1

I wrote a document with sections, subsections and paragraphs numbered in the following format:

1
1.1
1.1.1

Now, a collaborator has cut section 15 and moved it to section 11. In doing so, the paragraph numbers have retained their section 15 numbering:

screenshot

These paragraphs are shown as "list paragraph" under "Styles," but when I select them the numbering is lost.

How can I regenerate or correct this. There are other instances of this in the document as well.

enter image description here

enter code here

Switched to Windows and I still can't get it right. This screenshot shows paragraphs selected under an automated heading.

enter image description here

which yields this: (instead of 3.1, 3.2, etc.)

enter image description here

What am I doing wrong?

user26732
  • 113
  • 6
  • If you right click and select "Continue Numbering", what happens? – Reddy Lutonadio Jan 10 '23 at 05:07
  • If I right click and select "continue numbering" or "Restart Numbering" a tab is added. That's it. If I do this for the section heading, it centers the text, or renumbers the section as (1) but does not affect the paragraphs. – user26732 Jan 10 '23 at 05:20
  • Is it possible for you to share the document (or part of it for example Section 11 shown on the picture) of it? You can fill the document with random text but keep the structure. – Reddy Lutonadio Jan 10 '23 at 05:29
  • How can I do that? A Word file is a binary file. Or you just mean additional screenshots showing section 10 and 12? – user26732 Jan 10 '23 at 05:32
  • Sharing part of the file via cloud service of your liking: Dropobox, Onedrive, Google Drive, etc – Reddy Lutonadio Jan 10 '23 at 05:39
  • I wish I could. I have no idea how I could anonymize this document. Dropbox won't let me upload. Here's Google Drive: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BYb7zlrHS1N4EX3604wMjEQRhY_xdHfB/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107898335382598941507&rtpof=true&sd=true – user26732 Jan 10 '23 at 05:50
  • Also, any collaborators must do editing in one of the desktop versions of Word. Editing in the online or mobile versions will break the numbering and you will have to reapply it. – Charles Kenyon Jan 10 '23 at 21:00

2 Answers2

1

If you use automatic paragraph numbering or bullets read Shauna Kelly's directions on numbering and bullets.

You need to be using Define New Multilevel List Dialog. Start with How to create numbered headings or outline numbering in Word 2007 and Word 2010.

For large documents you must follow these directions or you will lose your hair!

(Mac version: https://www.brandwares.com/bestpractices/2016/06/outline-numbering-in-word-for-os-x/ Archival link for Mac version: https://web.archive.org/web/20221102225202/https://www.brandwares.com/bestpractices/2016/06/outline-numbering-in-word-for-os-x/)

This may seem a bit convoluted at first, but it really is not. Just follow the steps. Shauna Kelly's instructions use the built-in heading styles, but you can use any existing paragraph styles including your custom styles. There are, however advantages to using the built-in heading styles when you create a Table of Contents. Here are some more advantages: Why Use Word's Built-In Heading Styles? by Shauna Kelly Note, you can modify these built-in styles to look exactly the way you want.

Videos on this

The basic idea is that the numbering is set using the Define MultiLevel List dialog with each numbering level being attached to an existing paragraph style. Once you have this set up, you should not use the buttons for numbering in the Ribbon but rather apply the appropriate style for that level.

You can save a document with this as a template for future documents if you want so you will not need to do this every time.

I looked at this in this prior answer posted here. It includes a screenshot.

Charles Kenyon
  • 4,283
  • 2
  • 8
  • 19
  • The mac version site seems to be down. Here is an archival link:: https://web.archive.org/web/20221102225202/https://www.brandwares.com/bestpractices/2016/06/outline-numbering-in-word-for-os-x/ – Charles Kenyon Jan 10 '23 at 20:40
0

I had a look at the document posted on Google Drive. What you need to change the List Style and Set the numbering and you should be alright.

See the steps I followed on the gif below:

Demo

Reddy Lutonadio
  • 17,120
  • 4
  • 14
  • 35
  • "Set Numbering Value" is not an option on right clicking. There is only "Restart Numbering" and "Continue Numbering". – user26732 Jan 10 '23 at 11:54
  • @user26732 Which version of MS Word are you using? – Reddy Lutonadio Jan 10 '23 at 12:12
  • Word for Mac 16.16.27. – user26732 Jan 10 '23 at 12:15
  • @user26732 Unfortunately, Word for Mac doesn't have that "Set Numbering Value" https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/set-numbering-value-missing-on-mac-unable-to/0bb56f5b-e25d-4a4f-80b7-70f34799e6a9 . You will have to customize the outline numbered list as mentioned in one of the answers on the link I posted. – Reddy Lutonadio Jan 10 '23 at 17:28