Here we have a little exercise in table production. I'll try to keep it simple. However, tables by their very nature are not simple. I think we'll start with the supplies list for a graduation party a couple of years back. I'll leave it to you to imagine the party (if you are sure you want to go there).
Open a new document. Make it 4.5"x8.5" wide, .5" margins.
Drag a text box the size of the margins with the Type tool.
Then choose Table >> Insert Table. In the resulting dialog box, set it for 7 rows, 6 columns, and 1 header row. Then select the top row by clicking in the first cell and dragging to the right until the top row is selected. Right-Click/Control-Click and choose Merge Cells in the contextual menu. You'll have to merge some of the cells in the bottom row also.
Then copy the text from below and paste it into your new document. The double bars (||) indicate a tab. All you have to do is change the || to a tab (with no spaces on either side) using the Find/Change dialog box found under the Edit menu (Command+F). Then select the repaired copy and choose Table >>Convert Text to Table.
You will have to drag the cell boundaries around to make it look like the sample PDF. When the type tool is moved over a cell boundary it turns into a double-ended arrow. At that point, you can click-drag the cell boundaries wherever you need them. The column name headers are 4 point all caps (you can make them really small and people can still figure them out). In most cases, you can change the fills with a simple Right-Click/Control-Click once you have the cells selected. Just make sure you have the cells selected and not the type inside the cells.
I selected all the cells in the bottom six rows. Then, in my contextual menu I chose Table Options | Alternating Fills. This same command is available in the option menu of the Table palette. Choose fonts you like — just have fun! I used Party LET and Skia for the fonts. You might find it easier to open the Character palette to format the type. The fonts are your choice entirely, but wider fonts will make things wrap differently.
If you look carefully, you will also see that I made all the strokes around the cells into .5 point paper.
Party Supplies
NUMBER || PRODUCT# || QUANTITY || DESCRIPTION || ITEM PRICE || TOTAL PRICE
1 || XGC512 || 6 || Tubular electric vibrator, 110V, stainless steel, 2"x36", knurled rubber tip, rosewood handle || $75.37 || $452.22
2 || KTY387 || 45 || Stir rod, glass, 27" || $1.23 || $55.35
3 || VG524 || 3 || Galvanized steel vat, specially-vulcanized acid-resistant rubber lining, 2'Hx2'Wx4'L, tempered glass rolled lip, thermostatic heater element || $1476.97 || $4430.91
4 || PUU27 || 144 || Hydrofluoric acid, 1 gallon, brown glass bottle || $11.23 || $1617.12
5 || AFK21 || 1 || 64-pack, aniline dyes, 6 oz. bottles with glass eyedroppers || $286.87 || $286.87
Total: || $6842.47
Don't Panic! You do not have to match the table exactly. The idea is to experiment. Use your own copy if you like. Of course, if you use my copy, the problem is avoiding the attempt to figure out what the heck kind of party it was. You really don't want to know.