Apple Interface Guidelines for Tables [Numbers Templates]

When we were designing our Apple iWork templates, we spent a lot of time reading the Apple user interface guidelines to understand how they use tables to structure data.

Definition: A table presents rows of data in a single column. Use a table to present content that can change dynamically.

Guidelines:

  • Use row types consistently. You might create different row types for content, headers, and footers. Use each row type for its designed purpose.
  • Avoid mixing rows with different types of content.
  • When displaying content, be consistent with the row type you use.
  • Use other row types only as section breaks or to organize content rows.
  • Using the same row type for content ensures that rows are sized more consistently and are easier to navigate.
  • Limit the number of table rows displayed at one time.
  • Tables with more than 20 rows of content become cumbersome to scroll through.
  • Display only the subset of rows that are immediately relevant, and give the user the option to load more rows.