Using Chapter Numbers with Page Numbers

Word provides many different ways you can set up and use page numbers in your documents. Typically, page numbers are placed in either your headers or footers so that they appear on each page of the document. In other WordTips issues you learn how to specify the starting page number to be used within a document. Word also allows you to automatically include a "chapter number" as part of your page numbers.

Before you instruct Word to automatically include chapter numbers with page numbers, you need to make sure that you are using a named style for your chapter headings. For instance, you might specify the Heading 1 style to be used for chapters. Thus, anytime a Heading 1 style is used in your document, it signifies the start of a new chapter.

In addition, the style must be set up to use outline numbering. This type of numbering (also covered in other issues of WordTips) numbers the headings in your document. Thus, if you are using outline numbering, all of your Heading 1 paragraphs may begin with a number or letter, such as 1 or C.

With these two elements in place, you are ready to add chapter numbers to your page numbers. Follow these steps:

1. Choose Header and Footer from the View menu. Word displays the Header and Footer dialog box.
2. Use the controls in the dialog box to locate the place in your header or footer where you want your page numbers to appear.
3. Click on the Insert Page Number tool in the dialog box. Word inserts an automatic page number at the location of your insertion point.
4. Click on the Format Page Number tool. Word displays the Page Number Format dialog box. (See Figure 1.)



Figure 1. The Page Number Format dialog box.

5. Make sure the Include Chapter Number check box is selected.
6. Use the Chapter Starts with Style drop-down list to specify the style you are using to indicate the beginning of each chapter. As already described, this will be a style such as Heading 1.
7. Use the Use Separator drop-down list to specify a character to use between the chapter number and the page number.
8. Click on OK. You should see the chapter number appear next to your page number.
9. Close the Header and Footer dialog box.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1422) 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 Chapter Numbers with Page Numbers.