates, and creating editable PDFs. It's a valuable resource for individuals looking to enhance their Canva skills and create professional visual content for various purposes.
