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.
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:
Figure 1. The Footnote and Endnote dialog box.
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.
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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: 
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