Outline Numbering

by Allen Wyatt
(last updated November 19, 2016)

When you normally use Outline view, Word displays only the headings you specify. These headings are not numbered. To make your outline conform to traditional outline numbering guidelines, you may want to number the headings in your outline. The way in which you do this depends on the version of Word you are using. Follow these steps:

  1. Choose the Bullets and Numbering option from the Format menu. Word displays the Bullets and Numbering dialog box. (See Figure 1.)

    2. Figure 1. The Bullets and Numbering dialog box.

  2. Click on the Outline Numbered tab.
  3. Click on the numbering style you want to use.
  4. If you are satisfied with the numbering style, proceed to Step 10.
  5. Click on the Customize button. This displays the Customize Outline Numbered List dialog box. (See Figure 2.)

    6. Figure 2. The Customize Outline Numbered List dialog box.

  6. At the left side of the dialog box, choose the heading level for which you want to modify the numbering.
  7. Make the desired changes in the numbering, text, and position related to the heading level.
  8. Click on the More button to view additional customization options.
  9. Click on OK to close the Customize Outline Numbered List dialog box.
  10. Click on OK to close the Bullets and Numbering dialog box. The numbering you specified is applied to each heading in your document.

At some point in time you may decide you want to remove the numbers from your outline. Follow these steps:

  1. Choose the Bullets and Numbering option from the Format menu. This displays the Bullets and Numbering dialog box.
  2. Click on the Outline Numbered tab.
  3. Click on the None option.
  4. Click on OK to close the Bullets and Numbering dialog box. The numbering is removed from your headings.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (32) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 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. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Deleting Menu Items

Want to get rid of some menu options so that they can't be selected? It's easy to do when customizing Word by using these ...

Discover More

Word and Character Count Information

Using fields you can easily insert both the word and character counts for a document into the document itself. As those ...

Discover More

Deleting All Names but a Few

Want to get rid of most of the names defined in your workbook? You can either delete them one by one or use the handy macro ...

Discover More

The First and Last Word on Word! Bestselling For Dummies author Dan Gookin puts his usual fun and friendly candor back to work to show you how to navigate Word 2013. Spend more time working and less time trying to figure it all out! Check out Word 2013 For Dummies today!

More WordTips (menu)

Changing a Heading to Body Text

When working on an outline of your document, you may want to demote a heading so that it is treated just like your body text. ...

Discover More

Changing the Number of Headings in an Outline

When viewing a document in Outline view, you have complete control over how much outline detail is shown on-screen. This tip ...

Discover More

Changing Outline Heading Level

Working with a document's outline can be a great way to organize your writing. Word provides a variety of tools for working ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 3 + 4?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

This Site

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.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.

Links and Sharing
OUR COMPANY
OUR PRODUCTS
OUR AUTHORS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2017 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.