Word Numbering and Headings

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Creating lists and numbered headingsin Word 2010

If you have ever wrestled with numbering in Microsoft Word, you are not alone!Numbering, particularly for headings, has generated more column inches than almostany other feature.

This note shows you how to customise numbered lists, and takes you through theprocess of creating a reliable numbering scheme for your headings.

Types of numbering

Word has three main types of numbering:

Fields Fields include page numbering, captions and footnotes, and arerelatively robust.

Simple lists Simple lists include bulleted and numbered lists.

Multilevel lists Multilevel lists are hierarchical lists which can be applied toparagraphs or headings.

Heading numbering is most often seen in technical and academic

documents, and will have several levels, for example:

1 Heading1.1 Heading1.2 Heading

1.2.1 Heading

2 Heading2.1 Heading2.2 Heading

2.2.1 Heading

Word can accommodate nine levels of numbering. Each level canbe associated with a different style, can be a different numberformat (such as 1,2,3; a,b,c; i ii,iii.), and can restart multiple times.


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Creating a simple list

If all you need is a simple bulleted or numbered list, you can use the Bulletsand Numberingcommands in the Paragraphgroup on the Hometab.

You can click on the down arrow to choose a different bullet ornumber format from the library. There is also an option to defineyour own number style or bullet character.

Restarting a numbered list

If you are creating multiple lists in a document, you may need to force a list to restart thenumbering sequence. For example, if you havent entered any content between the lists, Wordassumes you are continuing with the same list and will number accordingly. To restart the list,right-click in what is to be the first item and select Restart at 1. You can also click on the

AutoCorrect Optionsicon (if it is visible) and select Restart Numbering.

Changing the indentation settings

To quickly change the indentation setting for a singlelist, click in the list and on the Decrease

Indent or Increase Indent options in the Paragraphgroup. This will notchange thesettings in other existing lists or for new lists.

To set indents precisely, right-click in the list and select Adjust List Indents. Enter the values forthe number position and text indent. To adjust the hanging indent, make sure Add tab stop atisselected and enter the same value as in Text indent. Lists you have already created will notchange. Any new lists, however, will have your modified settings.

Changing the appearance of list text

If you want to change how the text in a numbered or bulleted list appearsfont type, size etc.you can save time by using Words stylesrather than by manually formatting each list. (If you dontknow how to use styles, see the note: Formatting with styles in Word 2010in our DocumentsCatalogue atwww.ed.ac.uk/is/skills/documents-catalogue.)

When you create a list using the Bulletsand Numberingcommands, Word uses a style calledList Paragraph to format the text. Click in the list, then, on the Hometab, click on the dialog boxlauncher in the Stylesgroup to open the Stylespane. Scroll through the pane until you see thestyle List Paragraph(you may need to scroll to the bottom).

Tip: If the numbering refuses to restart, try this. Right-click on thenumber and select Set Numbering Value(or click on the down arrow atNumberingin the Paragraphgroup on the Hometab and select SetNumbering Value). Choose Start new listand set the value to 1.
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Click on Show Previewto see how the formatting looks whenapplied. To change the formatting, move your cursor to the stylename in the Stylespane, click the down arrow and select Modify.

From the Modify Styledialog box you can change the font face, size,and colour. The changes will be applied to all lists, new and existing.

You can also change the space between list items. In Modify Style,click Formatand select Paragraph, deselect Dont add spacebetween paragraphs of the same style, then adjust the SpacingAftersetting.

Do notuse the Indentationsettings in the Paragraphdialog box totry to change the positioning of the number (or bullet) Word ignoresthese. Instead, right-click in the list and select Adjust List Indentsasin Changing the indentation settingson page 2. This will not changethe indent settings for existing lists, but will for new lists.

Using list bullet and list number styles

Another way to create lists is to use Words List Bulletand List Numberparagraph styles. Youcan choose from a variety of predefined indentation settings, and like the List Paragraphstyle,you can modify the formatting.

In the Stylesgroup on the Hometab, click on the dialog box launcher to open the Stylespane.List styles do not display by default, so click on Options, and in Select styles to show, choose Allstyles.

Scroll down till you come to the styles for bullets and numbers. Each one has a different indentsetting.

