Although most of an academic paper should be written with full sentences divided up into paragraphs, bullet points and numbered lists can be useful in some contexts. For instance, vertical lists are particularly useful when giving examples or reporting steps in a process. Show
Microsoft Word also makes adding lists to a document reassuringly simple. All you need to do is follow the instructions below. Using Bullet Points in an EssayBullet points are useful when listing things non-sequentially (i.e., when there is no specific order in which the items involved should be listed). They should also be reserved for longer lists, as short lists of up to three or four items can be included in the main text. To add a bullet pointed list to a document in Microsoft Word 2007 or later, simply:
To end your list, hit “Enter” twice after the final item. You can even customize your bullet points with an image of your choosing for a little extra color. We like using eagles, but we admit that this probably isn’t appropriate for most academic documents. Using Numbered ListsNumbered lists are appropriate when listing items sequentially or in order of importance. The process for adding a numbered list to a document is similar to adding a bulleted list: Find this useful?Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.
As with bulleted lists, you end a numbered list by hitting “Enter” twice after the final item. For more control over the style, select “Define New Number Format” in the numbering menu. Using Multilevel ListsFinally, if you really want to push the boat out, you can use a “Multilevel” list. This is useful if you want to include sub-lists within a main list, like in the following: To add a list like this to your document, you’ll have to:
As with the other lists discussed here, you can customize the style of multilevel lists by selecting “Define New Multilevel List” from the menu. This will open a new window where you can modify each level of your chosen list style as required. After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
Numbering Macro PackagesPage Numbering is not covered in this chapter (CK note)This page last edited by Charles Kenyon on Friday 02 December 2022 [ Home ][ Introduction ][ Web Resources ][ Word Books ][ Confidentiality ][ Word FAQ ][ Downloads ][ Word 2002 ]
(this guide table of contents) ----- (MS Word New Users FAQ) Search Usersguide to Microsoft Word using Google Numbering OverviewLaw firms use numbered lists daily to prepare contracts, pleadings, letters and memos. Word makes activating and customizing numbering fairly straightforward. You can create simple numbered lists, such as A, B, C and 1, 2, 3. You can also customize these lists to setup specific numbering styles for your firm and practice group. Multilevel lists such as I, A, 1 are handled through Word's Outline Numbering feature, which is explained later in this chapter. Many firms rely on outline numbered lists to draw up contracts and pleadings. Like numbered lists, outline numbered lists can be customized. CK Note: Word 2007 - 2013 interface has an different automatic numbering scheme which I have been told is much less subject to corruption. Microsoft Word 2010 Bible by Herb Tyson, MVP. However numbering is still very imperfect in these later versions. I still recommend following Shauna Kelly's step-by-step instructions (see above) if setting up numbering in a template or in a document likely to be heavily edited. If you start without doing this and end up with "spaghetti numbering," fixing it will be a very large chore!
Automatic Numbered ListsOne of the easiest ways to begin applying numbers is by starting to type a numbered list. Word recognizes that you are creating a list and responds accordingly by converting text that you type into numbered items. The number scheme, delimiter characters that mark the beginning or end of a unit of data and formatting are all based on what you have typed.
Practice: Apply Automatic Numbers
If you start to type in what appears to be a numbered list, Word formats your manually typed "numbers" to an automatic numbered list. The main benefit of this option is that you do not need to click any button to start numbering and you can choose your numbering style as well. For example, if you type "(a) some text" and press Enter, it starts numbering using the "(a)" format. Unintentional Results with Automatic NumberingSome drawbacks to this feature are that you lose a little control when you are typing. Word formats for you and some users do not like this. Also, on certain items, you will get a number when you do not expect or need one. For example, you have an attorney whose name begins with an initial (A. George Smith). When you type the name and press ENTER, the first initial "A." converts to an automatic number. Practice: Unintentionally Apply Automatic Numbers
Simple Numbered ListsIf the list you want is as simple as "1", "2", "3", you'll appreciate how easy it is to apply this type of numbering in legal documents. Simple numbered lists are different in Word 2000 than they were in Word 97. In Word 2000, the default for even the most basic list is multi-level. For example, if you number an item and press Enter and then press the TAB key, Word automatically formats this number as the second level in an outline numbered list format. Single and multi-level numbering are explained later in this chapter. Applying Basic Number FormatThe fastest way to get numbers into your document is to click the Numbering button on the Formatting toolbar. This button gives you either Word's default numbering scheme in your document (1, 2, 3) or the last numbering scheme used during this session of Word. Word's default numbers are Arabic numerals followed by a period. You can also apply numbers by using a menu command. From the Format menu, choose Bullets and Numbering. There are different advantages to both. The following exercises show how to use each method to applying basic numbers to a list. Practice: Use the Numbering Toolbar Button
If you need more numbering options, you can use a menu command to choose different number formats such as A, B, C.
