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Heading 2 numbering not resetting to follow preceding Heading 1.

Anonymous
2011-02-24T03:04:29+00:00

I have a document in Word 2007 that I have created for use as a template. I have done this via the modification of another document that was already fomatted with TOC, headers and footers, page numbers, heading numbering etc. I have been modifying/creating new "styles" rather than just formatting text.

This all seems to be working well except for heading 2 numbering, which is not resetting to follow the preceding heading 1 number. For example: -

  1. Heading 1; is followed by 1.1, 1.2, 1.3
  2. Heading 2; followed by 1.4,1.5..... (carried on from previous list)

Heading 3 is resetting to follow the preceding heading as it should (i.e. 1.2 is followed by 1.2.1, 1.2.2 etc.).

There is no "restart numbering" option when I right click over the numbering in text. When I try to modify Heading 2 in Styles and select format>numbering the field does not recognise that the numbering is secong tier (i.e. 1.1, 1.2..etc) and only shows first tier options (i.e. 1, 2, 3...etc). I cannot seem to find any option in the modify style dialogue box to link the numbering.

When I base heading 2 on heading 1, formatting reverts to mimic heading 1 exactly and I cannot then reformat heading 2 to second tier numbering using the modify dialogue box as once again it is only recognising first tier numbering. The heading 2 that I am using is currently based on heading 2 from the original document and has been re-labelled "heading 2 VE".    

I know that not building the document from scratch is naughty but I'm only mediocre at MS word and it would take me ages. Please tell me there's a simple trick and I don't have to start again!

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Anonymous
2012-06-15T15:32:23+00:00

Did you try using  the built-in numbering scheme before you  created one from scratch?  If you don't have any customizations to the number formatting or style, indents, and such, the built-in scheme is all you need.

You can "start over" by putting the cursor in the first heading 1, clicking the multilevel list icon, and in the list gallery, clicking the built-in numbering badge that shows this:  1 Heading 1, 1.1 Heading, 1.1.1 Heading 3, etc.

Even if you want only minor customizations, though, you may want a list style in your template. So after you have applied the built-in number scheme and with the cursor still in  the first heading 1, go back to the list gallery and click Define new List Style (name the list style) > Format  > Numbering.  The dialog will show all the settings of the current list (where the cursor is) except that no headings will be linked to the numbering levels.  Customize the settings and add the heading links. 

One of the advantages of starting with a built-in list is that the number fields and restarts are already there and correct.   But the biggest one is that you don't have to do all of those steps and clicks!

Pam

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Suzanne S Barnhill 277.5K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
2011-02-24T03:23:17+00:00

You must set up the heading numbering as a multilevel list linked to the heading styles. If you select the 1 Heading 1, 1.1 Heading 2, 1.1.1 Heading 3 list type in the Multilevel List gallery, the list levels will be linked to the styles automatically, will have the numbering you want, and will restart after higher levels. For more on this, seehttp://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/numbering20072010.html.

Once the numbering is linked to the styles, you can modify the formatting of the styles any way you like (in the Modify Style dialog) except wrt numbering; any changes to the numbering or indents (left or hanging) must be made in the Define New Multilevel List dialog.

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  1. Anonymous
    2012-06-13T15:39:58+00:00

    I've read Shauna Kelly's documentation and it's great.  I got through all of it.  I read your reply as well.

    I'm still lost.

    I cannot get it to do this:

    1. Test

         1.1 Test

         1.2 Test

    1. Test

         2.1 Test

         2.2 Test

    The number continue from the 1 for any level.  So after my 2. I'm getting 1.3 and 1.4 and so on.

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  2. Anonymous
    2012-10-02T18:06:36+00:00

    Yes, you've  found the problem.    (How wise of you to to have set Show field shading to  Alwaysin Word Options > Advanced.)   Numbers you see with grey backgrounds are fields, which is what they should be. And numbers with no background are static text.  To fix the problem, 

    • Go to the level 4
    • Clear the Enter formatting for number box.  The number style for this level should change to  (none).
    • In the dropdown for Include number from,  Click Level 1.
    • Type a period after the number field in the Enter formatting for number box.
    • In the dropdown for Include number from,  Click Level 2.
    • Type a period after the next number field in the Enter formatting for number box.
    • In the dropdown for Include number from,  Click Level 3.
    • Type a period after the next number field in the Enter formatting for number box.
    • To insert the number field for level 4, change thenumber style for this level to 1,2,3,...

    If you are sure the field is correct,  you can just delete the static numbers and replace them by clicking the appropriate level from the Include number fromdropdown.

    It's really easy to insert the  number levels in the wrong order.  Temporarily set the start values to the number level. You should see 1.2.3.4 (with grey backgrounds) in the Enter formatting for number box.  If you see, 2.1.3.4, for example, the level 2 field was entered to the left of level 1 instead of to the right of it.

    HTH

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  3. Anonymous
    2012-06-15T14:32:11+00:00

    Yes.  However, it's not working.  I'm clearly still doing something wrong.

    Do you know of any paid services I can call to create a template for me?

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