How to do multi-level numbering with styles in Word?

S

SanCarlos MontTech

Outline numbered documents like contracts, training, etc. are difficult to
create and modify because it's unclear how styles and numbering work
together. It is not explained in Help at all and I haven't found a book or
other source that goes into this topic in more depth than a single paragraph.

It seems that Word changes the style of a paragraph depending on the level
you assign and it changes the numbering of a paragraph based on the style. If
you are creating the layout of the doc as you go along, you affect all the
other things you've already done.

Examples:
1) Try to change the numbering scheme partway into a document from I.A.1.a
to 1.1.1.1. without having to go in and change all the styles used in the
document.
2) On the second level of a I.A.1.a hierarchy, try to make the first words
of the paragraph bold (eg, I.A Payment Terms - xxxxxxx, where "Payment
Terms") is bold. The entire paragraph changes to bold OR sometimes the "I.A"
goes bold and sometimes it doesn't.

It sure would be great to have a turorial on this whole subject.
 
D

DeanH

A very good place to start is the excellent article below:
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.html
See the other subjects covered in this site for more helpful instructions.
Also see http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Numbering/WordsNumberingExplained.htm
which may help you further as well as showing you a very good resource for
this and further issues you may have with Word.
Most of the contributors of these sites also respond to postings on this
forum, so come back if you have any thing else to ask.
For you example 1, you need only change the one style not all in the
document, particularly style Heading 1, and the outline numbering assigned
there for all levels (see Shauna Kelly's article), then the document should
refresh accordingly.
Example 2 - firstly, does your style include Automatically Update, if so
turn this off, Next what you want cannot be automatically done by Word
(unfortunately) but you can achieve the affect several ways.
i. Look at the possiblity of using a Style Separator as explained in
http://sbarnhill.mvps.org/WordFAQs/RunInSidehead.htm, i.e. including Bold to
your Heading style as well as the numbering format, then merging with a
bodytext style for the rest of the paragraph.
ii. Simplest method, create a Bold character style that can be applied to
the necessary text only. This methid will not apply Bold to the Numbering,
you can always have the Numebring in Bold by turning this option in the
Numbering format, but that will Bold all numbering for that level. Your
choice.
Hope this helps and best of luck.
DeanH
 
C

Chris

Both the articles you reference seem to address pre-2007 versions of Word.
Is there something comparable for 2007?
 
S

SanCarlos MontTech

This is all good for pre-2007 versions as Chris pointed out and I had figured
out how to do multi-level numbering in the earlier version of Word but 2007
is significantly different. Do you have any suggestions for Word 2007?
 
S

Suzanne S. Barnhill

Most of the principles are the same, and the dialog is more or less
identical. The only difference is that you start with "Define New Multilevel
List." If you're modifying an existing list, start with the insertion point
in a Level 1 paragraph. Make sure the levels are linked to styles.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org
 
D

DeanH

SanCarlos MonTech: you did not mention the version of Word you are using in
your posts; never mind, next time eh!
Did you see Ms Barnhill's comments?
The principles are the same only that "The only difference is that you start
with "Define New Multilevel List." If you're modifying an existing list,
start with the insertion point in a Level 1 paragraph. Make sure the levels
are linked to styles."

All the best
DeanH
 
S

Stefan Blom

When modifying an existing list, you should also start with the *first*
level 1 paragraph; otherwise the numbering may restart (but note that
restarts are easily dealt with if numbering is style-based, in which case
you can simply use Ctrl+Q to reset to style).
 
S

SanCarlos MontTech

Thank you all! I haven't yet digested all the information at the different
links but will do so over the coming days. You would think MS would enhance
their help documentation with examples an explanations like these. Nooooo.
Forget I even mentioned it. Thanks again.
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Top