The numbered tab contains seven default gallery positions for numbers, each of which can be customized.
Turning Off NumberingYou may want to start and stop numbering while you are creating your list. The numbering button acts as a toggle, which means it is used to turn on and off the numbering. All you have to do is click inside the paragraph where you want to turn numbering on or off and click the Numbering button. To stop Word from numbering additional paragraphs:
Continue the Numbered ListIn a legal document, it's rare for every paragraph in the document to be numbered. Usually, you change between numbered paragraphs and non-numbered (plain) paragraphs of text. When Word sees you switching between these types of formats, it usually tries to help by restarting your numbered list back at "1" (or the first value of your list, such as "A"). There are a few different ways to make the number follow the last number of your paragraphs. In Word, this is called Continue from Previous List. Practice: Continue from Previous List
Restart NumberingYou can use the same technique to restart a numbered list back at the first number as you did to continue with the previous list. In the Bullets and Numbering dialog box, choose Restart numbering, and then click OK. Lining Up Non-Numbered Text With a Line BreakIf you want to add more lines of text under the first line of a numbered paragraph and you would like to line the text up, one solution is to insert a line break. A line break gives you a new line without a new paragraph. In WordPerfect, this is called a soft return. To get a line break, press SHIFT+ENTER. Practice: Insert a Line Break After a Numbered List
Customizing NumberingWhen you choose a numbering format or use Word's default, it not only provides you with numbering settings (1,2,3 or A,B,C, etc), you also receive other formatting as well such as indents and tabs. In order to satisfy different user's styles of numbering, you may need to customize the list accordingly. You are probably better off using the Define New MultiLevel List dialog as described in How to create numbered headings or outline numbering in Ribbon Versions of Word by Shauna Kelly. Here is the dialog Word ribbon versions provide for customizing a flat list:
Here is the dialog in the earlier menu versions.
Word provides numerous formatting options for numbered lists. However they removed the control over indents in the Ribbon versions.
For changes to the last three items in Ribbon versions of Word, use the Define New MultiLevel List dialog as described in How to create numbered headings or outline numbering in Ribbon Versions of Word by Shauna Kelly. Practice: Change Indents
The number is now indented and the paragraph text wraps to the margin.
Outline (Multi Level) NumberingUnderstanding outline numbering and how outline numbering interacts with styles is crucial to your success in using Word with legal documents. I recommend using the Define New MultiLevel List dialog as described in How to create numbered headings or outline numbering in Ribbon Versions of Word by Shauna Kelly Basic outline numbering can be handled much the same way as bullets and numbering. Seven default outline numbered lists come with Word. Three of the lists format the paragraphs with outline numbers. These lists are in the top row of the dialog box. The remaining four format the paragraphs with outline numbers and apply heading styles to the paragraphs and can be found in the bottom row. To select outline numbering without changing the formatting of the paragraph, make sure that you select an outline numbered list that is not linked to the Heading Styles feature. Microsoft strongly recommends using numbering that is linked to styles. For more information on using styles in Word, see the Styles chapter. The seven schemes displayed are in a gallery with each numbering scheme occupying a gallery position.
Word includes seven default outline-numbering styles. These have changed over the years. Applying Outline NumbersIn Word 97, outline numbering will not apply automatically as you type. You apply outline numbering from the Format menu by choosing Bullets and Numbering and then selecting the Outline Numbered tab. In Word 2000, when you begin a numbered list, it is an Outline Numbered list by default. Therefore, you do not need to go into the Bullets & Numbering command unless you plan on changing the default scheme. If you know in advance that you need outline numbering for your paragraphs, you will want to choose the correct format from the Bullets and Numbering dialog box. Applying one of the preset formats to a paragraph or paragraphs that are already bulleted or numbered applies it to the entire list. There is a specific tab for outline numbers — the Outlined Numbered tab. Once outline numbers are applied to paragraphs, use the TAB key, or the Increase or Decrease Indent toolbar buttons to advance to different levels within the outline numbered style. Practice: Apply Outline Numbers in Word 97
You can use the Increase and Decrease Indent buttons to move to different outline levels as well.
Practice: Apply Outline Numbers in Word 2000
To choose a different numbering scheme, you will need to go into the Bullets & Numbering dialog box. Unexpected Results With Applying Outline Numbers in Word 2000Since Word 2000 applies outline numbering by default, as you press TAB or SHIFT+TAB in a numbered list, you are moved to the next or previous outline level. If you are in a numbered list that has outline numbering generated by the method described in the previous exercise, when you choose Bullets and Numbering from the Format menu (or alternate-click a portion of the numbered list), the Numbered tab appears on the Bullets and Numbering dialog box. However, if you first select the entire list and choose Bullets and Numbering from the Format menu, the Outline Numbered tab from the Bullets and Numbering dialog box is selected. Practice: View Bullets and Numbering Tab While Applying Outline Numbers
To choose a different numbering scheme, you will need to go into the Bullets & Numbering dialog box. Customize Outline Number FormatsYou can use the Customize button to modify the outline numbered lists to your specifications. When you modify a list, it changes that placeholder's preset numbering format. This is how you save your customizations. You have seven presets and they are stored in the Registry key List Gallery Presets.
You are able to customize the numbering scheme at any time: before, during or after you apply it. You can customize all nine heading levels or only the levels you are planning to use. Some fields in the Customize dialog box are the same as the Numbered List Customize dialog box. The fields unique to Outline Numbers are:
Table 2 — Unique customization options to Outline Numbering. I recommend using the Define New MultiLevel List dialog as described in How to create numbered headings or outline numbering in Ribbon Versions of Word by Shauna Kelly.
Table 3 — Options available by clicking the More button. CK Note: I strongly advise attaching your numbering levels to styles for all levels at one time. See the articles by John McGhie and Shauna Kelly listed above. McGhie's article explains the why of this, the Kelly Article gives step-by-step instructions. Practice: Customize Outline Numbering
Use Aligned At and Indent At to fix the indents if necessary.
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(this guide table of contents) ----- (MS Word New Users FAQ) Search Usersguide to Microsoft Word using Google Sharing CustomizationsIf you have created great numbering schemes and would like to share them with another person, it is not an easy task to copy your schemes to another machine as the schemes are registry settings and difficult for the typical user to get to. If you open a document with the scheme to be saved, it's easy to add and save the scheme for you to use. Practice: Share a Numbering Scheme with Someone ElseSend the document that contains the numbering scheme to another person. If you have received a document and you want to save the numbering scheme to your computer, simply open the document.
The next time you go into the Bullets and Numbering dialog box, the saved scheme appears as an item on either the Numbered tab or the Outline Numbered tab.
Combine Numbering With StylesOutline Numbering becomes much more powerful when you attach styles to each level. Styles provide the text formatting while outline numbering provides the numbering format. Together, you can save yourself a great deal of time. For example, you would like to have your first level of numbering to be Bold and Centered. In the previous section, you experienced that when you used Outline Numbering alone, you had to format each paragraph individually to be centered. When you use styles, the centering takes place automatically once you've defined the style to be centered. Word comes with some default Outline Numbering schemes that already have Styles attached but that doesn't mean you are only limited to those styles or those schemes. For more information on styles, see the chapter on Styles. Practice: Use Styles with Numbering
You can choose any style you would like to use from this list.
For information on changing the format of your text, see the Using Styles chapter.
