If you want to import text documents into MAXQDA you should think of their preparation before importing them. It does not matter which word processor you use as long as you can save the document in RTF or DOC/X format, which is almost always the case. There are almost no limits to the options available in RTF and DOC/X format when creating a document.

If you wish to handle certain sections of text as a single unit, though, it makes sense to have them together in the same paragraph. A new paragraph number is inserted automatically in MAXQDA after each hard return. It is also easier then to automatically code these paragraphs in MAXQDA.

Here are the things to remember when importing a text document:   

• All formatting aspects – like bold, italics, etc. – are carried over to MAXQDA.
• All fonts and text sizes are carried over.
• Paragraph formatting (e.g. right-justified, line height) is also carried over.
• The text can contain tables, pictures, graphics, etc.
• If objects like graphics are imported or not can be selected in the global options menu (Project > Preferences … for Windows and MAXQDA12 > Preferences for Mac …).

As listed, MAXQDA can handle tables in a text document, and you code parts or whole cells of these tables. The only limitation is that the size of the table can no longer be changed once it has been imported.