Document Outline Styles in MS Word

Nope. Doesn't work.

When I get to the second chapter, Heading 2 retains the numbering scheme from Chapter 1.

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Then when I try to set te numbering value, it never updates.

Notice the "Preview" still says 1.1

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I don't know if this problem is unique to Office 365 or if it existed on earlier versions.

You can't use this dialog.

You must use the Define New MultiLevel List dialog with your insertion point being in the first instance of level 1 to change the setting for the entire list.

Never use this dialog!

I stand by my previous answer and that from Suzanne. You cannot do this piecemeal and have robust numbering.

The only way to have a functional multilevel (outline) list is to set it up as described at https://shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/numbering20072010.html with each level linked to a discrete style (they don't have to be heading styles; you can use the List Number series or any other combination of styles). You then apply the numbering by applying the style for the appropriate level.

Could you clarify why you needed to make a manual change?

An important part of setting up a multilevel list is to avoid manual changes to the numbering. Let higher levels restart lower ones.

As Charles said, you can't use the Set Numbering Value dialog box. You risk breaking the multilevel list.

Also, you shouldn't need any manual restarts, if you set up the numbering correctly using the Multilevel List dialog box and heading styles. See the articles and other resources for which Suzanne and Charles have provided links.

When numbering is properly defined and associated with styles, you can click in any malfunctioning list item and press Ctrl+Q. This resets the paragraph settings of the underlying style, including numbering.

Nope. Doesn't work.

When I get to the second chapter, Heading 2 retains the numbering scheme from Chapter 1.

.

Then when I try to set te numbering value, it never updates.

Notice the "Preview" still says 1.1

.

I don't know if this problem is unique to Office 365 or if it existed on earlier versions.

Multilevel numbering in Word is easy to mess up. It always has been.

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. These can be built-in styles or custom styles or a mix of the two. 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.

See also my page: Outlining in Microsoft Word