Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 10, 2018)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
Peter notes that he is working on a document that has both extensive footnotes and endnotes. He has a need to add additional footnotes to his existing endnotes, but he can't find a way to do it.
The reason you can't find a way to do it is because there is no way to do it in Word. Footnotes and endnotes are singular in nature, meaning that you can have one set of footnotes and one set of endnotes per document; that's it. (Endnotes can be placed in different places in a document—the end of a section or the end of the document—but there is still only one set.) You can't add notes within notes, which is what would be required if you wanted to footnote your endnotes.
In addition, all of the style guides we've been able to locate indicate that your endnotes should not have their own footnotes. In most cases, you should simply incorporate the footnote material within the endnote to which it applies. Many people do this by having an endnote contain multiple paragraphs, which is perfectly legal in Word.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (7692) 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: Adding Footnotes to Endnotes.
Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2021 or Microsoft 365. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word Step by Step today!
Tired of all those footnotes hanging on the bottom of each page in your document? You can get rid of them in one step, as ...
Discover MoreDepending on whom you are writing for, you may want your footnote and endnote references to appear a specific way. Word ...
Discover MoreNeed to add footnotes to your footnotes? It's actually allowed by some style guides, but Word doesn't make it so easy.
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
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.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments