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: Default Numbering Format for Endnotes.

Default Numbering Format for Endnotes

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated July 27, 2019)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

Ken wonders if it is possible to change the default numbering format for endnotes from i, ii etc. to Roman numerals. While this can be done manually in the Insert Endnote dialog box, that takes several steps and a change to the default would be much easier and faster.

It is possible to change the default, but the way you do it is to change the template on which new documents are based. In most cases, this means changing the Normal.dot template. Load the template directly into Word, and then follow these steps:

Display the Footnote and Endnote dialog box. (In Word 97 or Word 2000, select Footnote from the Insert menu. In Word 2002 or Word 2003, select Reference from the Insert menu and then choose Footnote.)
Select the Endnote radio button. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Footnote and Endnote dialog box.

Using the Number Format drop-down list, select the numbering format you want to use.
Click OK to close the Footnote and Endnote dialog box.
Insert a dummy endnote and then delete it. (This is important so that Word actually has to "use" the settings you made.)
Save and close the template file.

The next time you create a document based on that template, the endnote reference numbers will be formatted as Roman numerals (assuming you selected a Roman numeral format in step 3). This won't affect any existing documents, only new ones.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (589) 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: Default Numbering Format for Endnotes.

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. Learn more about Allen...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Using the Organizer to Manage Styles

One of the things that the Organizer is great at doing is managing styles. You can use it to move them between templates ...

Discover More

Adding Graphics to a Header or Footer

Excel makes it easy to add graphics to a header or footer. Here's the steps to make it happen.

Discover More

Determining How Many Windows are Open

You can open multiple documents at the same time in Word, and each document occupies its own document window. Here's a ...

Discover More

Do More in Less Time! An easy-to-understand guide to the more advanced features available in the Microsoft 365 version of Word. Enhance the quality of your documents and boost productivity in any field with this in-depth resource. Complete your Word-related tasks more efficiently as you unlock lesser-known tools and learn to quickly access the features you need. Check out Microsoft 365 Word For Professionals For Dummies today!

More WordTips (menu)

Creating a Bibliography from Footnotes

Most scholarly papers need to have both footnotes and a bibliography. The two are closely related, as they provide ...

Discover More

Formatting the Space after an Endnote Number

With lots of endnotes in a document, you may be puzzled by the space left between the endnote numbers and the text that ...

Discover More

Controlling Footnote Placement

Footnotes are normally placed at the bottom of the page on which the footnote is referenced. However, Word provides some ...

Discover More

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.

Notify me about new comments ONLY FOR THIS TIP

Notify me about new comments ANYWHERE ON THIS SITE

Hide my email address

What is three less than 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.