Table Cell Punctuation
Table-cell punctuation should reflect the grammar and the document’s style. Microsoft uses end punctuation for cells containing complete sentences or mixed sentence/fragment content, while simple fragments can remain unpunctuated.
Use sentence-ending punctuation for complete-sentence table cells; fragment-only cells can often omit it. Apply the chosen pattern consistently.
Key details
Important caveats
Fragment Boundary
Fragment-only cell content can normally omit terminal punctuation under that house style.
Sentence Boundary
Microsoft uses periods or other end punctuation when table cells contain complete sentences or a mixture of fragments and sentences.
Style Boundary
Cell punctuation is partly a house-style choice; preserve consistency within comparable cells.
Further guidance
Practical Application
Use sentence-ending punctuation when a table cell contains a complete sentence. Fragment-only cells can usually omit terminal punctuation; whichever pattern you choose, keep parallel cells consistent.
Reader Check
Are comparable cells written as full sentences or as short labels/fragments, and is punctuation consistent within that pattern?
Worked Example
Fragment cells: “Approved,” “Pending,” “Rejected” need no periods. Sentence cells such as “The request was approved.” should keep normal sentence punctuation.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Tables — Microsoft Style Guide (opens in a new tab)Microsoft Style Guide · House-style guidance on when structured data belongs in a table instead of a simple list