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.

Using Outline Numbering in a Table

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated August 15, 2020)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


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.

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

Unresponsive Excel when Double-Clicking a Workbook

There are two ways you can load a workbook in Excel, and each approach should result in the workbook being loaded ...

Discover More

Alphabetizing Worksheet Tabs

As you get more and more worksheets into a workbook, you'll find yourself moving them around into different sequences. ...

Discover More

Using a Two-Character Day of the Week in a Date Format

Excel provides quite a bit of flexibility in how you can format dates. Even so, some dates simply cannot be formatted ...

Discover More

Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2013. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word 2013 Step by Step today!

More WordTips (menu)

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 ...

Discover More

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, ...

Discover More

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 ...

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.

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}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. 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 7 + 0?

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.

Videos
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.