Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Using Outline Numbering in a Table.
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 97, 2000, 2002, and 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.
Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 2013 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Access) with VBA programming, using it for writing macros, automating Office applications, and creating custom applications. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2013 today!
Have you ever been frustrated by the automatic numbering feature in Word? You are not alone. Fortunately, there are a few ...
Discover MoreNumbered lists provide a 1-2-3 way of organizing your document. You can create numbered lists very easily using the ...
Discover MoreIf you use bulleted lists a lot in your documents, you might notice that the formats have changed over time. Resetting ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2016-03-29 19:30:41
Farhan Jarif
This is very helpful but is there a way to erase an entire numbered list that is in a table? When I select the numbered list, only the first one gets deleted and the second one becomes a one and so on. Please help me.
2015-04-21 16:02:42
evil
this bothered me for the past 6 years. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and decided to google it. I came to your webpage. I didn't even know an indent button existed in ms word till today. I always saw that symbol on my toolbar but never knew what it did.
Thanks
2014-10-20 14:12:53
dsrtrosy
What about other formatting of bullet points in a table? We can't figure out how to get a bulleted list that ALSO has paragraph spacing before and after. Any thoughts?
2012-07-30 13:23:52
C H
Great tip thanks numbering in tables was driving me potty
2012-05-31 14:51:05
daveshoot
This is a great tip, and works in Word 2010 as well. Thanks!
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.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2020 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: 
Comments