WordTips (Menu Interface)
Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
With more than 35 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company.
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Greg wondered if it was possible to use outline numbering in a table. He questions this because whenever he presses the Tab key to advance to different bullet tiers (as he does outside of tables), he is instead taken to the next cell in the table.
To answer the question, yes, it is possible to use outline numbering in a table. The problem here is how you are choosing to advance between bullet tiers. The Tab key, in a table, is always used to move from one cell to another. To change indent levels—which gives you the next level of bullets or numbering—you need to press the Increase Indent toolbar button and, conversely, the Decrease Indent toolbar button to return to a higher level.
If you prefer to not use the toolbar buttons, but instead want to use the keyboard, you can change the outline level by using Shift+Alt+Left Arrow or Shift+Alt+Right Arrow. These provide the same functionality as the Increase Indent and Decrease Indent buttons. If, for some reason, you want to actually add a tab character in the text appearing in a cell, you need to press Ctrl+Tab.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (208) applies to Microsoft Word versions: 97 2000 2002 2003
You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Using Outline Numbering in a Table.
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Tremendous Table Tips! We often take tables for granted, but Word includes some very powerful ways you can present your tabular data. Discover how to make your tables better, easier to understand, and more effective. Check out WordTips: Terrific Tables today!