Click where your list is to start, then click on the style name and start typing.

Note that unlike the Bulletsor Numberingoptions, pressing Entertwicedoes not end the list (although the number or bullet does disappear). Toreturn to normal text, press Enterat the end of the last item in the list, then,from the Quick Stylesgallery or the Stylespane, apply the Normalstyle tothe new paragraph (or select Clear All).

You can modify the style to change the Fontformatting. As for the ListParagraphstyle, this will change the format of the number as well. Follow theinstructions in the Note above to change the number.

Note:The Fontoptions in Modify Stylewill change the formatting ofthe text andthe number; for example, choosing bold will make the numberbold as well. If you dont want the number formatted in the same way as thetext, click in a list, then, on the Hometab, click on the down arrow at theNumberingcommand in the Paragraphgroup and select Define NewNumber Format. Click on Fontand make your choices. Again, this will notchange existing lists, but will apply to new ones.


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To change the indentation settings, right-click in the list and select Adjust List Indents. Unlike theList Paragraphstyle, however, this will change the settings for alllists, new and existing.

Creating multilevel lists

Multilevel (or hierarchical) numbering allows you to create a more complex structure than a simplelist. You can apply it to paragraphs or to headings.

Applying it to normal paragraph text is fairly straightforward. Click where the list is to begin and in

the Paragraphgroup, click on the down arrow at Multilevel List , then choose a layout fromthe library. Press Tabor ShiftTabto change levels (or click the Decrease Indentand IncreaseIndentbuttons).

How to create numbered headings

Creating numbering for headings has been known to cause more than a little grief. The secret of

well-behaved numbering is to set up your numbering scheme before you begin so you don t haveto make changes to it as you are working. The key to it all is to use Wordsbuilt-in Heading styles.

Step 1: Format your heading styles

Word has nine Heading stylesyou will use a style for each level of your numbering. Beforestarting on the numbering, make sure the style formatting looks the way you want.

Click on the dialog box launcher in the Stylesgroup on the Hometab to open the Stylespane.Make sure Previewis ticked and check how the Heading styles appearfont type, size, colouretc.

To make changes to how the text will look, move to the style name in the pane, click on the down

arrow and choose Modify. Click on Formatto access the full range of Fontand Paragraphsettings. Do notuse Paragraphto change tab or indentation settings; you will do this when you setup the numbering. You can, however, change the SpacingBeforeand Aftersettings. Similarly, donotuse the Numberingoption on the Formatmenu.

Step 2: Choose your numbering scheme

First, type your top level heading, and then with the cursor in the heading, click on the styleHeading 1in the Stylespane to apply it.

On the Hometab, click on the down arrow next to Multilevel List in the Paragraphgroup todisplay the List Library.


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Choose a layout that includes the style names in thethumbnail (like the one indicated). If the numbering layout isnot quite how you want it, you can modify it later.

Word applies numbering to all nine Heading styles.

To apply the numbering to your headings, simply apply the style to thetext.

Note that you can only start a new numbering level in a list that is linkedto styles by applying the style. Unlike unlinked multilevel lists, you cantuse the Tabkey or Decrease Indentand Increase Indentbuttons.Once a style has been applied, however, you can use these options tochange the level of a heading.

Step 3: Modify your numbering scheme

You can change the appearance of the numbering scheme as you wish. For example, you mightwant to include text as part of the number formatting (such as Chapter or Section), change thepositioning of the number or the text, or even remove the numbering from a level.

To modify the scheme, click in a paragraph formatted as Heading 1(as a tip, your numbering is

less likely to go wrong if you always start at the top level when making changes). Click on the downarrow at the Multilevel Listbutton, and then select Define New Multilevel Listfrom the menu atthe bottom.

In the Define new Multilevel Listdialog box, click on the Morebutton to see all the options.


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You can have up to nine levels ofnumberingmore than you are everlikely to need!

Each level is linked to a Headingstyle through the Link level to styleoption on the right. This is what tellsWord how to format the text at eachlevel.

Note that you can make changes toall levels of your list in one operationwithout exiting this dialog box; simplyselect the level to edit in the box onthe left.

Changing the number format

In the Number formatsection, the Enter formatting for numberbox shows you how thenumbering will look. To use a different formatA, B, C, for exampleclick on the down arrow atNumber style for this leveland choose from the list.

