TablePress Plugin

TablePress is a WordPress plugin that lets you create and manage tables without writing any HTML. It’s especially helpful for displaying larger or more complex data sets that go beyond the built-in table options available in the Classic Editor.

Within the School of Medicine’s WordPress environment, only the free version of TablePress is installed. This version provides all the basic functionality most sites need, including the ability to:

• Create and edit tables using a spreadsheet-style editor.
• Import and export tables from Excel, CSV, HTML, or JSON files.
• Make tables sortable, searchable, and paginated.
• Embed tables anywhere on your site using a simple shortcode.

Enabling the Plugin

TablePress will need to be enabled on your site before it can be used. Note that only people assigned the site Administrator role can enable plugins.

1. In the dashboard, go to Plugins.
2. Locate TablePress in the list.
3. If it’s not active, click Activate.
4. Once activated, a TablePress option will appear in the left-hand menu of the dashboard.

Where the Table Data Is Stored

Unlike tables created in the WordPress Editor, TablePress tables are not stored on a page.

• Each TablePress table is saved inside the plugin.
• When you create a table, TablePress generates shortcode for that specific table.
• Paste the shortcode into any page or post where you want the table to display.
• When you update the table in TablePress, your changes will appear anywhere that table’s shortcode is used.

Example Shortcode

If you see something like this in your page content, it’s TablePress shortcode:

[table id=3 /]

This means the data for the table is being pulled from the TablePress plugin. The actual table content won’t appear while editing the page, it will only display on the front-end of your site.

How To edit a Table

1. Click on TablePress in the dashboard.
2. Find the table with the matching ID (for example, Table ID: 3).
3. Click Edit to update the data.
4. Save your changes.

When to Use TablePress

Use TablePress when your data table:

• Is too large or detailed to manage easily in the editor.
• Requires sortable columns, search, or pagination.
• Needs to be imported from or exported to Excel or CSV files.

For simple or static data tables, use the built-in WordPress table option instead.

Accessibility

TablePress tables can be accessible when properly configured. Always:

• Include a clear table name and description.
• Define table headers for columns or rows.
• Avoid blank or merged cells, which can cause screen reader confusion.

Learn More

For instructions, feature details, and examples, visit the official TablePress Plugin Documentation.

Within the School of Medicine’s WordPress environment, only the free version of TablePress is installed. Some features described on the TablePress website (such as responsive table layouts or automatic table filtering) are available only in the premium version and are not included in our environment.