Numbering Items Within A ParagraphIf you need to apply numbering within a paragraph rather than to the entire paragraph, you use Word's ListNum feature. Using the ListNum feature will allow you to take advantage of the numbering system you're currently using in your document (it will use the one you implemented most recently if you're not currently using a numbering system). The ListNum Field is available in Word 97 and later and interacts with multi-level list numbering (which should be linked to styles as set forth here). Here is a brief explanation of differences between the ListNum field and the Seq field. Practice: Number Items Within a Paragraph
You may wonder whether typing 1, 2, and 3 would be easier than using the ListNum field. Although doing that may be easier initially, the value of using the ListNum field becomes apparent when you cut and paste. When a paragraph contains multiple numbered items that you move or delete, Word automatically updates the ListNum fields. Using ListNum fields assures you of accurate numbering within a paragraph throughout the document.
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(this guide table of contents) ----- (MS Word New Users FAQ) Search Usersguide to Microsoft Word using Google Common Legal Customizations
As you can see, Word provides numerous options for formatting an outline numbered list. There are a few additional things that law firms typically want to do that are covered in this section. Centering Text Under the NumberA very common numbering scheme involves the first level of the numbering scheme to be centered, with the text under it as shown in this example: Article I. If you try to set up a numbering scheme to do this, you will notice that your number disappears when you press ENTER to type the text or the text may seem off-center. The following exercise walks you through centering text beneath a number. Practice: Center Text Beneath a Number
Styles with numbering would prevent you from having to center each paragraph. Add Formatting to Text without Affecting Paragraph NumberIf you want numbered headings to be underlined, but do not want a line under the number, it can be difficult if you don't know how it works. This is because by default, the format of the number follows the format of the text that follows it. For example, let's say you want to underline a paragraph in a Heading 2 style. Chances are it will look like this: 1.1 Definitions when you expected it to look like this: 1.1 Definitions This formatting must be done through the Customization dialog box of Bullets & Numbering.
Practice: Remove Underline from the Paragraph Number
This formatting is changed on a level-by-level basis. You will need to customize each level of numbering that you want to use.
Include Plain Text on Same Line As Heading(And Only Have Heading Appear in the Table of Contents) Word uses styles to create Tables of Contents. A common practice in law firms is to generate outline numbered styles that have bold or underlined heading text immediately followed by paragraph text on the same line. Because the paragraph is formatted with a style, Word tries to place the entire paragraph in the Table of Contents. One solution is to format the heading with the style and follow it with a hidden paragraph mark. You should format the text in the next paragraph with a style that is not included in the Table of Contents. A hidden paragraph mark keeps the text together on one line when it is printed, even though it is actually two separate paragraphs. The Table of Contents command picks up only those paragraphs with heading styles and places them into the Table of Contents. Practice: Format Heading for TOC and Non-TOC Text on Same Line
When the document is printed, it appears as though the heading text for the TOC and the plain text are on the same line.
Sequence Fields for Numbering - CK Introductory NoteMicrosoft Reference on Sequence Fields
Create Sequence Fields for Interrogatories and More
Practice: Use Sequence Fields
Use Sequence Fields for Tickets and More
I've been printing tickets that require sequential numbering and have that working but I have some issues that are bigger then my knowledge. I have a word document with a table of 6 exact cells on a full page table. In those cell areas I have been printing tickets with a list and a mail merge and updating labels. I call to an excel list of 1-2000 and then I generate all the pages through the Finish and Merge option. This all works perfect. I get 2000 individually numbered tickets to print...however...I then have six tickets printed on a page of paper with ticket numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ,6 then the next page has 7,8,9,10,11,12. This is fine but I then have to cut and stack these tickets in groups of six and at that point none of the numbering is sequential. The tickets are basically random. Any suggestions on the best way to split the 6 regions so that the top left region would be 1-335, then the middle top would be 336-670, Then the top right would be 671-1005, then bottom left would be 1006 - 1340, Then bottom middle would be 1341-1675, then the final bottom right region would be 1676-2010? Answer: Use Sequence Fields
A similar question arose except with ten tickets per page and 500 tickets. The same analysis applies. Alternatives using Mail Merge are offered there that are easier but do not provide for sequentially numbered stacks of tickets.
