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: Adding Paragraph Numbering.

Adding Paragraph Numbering

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated April 27, 2024)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


Patricia would like to add paragraph numbers to her document in the same way that it is possible to add line numbers, so that the paragraph numbers are in the margin of the document. She doesn't want to make all the paragraphs part of a numbered list, as that would get rid of existing numbered lists and bulleted lists in the document.

Word has no built-in capability to number paragraphs in the same way that it can number lines. The only way to do it is to create a numbered list out of each paragraph (and use a negative indent for the first line of each paragraph), but that runs into the very problem Patricia said she wanted to avoid—the ruination of other lists already in the paragraph. It makes sense, really; if you have text that is formatted as a numbered list for content purposes, then you can't apply a separate numbered list to the paragraph for Patricia's purposes.

The only potential workaround we've been able to discover is to add a small text box anchored to the beginning of each paragraph. Format the text box so that it is positioned within the left margin, and then add a manual number inside each text box. As paragraphs move, the anchored text box should move with it, so that the number remains where it should. You could also try using a SEQ field in the text boxes, but we've received some reports that the automatic numbering of the SEQ field won't work properly from one text box to another.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (8652) 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 Paragraph Numbering.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Jumping to a Relative Section

Navigating through a long document can be challenging, at times. Here's a way you can move forward or backwards in your ...

Discover More

Absolutely Positioning a Graphic

Want a graphic to appear at a precise place on the page? It's easy to gain control by following the steps in this tip.

Discover More

Copying a Single Worksheet from Many Workbooks

Sometimes it is helpful to copy worksheets from one workbook to another. If you have dozens of such worksheets to copy, ...

Discover More

Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 365 applications with VBA programming. Written in clear terms and understandable language, the book includes systematic tutorials and contains both intermediate and advanced content for experienced VB developers. Designed to be comprehensive, the book addresses not just one Office application, but the entire Office suite. Check out Mastering VBA for Microsoft Office 365 today!

More WordTips (menu)

Compound List Formatting

Word can help you do quite a bit of complex formatting to your lists, both bulleted and numbered. Using the steps ...

Discover More

Stepping Through Head Formats

You can use the shortcuts described in this tip to quickly change the heading levels of the headings in your document. ...

Discover More

Quickly Adjusting Paragraph Spacing

Need to easily adjust the vertical spacing that follows a paragraph? You can do it using dialog boxes or you can create ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is two more than 4?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

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.

Videos
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.