Indesign uses the first definition in margins and columns so i m going to guess that is what your question is about.
Adjusting gutter in text columns indesign.
You don t have to be a math wiz here if the number of columns the width and the gutter you specify won t fit in the text frame indesign will automatically adjust the text frame.
Specify the number of columns the width of each column and the spacing between each column gutter for the text frame.
Enter the value for your desired column width.
Change the value in the gutter text field.
You may also resize your column width using the table panel which can be accessed via the window menu located in the control panel.
Select the column s you want to resize and select table cell options rows and columns.
Use margins and column guides to position content.
Open the pages panel window pages and select the thumbnails for the pages you wish to change.
Then drag the column guides where you want them.
Then choose layout margins and columns and in the dialog box set the number of columns and gutter that you want.
Choose layout margins and columns.
Enter values for top bottom left and right margins as well as the number of columns and the gutter the space between columns.
Some people use gutter to describe the space between 2 columns other use it to describe the space between two pages.
This brief video provides an overview of how to change the width of the margins and gutters in an existing indesign document.
Then select the text frames and lock them command l ctrl l.
Choose object text frame options.
Using the selection tool select a frame or using the type tool click inside the text frame or select text.
Resize your table s columns to accommodate your text.
Unlock the column guides by choosing view grids guides lock column guides.
It also covers how to add addit.
The button you are asking about is specifically used to change the columns and gutter on the primary frames and not on the page.
If the gutter is too wide change the value in the gutter text field to a lower number.
Select the primary frames and edit the number of columns to match the page grid via the control panel buttons.
If you don t have a text frame selected it won t be visible.