Letters and Numbers in Page Numbers

In many documents you may have a need to number your pages with a section number as a preface. For instance, you may want them numbered as A-1, A-2, A-3, etc. Exactly how you do this depends on how you have your documents set up. For instance, if each "section" is actually a different document file, then you simply need to set your page numbers this way:

1. Choose View | Header and Footer to display the headers and footers of the document.
2. Make sure you are viewing the header or footer area, consistent with where you want your page numbers. (You can switch between the header and footer areas by clicking the Switch Between Header and Footer button.)
3. Type the section letter followed by a dash. (For instance, A- or B-.)
4. Click on the Insert Page Number button.
5. Format your header or footer as desired.
6. Click on Close.

If all the sections of your manuscript are in a single document file, just make sure you have a real section break between each of your sections. You can then set up your page numbers this way:

1. Position the insertion point in the section where you want page numbers.
2. Choose View | Header and Footer to display the headers and footers of the document.
3. Make sure you are viewing the header or footer area, consistent with where you want your page numbers. (You can switch between the header and footer areas by clicking the Switch Between Header and Footer button.)
4. Choose Field from the Insert menu. Word displays the Field dialog box. (See Figure 1.)



Figure 1. The Field dialog box.

5. Make sure the Numbering category is selected in the Categories list.
6. Choose Section in the Field Names list.
7. If you are using Word 97 or Word 2000, click on Options. The Field Options dialog box appears.
8. In the Formatting list, choose the option for capital letters (A B C...). (If you are using Word 2002 or later, you can skip to step 11.)
9. Click on the Add to Field button. The option is added to the field.
10. Click on OK to dismiss the Field Options dialog box.
11. Click on OK to actually add your field to the header or footer.
12. Type a dash.
13. Click on the Insert Page Number button.
14. Format your header or footer as desired.
15. Click on Close.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (603) 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: Letters and Numbers in Page Numbers.