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: Underlining Tabs In Numbered Lists.
Hans wonders how he can underline the tab space between a number and the text in an automatic numbered list. He can underline the number, but he can't figure out how to underline the tab itself.
The short answer is that there is no way to underline that tab that is inserted in an automatic numbered list. The best solution is to skip using automatic lists and, instead, rely on styles. Create a style for your numbered lists and you can define exactly how the tab character should be treated—including using an underline leader, if desired.
Once the style is defined you can apply it to all your numbered list items, and then either use a manual numbering of the items (typing in the numbers yourself) or relying on the SEQ field to do the numbering for you. (How you use the SEQ field has been covered in other issues of WordTips.)
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (6776) 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: Underlining Tabs In Numbered Lists.
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2019-04-05 13:40:57
Carolyn
Actually, it is possible to underline the tab space between a number and the text in an automatic numbered list. It can be done by saving the document as a Word 97-2003 document. In this version, click File, navigate to Options\Advanced\Compatibility options, and check the box next to "Underline tab character in numbered lists".
2017-04-03 07:45:16
JDM
I've cracked this one in Word 2016 for Mac. After the bullet list item, manually add a space (you might have to use a non-breaking space), then a tab. You will be able to underline both of these so that the underlining fits smoothly with the underlining of the list item, and control the length of the underline.
Using styles won't work, unfortunately, if you want generate an automatically numbered list of figures and/or tables, and I imagine for some other functions that rely on the built-in "Heading" styles.
2015-08-27 11:47:43
Tom Vanderbauwhede
Dear Allen,
It can be done as follows:
Use "Follow number with nothing" instead of tab or space between the numbering and the heading tekst. Add the space in your number formatting. Apply Underline on both number formatting and heading style.
Best regards,
Tom
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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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