How do I stop columns from creating when tabbing thru a spreadsheet?

Yes, in Numbers 10.3.9 (and I think long before) a new column is created when you are in the rightmost column of a table and press <tab> .

If you don't want that, I suggest training yourself to use the arrow keys. Or when you are in the rightmost column press <return>.

Unlike in Excel there is no preference setting to control the selection behavior after you press <return> (move down, right, up, left).

SG

"Now every time I tab to enter information into the columns instead of it jumping to the next empty cell on the next line down… "

Pressing tab should not produce this result.

Press tab to confirm the entry and move to the next cell to the right.

Press enter to confirm the entry and move to the next row.*

Note that the focus goes to the 'next' cell, not the 'next empty cell'.

Return, after an unbroken series of tabs moves focus to the cell in the next row that is directly below the cell in which the first entry was made.

If you have been entering values along a row, the expected process is:

Click on A2, enter value A2, press tab, enter value B2, press tab, enter value C2, press return, enter value A3…

Tab adding a column should happen only after a second press of tab in a cell in the rightmost column of the table.

…enter D2 value, press tab to confirm entry, press tab a second time to create column E and move to E2.

Does the behaviour you are describing occur on only this table, on all tables in this document, on tables in several (but not all) documents.

If the last, do the documents in which it does occur have anything in common (such as having been created by importing a .xls file or by importing a .xlsx file or by importing a file from an earlier version of Numbers)?

Regards,

Barry