python-openxml · pseudosavant · Sep 24, 2026
diff --git a/src/docx/oxml/__init__.py b/src/docx/oxml/__init__.py
@@ -179,6 +179,7 @@
 register_element_cls("w:tc", CT_Tc)
 register_element_cls("w:tcPr", CT_TcPr)
 register_element_cls("w:tcW", CT_TblWidth)
+register_element_cls("w:tblInd", CT_TblWidth)
 register_element_cls("w:tr", CT_Row)
 register_element_cls("w:trHeight", CT_Height)
 register_element_cls("w:trPr", CT_TrPr)

diff --git a/src/docx/oxml/table.py b/src/docx/oxml/table.py
@@ -300,10 +300,12 @@ class CT_TblPr(BaseOxmlElement):
 
     get_or_add_bidiVisual: Callable[[], CT_OnOff]
     get_or_add_jc: Callable[[], CT_Jc]
+    get_or_add_tblInd: Callable[[], CT_TblWidth]
     get_or_add_tblLayout: Callable[[], CT_TblLayoutType]
     _add_tblStyle: Callable[[], CT_String]
     _remove_bidiVisual: Callable[[], None]
     _remove_jc: Callable[[], None]
+    _remove_tblInd: Callable[[], None]
     _remove_tblStyle: Callable[[], None]
 
     _tag_seq = (
@@ -335,6 +337,9 @@ class CT_TblPr(BaseOxmlElement):
     jc: CT_Jc | None = ZeroOrOne(  # pyright: ignore[reportAssignmentType]
         "w:jc", successors=_tag_seq[8:]
     )
+    tblInd: CT_TblWidth | None = ZeroOrOne(  # pyright: ignore[reportAssignmentType]
+        "w:tblInd", successors=_tag_seq[10:]
+    )
     tblLayout: CT_TblLayoutType | None = ZeroOrOne(  # pyright: ignore[reportAssignmentType]
         "w:tblLayout", successors=_tag_seq[13:]
     )
@@ -356,6 +361,19 @@ def alignment(self, value: WD_TABLE_ALIGNMENT | None):
         jc = self.get_or_add_jc()
         jc.val = cast("WD_ALIGN_PARAGRAPH", value)
 
+    @property
+    def left_indent(self) -> Length | None:
+        """Direct table indentation, or |None| when inherited or not expressed in twips."""
+        tbl_ind = self.tblInd
+        return None if tbl_ind is None else tbl_ind.width
+
+    @left_indent.setter
+    def left_indent(self, value: Length | None) -> None:
+        if value is None:
+            self._remove_tblInd()
+        else:
+            self.get_or_add_tblInd().width = value
+
     @property
     def autofit(self) -> bool:
         """|False| when there is a `w:tblLayout` child with `@w:type="fixed"`.

diff --git a/src/docx/table.py b/src/docx/table.py
@@ -68,6 +68,19 @@ def alignment(self) -> WD_TABLE_ALIGNMENT | None:
     def alignment(self, value: WD_TABLE_ALIGNMENT | None):
         self._tblPr.alignment = value
 
+    @property
+    def left_indent(self) -> Length | None:
+        """Direct distance from the table's left edge to the page margin.
+
+        |None| means the indentation is inherited from the table style. This setting
+        applies to left-aligned tables. Assign |None| to remove the direct setting.
+        """
+        return self._tblPr.left_indent
+
+    @left_indent.setter
+    def left_indent(self, value: Length | None) -> None:
+        self._tblPr.left_indent = value
+
     @property
     def autofit(self) -> bool:
         """|True| if column widths can be automatically adjusted to improve the fit of

diff --git a/tests/test_table.py b/tests/test_table.py
@@ -133,6 +133,37 @@ def it_can_change_its_alignment_setting(
         table.alignment = new_value
         assert table._tbl.xml == xml(expected_cxml)
 
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize(
+        ("tbl_cxml", "expected"),
+        [
+            ("w:tbl/w:tblPr", None),
+            ("w:tbl/w:tblPr/w:tblInd{w:type=dxa,w:w=720}", Inches(0.5)),
+            ("w:tbl/w:tblPr/w:tblInd{w:type=pct,w:w=5000}", None),
+        ],
+    )
+    def it_knows_its_left_indent(self, tbl_cxml: str, expected: Length | None, document_: Mock):
+        table = Table(cast(CT_Tbl, element(tbl_cxml)), document_)
+        assert table.left_indent == expected
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize(
+        ("tbl_cxml", "value", "expected_cxml"),
+        [
+            ("w:tbl/w:tblPr", Inches(0.5), "w:tbl/w:tblPr/w:tblInd{w:type=dxa,w:w=720}"),
+            (
+                "w:tbl/w:tblPr/w:tblInd{w:type=dxa,w:w=720}",
+                Inches(1),
+                "w:tbl/w:tblPr/w:tblInd{w:type=dxa,w:w=1440}",
+            ),
+            ("w:tbl/w:tblPr/w:tblInd{w:type=dxa,w:w=720}", None, "w:tbl/w:tblPr"),
+        ],
+    )
+    def it_can_change_its_left_indent(
+        self, tbl_cxml: str, value: Length | None, expected_cxml: str, document_: Mock
+    ):
+        table = Table(cast(CT_Tbl, element(tbl_cxml)), document_)
+        table.left_indent = value
+        assert table._tbl.xml == xml(expected_cxml)
+
     @pytest.mark.parametrize(
         ("tbl_cxml", "expected_value"),
         [

diff --git a/tests/test_table_left_indent.py b/tests/test_table_left_indent.py
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+"""Round-trip behavior for direct table indentation."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from io import BytesIO
+
+from docx import Document
+from docx.enum.table import WD_TABLE_ALIGNMENT
+from docx.shared import Inches
+
+
+def test_table_left_indent_round_trips_without_changing_other_properties():
+    document = Document()
+    table = document.add_table(rows=2, cols=2)
+    table.style = "Table Grid"
+    table.alignment = WD_TABLE_ALIGNMENT.LEFT
+    table.rows[0].cells[0].text = "Header"
+    table.rows[1].cells[0].text = "Body"
+    table.left_indent = Inches(0.75)
+
+    stream = BytesIO()
+    document.save(stream)
+    stream.seek(0)
+    reopened_document = Document(stream)
+    reopened = reopened_document.tables[0]
+    assert reopened.left_indent == Inches(0.75)
+    assert reopened.alignment == WD_TABLE_ALIGNMENT.LEFT
+    assert reopened.rows[1].cells[0].text == "Body"
+
+    reopened.left_indent = None
+    stream = BytesIO()
+    reopened_document.save(stream)
+    stream.seek(0)
+    assert Document(stream).tables[0].left_indent is None