How to update ALL fields in a document at once--caption numbers in text boxes and the text layer, headers and footers.

Anonymous

My title just about says it--all of my all. I'm working on a long document; all of my inserted objects (figures and tables) are in text boxes with their captions. Throughout the editing process some objects have been deleted or moved so now they're completely out of order.

How do I get them all to update at once? When I select all (Ctrl+A) only the body gets selected. It is currently ignoring all tables, figures, headers, footers where I have a lot of fields. I don't mind having to go into the header/footers manually because that at least only has to be done once. But with my captions, currently I have to select each caption in each text box seperately to update them.

I appreciate all of your help.

Additionally, I have figured out that I can go to Print Preview and get them to all update so it's getting better...BUT I have two figures on a page (one on the top half and the other on the bottom half) and their figure numbers are out of order.

Top of Page: Figure 4-5

Bottom: Figure 4-4

I've tried updating manually, I've even deleted both captions and re-input them...nothing. What is going on?

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Jay Freedman 208.3K Volunteer Moderator

Going to Print Preview and back is the best way of updating all fields at once.

Do you by chance have the pictures and their captions in text boxes? If so, the caption numbering will be in the order of the locations of the "anchors" of the text boxes, not in order of the positions of the boxes themselves. First go to Office button > Word Options > Display and check the box to show object anchors. Now go to the page with the problem, and click on the edge of the upper text box. Note which paragraph has the anchor symbol next to it. Now click the lower text box. If the anchor for this one is on a paragraph higher on the page than the first one, drag it to a paragraph below the first one. Then go to Print Preview to update the captions, and they should straighten out.

Jay Freedman MS Word MVP

0 comments

56 additional answers

Stefan Blom 353.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2011-06-18T13:07:00+00:00

Many thanks for these tips - very useful.

You are welcome.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Deleted

This answer has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The answer was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.

Comments have been turned off. Learn more
Anonymous

2011-08-12T15:45:20+00:00

"Print Preview" does actually update the Figures in graphical groups, oddly enough, even after trying every other method of updating, even F9 or any other method I could find. Thank you for this excellent tidbit.

The 2007 issue of breaking Word 2010 graphic groupings still exists:

Create a 2010 graphic by inserting a picture, text box, arrow to the picture, etc. Group all these elements. Add Caption and group it to the graphic. Save Doc.

Open it in 2007 and the graphic is broken, it is saved as a picture. Elements cannot be edited properly in 2007.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Stefan Blom 353.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2011-08-16T11:19:00+00:00

For what it's worth, the following article (including its linked articles) has information on updating fields in Word:

Which fields are updated when you open, repaginate, or print document

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/211629/en-us/
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments