Tips, Tricks, and Answers

The following articles are available for the 'Bullets and Numbering' topic. Click the article''s title (shown in bold) to see the associated article.

   Applying Bullets from the Keyboard
Most people use the toolbars to apply bullets to paragraphs. If you want to apply them using the keyboard, then you can do so with a bit of preparation.

   Applying Formatting in Lists
If you want to change the formatting applied to numbers or bullets in your lists, you'll appreciate the information in this tip. All you need to do is format the end-of-paragraph marker for each item in the list.

   Applying Numbers from the Keyboard
Creating a numbered list is often done by using tools on the toolbars or the ribbon. With a bit of preparation you can create numbered lists using keyboard shortcuts.

   Automatic Numbers with Leading Zeroes
Word's automatic numbering formats allow you to easily create lists that have one leading zero. If you want more than one leading zero, then your options are more limited and you may need to look to a technique that doesn't even use the standard automatic numbering.

   Automatic Question Numbering
Want to use Word's numbering capabilities to help you number a series of questions? Here's how to accomplish the task as easily as possible.

   Changing the Bullet Type
When you apply bullet formatting to paragraphs, Word allows you to choose from a variety of different bullets. If you want, you can switch between those different bullet types, or you can define your own bullets. This tip shows you how.

   Changing the Types of Numbers in a Numbered List
Ever want to change the types of numbers that Word displays when you create a numbered list? There are several numbering scheme options. This tip tells you how to change the scheme to your preference.

   Combining First and Second Numbered Levels on One Paragraph
Want to customize your paragraph numbering in Word? There are a few tricks that can be used to automatically display the numbering you want, in spite of Word's default system.

   Continuing Your Numbering
If you have a couple of numbered lists separated by regular text paragraphs, you might want the secondary lists to be continuations of the first one. Setting this up is rather easy.

   Converting Automatic Numbering to Manual Numbering
The automatic numbering that Word lets you apply to paragraphs in your document can create some great looking content, but it can play havoc with your file if you import it into another program. Here's how to get rid of the automatic numbering, but still retain the numbers.

   Converting List Types
There are two types of common lists you can create in Word: bulleted lists and numbered lists. You can switch between the type types by using the techniques described in this tip.

   Converting Lists to Text
If you have a numbered list in a document, you might want to convert it to regular, non-dynamic text and not lose the numbers that are in the list. This tip explains a couple of techniques you can use to accomplish the task.

   Creating a List
You can format both numbered and bulleted lists very easily in Word. The tools available on the Formatting toolbar make it a snap.

   Creating a Numbered List
Numbered lists provide a 1-2-3 way of organizing your document. You can create numbered lists very easily using the techniques in this tip.

   Ensuring Standardized Numbering
Want to make sure your paragraph numbering looks the same on different computer systems? It's a harder task in Word than it might seem.

   Following a Number with Different Characters
When creating numbered lists, the normal characters that follow the number are a period and a tab. Here's how to force Word to use a different character sequence more to your liking.

   Having Numbered Lists in Subdocuments Restart their Numbering
If you have a bunch of subdocuments, and each of those subdocuments contains numbered lists, you may find that you have numbering problems at some point. For instance, when you expand those subdocuments from within a master document. This tip presents two ways you can make sure that numbering starts where you expect.

   Increasing Space between Numbers and Text in a List
You can easily create numbered lists in your document. Most versions of Word even allow you to modify the distance between the numbers and the text that appears in the list. Here's how to do it.

   Lining Up Numbered List Numbers
Do you want the numbers in your numbered lists to be aligned differently than they normally are? You can adjust the alignment by following the steps outlined in this tip.

   Numbering With Sequence Fields
You can use sequence fields for reliable numbering. They are quick, easy, and don't have some of the drawbacks of automatic numbering.

   Outline Numbering
Want to add numbers to your outline? Here's the steps.

   Problems Using Words as Bullets
If you know the secret, you can use actual words as "bullets" in a bulleted list. The built-in bulleted lists in Word aren't the way to achieve what you want to do, and this tip explains why. It also provides a macro that you can use to apply the formatting you want to the list.

   Randomly Resetting Numbering
Have you ever been frustrated by the automatic numbering feature in Word? You are not alone. Fortunately, there are a few options that can work around this problem.

   Removing a List
If you have lists in your document, either bulleted or numbered, you may want to change them back to regular text at some point. This is easy to do, using the same tools you used to create the lists in the first place.

   Resetting to Factory Defaults for Bulleted Lists
If you use bulleted lists a lot in your documents, you might notice that the formats have changed over time. Resetting the gallery to factory defaults is easy and can be done by following the steps in this tip.

   Reverse Numbered Lists
Adding numbered lists to your document is a snap; Word provides tools to add them immediately. What Word doesn't do is provide a way to create a "countdown list" that is in reverse order. Here's how you can do it.

   Setting the Starting Line Number
You are not limited to starting the line numbering in a document with 1. You can, instead, start the numbering at any other value you want. This is real handy when you have multiple documents that need to be printed, in order.

   Skipping Numbering
Got a numbered list, but you want to add other types of non-numbered paragraphs in the middle of the list? It's easy to do if you follow the steps in this tip.

   Stubborn Highlighting
When you make extensive edits to a document and those edits include changing the formatting of numbered or bulleted lists, you can end up with some strange (and stubborn) results. Here's a look at the problem and how you can regain control of your list formatting.

   Turning Off Automatic Bulleted Lists
As you are typing away on a document, you may notice that Word automatically formats bulleted lists (or what it thinks are bulleted lists) for you. If you don't like this second-guessing, you can turn off the formatting feature.

   Turning Off Automatic Numbered Lists
Type what Word thinks is a numbered list, and it will helpfully format the text to match what it thinks your numbered list should look like. If you don't want Word to automatically do such formatting, you need the info in this tip.

   Understanding and Creating Lists
There are two types of common lists you can use in a document: bulleted lists and numbered lists. This tip explains the differences between the two and shows how you can easily create them both.

   Understanding Lists
When designing documents there are two types of lists commonly used: numbered lists and bulleted lists. This tip introduces you to the types of lists available.

   Using Outline Numbering in a Table
If you have worked with tables in Word, you probably know how to navigate through the cells with keyboard shortcuts. This navigation system can become tricky if you use outline numbering in the table and try to use the same shortcuts. Fortunately, there is a way to navigate both the table and the numbering using your keyboard. Here's how.