If you have a complex data table that you need to import into a WordPress post or page, here are a few tips for success. Note: This issue assumes you are using the TinyMCE Advanced plugin, latest version.
- Complete the table in another HTML editing program of your choice.
- Strip the HTML of all paragraph (hard) returns and redundant (double, triple, etc.) spaces in another program such as MS Word. (In MS Word, simply replace “^p” with either nothing or a blank space.)
- Paste the code in WordPress into the Code (not Visual) view.
- Save your page (”Save and Continue Editing”).
- Review and do any final editing on the page in either Visual or Code view, as necessary, then Publish!
The second step (stripping the HTML of all paragraph returns, and spaces) is most important, because then default/installed WordPress page-content editor can format the code with spacing and hard returns as it needs to. Without this step, toggling between Visual and Code views may inadvertently (and unfortunately) remove portions of your data table.
Note: Starting from scratch with a table in WordPress will avoid the above issues, since you’re working within the WordPress environment from the beginning.