You can make other changes to the number format; for example, you can click in the Enterformatting for numberbox put a full stop after the number field, or type in additional text. Makesure you dont delete the number field (highlighted in grey).

Changing the number and text position

You can change where the number and the heading text appear in the Positionsection. Alignedatis the position for the number; Text indent atis where the heading text will begin. If you want tochange the indentation settings, always do it here rather than using the Paragraphdialog box or

the Formatoptions in the Modify Styledialog box. Word will only use the settings shown in theDefine new Multilevel listdialog box.

If you have added text to the number format in Enter formatting for number, you may need tochange the tab settings to control where the text appears, since it will start beyond the value shownin Text indent at.

First, decide where you want the tab to be (displaying the ruler will help click on the Viewtab andselect Ruler). Then, in the Define New Multilevel Listdialog box, click on the level to be edited,and enter the new tab setting in Text indent at.

If you dont want long headings to wrap at the tab setting in Text indent at, you can remove the

hanging indent. To do this, in the Define New Multilevel Listdialog box, type 0 cmin Text indentat, and tick the Add tab stop atcheckbox to select it.

Tip: If you do delete the number field by mistake, click on Numberstyle for this leveland choose the style. The field will be re-inserted.


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Removing numbering from a level

You may not want numbering to appear at all levels in your numbering scheme; for example, youcould have Heading 1, 2 and 3 numbered, but not Heading 4.

To achieve this, in the Define new Multilevel listdialog box, click on the level where you want

numbering removed, and in Link level to style, select (no style). The Heading style will still beapplied to the text, but will no longer be numbered.

Completing the changes

When you have finished your modifications, click OK. Your list appears in the Current Listsectionof the List Library.

If you want to make further changes to your formatting, click in a Heading 1 paragraph and on theMultilevel Listbutton. Select Define New Multilevel Listagain. This does not, as you mightimagine, create yet another list layoutit updates the existing one.

Using your numbered list in other documentsSetting up numbered headings can take time and effort, so what if you want to use the formattingin other documents? There are several options.

Copy the styles with the Organizer

If you have already applied the Heading styles in a new document, but now want to modify themand use the numbering format from another document, you can use the Organizerto copy thestyles.

Make sure the document you want to copy the styles fromis not open. From the document you

want to copy the styles to, open the Stylespane; then click on Manage Stylesand onImport/Export.

The styles in the current documentappear in the panel on the left.

In the panel on the right, click onClose File, then on Open File.Click on All Word Templatesat thebottom right of the dialog box andselect All Word Documents, thennavigate to the document you want

to copy the styles from.

In the panel on the right, select all the Heading styles and click Copy. Word will ask if you want tooverwrite Heading 1clickYes to All. Click Closeto finish. The Heading styles will be copiedover, overwriting the formatting of the styles in the current document.

Use copy and paste

If you havent yet applied the Heading styles to a new document, you can use copy and paste to

copy the formatting from an existing one.


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Open the document containing the Heading style and number format you want. On the Hometab,click on the Show/Hidebutton to display formatting marks. At a Heading 1 paragraph, copy theparagraph mark at the endthis is where Word stores the formatting for the paragraph, and isactually all you need to copy.

Open your new document and click Paste. The formatting will be applied to all the Heading styles,not just the level you copied. You can now delete the pasted paragraph mark.

Create a master document

You can create a blank master document by deleting all the text in an existing document andclicking on Fileand selecting Save As. All your style and number formatting is saved with thedocument ready for you to use again. (Remember to use Save Asas soon as you open the blankdocument so that you dont overwrite your masterby mistake.)

Create a template

To create a template, delete all the text, then click on the Filetab and select Save As. Type in a

file name, and at Save as type, choose Word Template (*.dotx).

In the navigation panel, click on Templatesunder MicrosoftWordand click Save. (If you want to share your templateswith others, you can save them in any locationon a shareddrive, for example.)

To use the template, in Word, click on the Filetab, select Newand click on My templates. The filewill open as a Word document.

If you havent saved the template in the Templatesfolder, use Windows Explorer to navigate tothe file and double-click to open it. It will open as a Word document.