Note that Word uses SEQ fields when it inserts Captions.Even- or Odd-numbered SEQ fields - skipping numbers - CK Note
Using SEQ and other fields to display continuation headers in tables
The Bookmark part of the syntax { SEQ Identifier [Bookmark ] [Switches ] } is optional and is when adding Cross-Reference text as part of the SEQ field. The Switches are also optional and are as follows:
TroubleshootingMy changes to my List Number Style don't stickThe following screen shots are from Word 2010 but this applies to all versions of Word. (Here is the same question and answer using Word 2003 screen shots.) This is CK's response to a question on the Microsoft Answers site. Question: Why does Word 2010 still indent lists in blank documents based on Normal.dotm, even though I've modified the lists and styles in the Normal.dotm file? So I spent some time trying to figure it out, playing with Normal.dotm and the various styles (List paragraph, List Number, List Bullet etc etc). And finally, when I've got Normal.dotm open (i.e. I'm editing that template file), I get my result: I apply a standard numbered list, and it comes up flush left (i.e. not indented) and hanging at 1.0cm (cos I don't use inches...) and with a tab stop applied at 1.0cm as well - funky stuff! Pleased with myself (always a fatal thing when the gods of computing are around), I fire up a blank document and press the numbered list button. My heart sinks. It's indented at 0.63, hanging at 1.27cm, no tab stop. For crying out loud! Why does it work when I've got the actual Normal.dotm file open, but NOT when it generates a new document BASED on Normal.dotm? What am I missing, folks? Response: First, the best way to do numbering is by tying it to styles, in particular to the heading styles. If not, the changes you are making may not be sticking because
of an Add-In or other problem with saving changes to normal.dotm. As a short-term experiment, when you have normal.dotm open type a phrase on the page like: Here are some screen shots of the same text but with the insertion point (focus) in different spots. The first one is after simply pressing on the numbering button. Note that the style remains "Body Text" even though a number has been applied. Note also the font and the indents in the ruler. The second shot (below) has the insertion point in the second numbered paragraph, the one where the List Number style was applied.
Even though it looks like I clicked on the numbering button at the top, I did not. I applied the list number style. That style has different indents and a different font. Those are the settings in the List Number Style. Understanding Styles in Microsoft Word Numbering in Microsoft Word is broken, sort of. It has been for many years. (It is actually better now than it has been.) By attaching it to Styles, you can tame it. This is not fair; it is not easy; but, it isn't rocket science and it can be done. Otherwise, that button at the top is for quick lists in documents that are not likely to be edited and where you are OK with the defaults that Word picks for you. Change Automatic Numbers to ManualWhile Automatic Numbering is very useful, there are times when you may want to freeze numbers. This cannot be easily undone, but the process is described here:
Converting Automatic Numbering to Manual Numbering No Tab Option SettingYou may notice that when you are customizing an outline numbered list, you do not have an option to set the value of the Tab that follows the number. You can only choose whether a tab, space, or nothing follows the number.
See also Troubleshooting [ Home ][ Introduction ][ Web Resources ][ Word Books ][ Confidentiality ][ Word FAQ ][ Downloads ][ Word 2002 ]
(this guide table of contents) ----- (MS Word New Users FAQ) Search Usersguide to Microsoft Word using Google This chapter from original Legal Users Guide to Microsoft Word 2002 - document in zip format
What is the use of numbering button?This is normally called the Numbering button. In previous versions of Word, it always applied a predefined list numbering format. In Word 2000, this was changed. It now applies an outline List Template, and the List Template it applies is the one used most-recently by the particular user-ID on that particular computer.
What is the numbering button in Word?To start a numbered list, type 1, a period (.), a space, and some text. Word will automatically start a numbered list for you. Type* and a space before your text, and Word will make a bulleted list. To complete your list, press Enter until the bullets or numbering switch off.
What button should be used to create numbered list?On the Home tab in the Ribbon, click the number list button, as shown at the top of the page. If successful, a number one should appear. Type any text and press Enter to start the next number in the numbered list. To end the numbered list, press Enter twice.
What is the function of a numbered list?Use a numbered list to display complete sentences or paragraphs in a series (e.g., itemized conclusions, steps in a procedure). Use a lettered list or bulleted list rather than a numbered list if the items are phrases.
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