I just tested with the table format you described, and you are right:
there is a problem. I don't recall seeing this problem before, but it
is possible that it has been reported previously. My guess is that it
is caused by the fact that a bottom border of a cell is also the top
border of the cell below, and with merged cells Word doesn't correctly
keep track of where a certain border belongs.

One way to handle this is to avoid merged cells completely, and
instead use even more tables. If you need them to appear as one table,
just set the font size of the paragraph mark between tables to 1 pt.

To format the paragraph mark between tables, you may want to display
paragraph marks (¶) and other nonprinting characters. To do this, just
click the ¶ button on the Standard toolbar. (If you need further
information, see
http://word.mvps.org/faqs/formatting/NonPrintChars.htm.)

For general information about borders in Word, see:

Run for the border: using borders in Word
http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/TblsFldsFms/Borders.htm.

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


"Hack" wrote in message
...
Thanks Stefan.

Unfortunately, that's not the case. I do currently build with
multiple
smaller tables.

In #2 of the doc...that's what I do...use the cell's border for the
underline. What happens is I'll underline one cell and the action
will
actually underline the entire row.

Now, my tables are more complicated in that I merge cells here and
there
which negates the equal-number-of-columns as the referenced doc has.

I build a 6x8 table and clear all borders
Row 1, I label cell 1 as Name:, then merge cells 2 thru 8.
Row 2, I label cell 1 as Address:, then merge cells 2 thru 8.
Row 3, I label cell 1 as City:, cell 3 as County:, cell 5 as State:,
and 7
as Zip:
Row 4, I label cell 1 as Phone:, label cell 5 as Alt Phone:, then
merge 2-4
and 6-8.
Row 5...SSN: and merge 2-8
Row 6...Email: and merge 2-8

When I go back to add borders for underlines, that's when the entire
row
gets underlined instead of just the merged cells.

Anyway...

Thanks again,
Doug


"Stefan Blom" wrote:

I'm not sure that I completely understand what the problem is, but
if
you are having difficulties with merged cells, you could set up
the
form using multiple tables. For more, see
http://word.mvps.org/faqs/tblsfldsfms/LinesInForms.htm.

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


"Hack" wrote in message
...
I build fill-me-out forms with tables in Word instead of using
underline,
underline, underline...to make it easy to fill-in
electronically...or after
printed.

Part of my process is...build the table, select all, clear all
borders,
merge cells as needed...say Name field on first line because I
built
the
table column count based on the City, State, Postal line.

Here's my challenge...and I'm gonna say I think Word is getting
confused
after cells are merged. I'll go back to the blank, fill-in
cells
(cell-by-cell) and put a border on the bottom...my underline.
These
days,
when I go to underline some cells...where I've merged cells in
the
line above
or below...the entire row gets underlined.

I'm at a loss. I've tried a few different methods of
bordering...click the
button on the tool bar, highlight the cell and right-click it
and go
to
Borders / Shading, and even get a cell that works and CTRL-Y it
to
the next
cell.

Any ideas?


Thanks,
Doug