By default, Word 2003 uses the Table Grid style for formatting tables. I was
able to make the default version of that style (stored in Normal.dot) behave
in the way you say you want.

Try this:

1. Insert a table.

2. Select the table.

3. Right-click and choose AutoFit - Fixed Column Width.

4. Choose Format - Styles and Formatting.

5. At the right, the Table Grid style is shown at the top of the task pane.
It's also shown below, under Pick formatting to apply. In the Pick
formatting to applyl list, move the mouse over Table Grid so that a dropdown
arrow appears at the right end of the box. Click the dropdown arrow, and
choose Set as Default Table Style.

6. Choose All Documents Based on the Normal.dot template (or other template
if a different one is in use).

7. Click OK.

Later, if you're prompted to save changes to Normal.dot, say Yes.

If you ever want to revert, repeat the process, but in step 3, choose
Autofit to Contents, instead of Fixed Column Width.

Hope this helps...

--
Herb Tyson MS MVP
Please respond in the newsgroups so everyone can follow along.
http://www.herbtyson.com
"clairej" wrote in message
...
I have just realised that in Word 2003 tables, as you type text in a cell
the
cell automatically resizes to fit the text rather than word wraps as you
would expect. This was not the default behaviour in any previous version
of
Word, and is very annoying as I most often use tables for forms! I know
you
can go into Table Properties to turn it off but can it be turned off
premanently?

Thanks