Multi level list option is missing from numbering library in the paragraph styles section

Question

I have Word version 2405 (Build 17628.20110 Click to run) and there is no multi list level option in the numbering library - so I am unable to set up a style which has numbered sub paragraphs which link to the numbered paragraph heading

Answer 1

You have to set this up in the Define New Multilevel List... dialog - click Multilevel List on the Home tab of the ribbon,

In the dialog, click More >> to display the extra options.

You can link each level of your multilevel list to a style.

Answer 2

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.

Again, you first want the paragraph styles existing in your document without numbering.

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.) Shauna Kelly's page uses the built-in heading styles. This can be convenient but the process works with any existing paragraph styles including your custom styles.

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.

Even if what you want is a single-level list, you want to do this 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. However, once you’ve done this a few times it becomes second nature and not that difficult.

If you are feeling adventurous, you could try this vba code:

Multi-Level List on the Fly - vba code by Greg Maxey

Answer 3

If you are not seeing any built-in formats for multilevel numbering, you can exit Word and delete the ListGal.dat file in your Windows user profile path (%appdata%\Microsoft\Word). This will restore the factory defaults.

That said, the best approach is to set up numbering carefully associated with paragraph styles—one style per numbering level. See https://shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/numbering20072010.html and also the important resources posted by Charles.