Word: Table of contents formatting with numbers

One way to do this is explained in http://wordfaqs.ssbarnhill.com/TOCTips.htm#UnnumberedHeadings

Suzanne's method is far simpler to implement.

If it is not an automatic Table of Contents but one that you type, just type in the numbers as you create the TOC.

The following assumes that you want to use an automatic Table of Contents...

Work with a COPY of your document until you have it right. It is easy to mess this up.

[EDIT: See Suzanne Barnhill's response for a far simple method!]

Go to the first paragraph in the document that is in your top heading style. If you, in the define new multilevel list dialog set the font color for each level of numbering as white, it will not appear in the body of the document but will appear in the Table of Contents. Note that it will still take up room on the page so you would have to change the indents as well so that the body of your heading is set the way you want. Go to the Define New Multilevel list dialog by clicking on the MultiLevel List button in the paragraph group of the Home tab. The list button may be already highlighted, do not use that one but the one next to it.

What follows is general advice about setting up numbering that will work and not result in tangled or spaghetti numbering. Your numbering may already be set up this way, or not. If not, you want to set it up this way.

Automatic Paragraph Numbering all starts with the Define New List Style Dialog.

You use that to create and name a list style, within that dialog, when you format numbering you go to the Define New MultiLevel List Dialog. The key is to assign a separate existing paragraph style to each level of numbering. The styles can be built-in styles- or custom styles.

If you use automatic paragraph numbering or bullets read Shauna Kelly's directions on numbering and bullets. Start with How to create numbered headings or outline numbering and her parallel page *How to control bullets*. For large documents you must follow these directions or you will lose your hair!
(Mac version: https://www.brandwares.com/bestpractices/2016/06/outline-numbering-in-word-for-os-x/). For styles attached this way, you also control the left indents through the Define New MultiLevel List dialog not the Ruler or the Modify Style dialog.

You first want the paragraph styles existing in your document. You can, if you want, modify their formatting later. Then you go to the Define New List Style (Not Define New MultiLevel List! You will get to that dialog in the process, though.)

This may seem a bit convoluted at first, but it really is not. Just follow the steps. Shauna Kelly's instructions use the built-in heading styles, but you can use any existing paragraph styles including your custom styles. There are, however advantages to using the built-in heading styles when you create a Table of Contents. Here are some more advantages: Why Use Word's Built-In Heading Styles? by Shauna Kelly Note, you can modify these built-in styles to look exactly the way you want.

You want to do this even if what you want is a single-level list if you want the most control over your list.

Videos on this

https://youtu.be/niD6VXPvAyU?t=487

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EICWOeIhsR4

The basic idea is that the numbering is set using the Define MultiLevel List dialog with each numbering level being attached to an existing paragraph style. Once you have this set up, you should not use the buttons for numbering in the Ribbon but rather apply the appropriate style for that level.

You can save a document with this as a template for future documents if you want so you will not need to do this every time.

Here are references on generating an Automatic Table of Contents in Word:

• How to create a table of contents in Microsoft Word by Shauna Kelly
• Generating a Table of Contents
• Insert a table of contents - Office Support
• TOC Tips and Tricks by Suzanne Barnhill, MVP
• TOC Switches by Suzanne Barnhill, MVP