Heading 2 numbering not resetting to follow preceding Heading 1.

Anonymous

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: -

Heading 1; is followed by 1.1, 1.2, 1.3
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

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 279.4K MVP Volunteer Moderator

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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61 additional answers

Stefan Blom 352.5K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2015-05-18T23:14:18+00:00

Since you lose the numbering when you press Ctrl+Q, it hasn't been correctly set up. There should be a list style for the whole list and a paragraph style for each level.
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Anonymous

2015-05-18T19:59:32+00:00
Addendum:

Heading 1 is showing w/ correct list style, originally, but if/when I click Heading 1 style again (a refresh), it un-numbers and when I check the list style again, it shows as None. Bizarre...

I can then re-select the correct list style, which re-numbers them, but both of them are numbered as "A." (not incrementing)
Hi Guys,

I've come back to this problem again, after working something else. The file I'm working now, a template that I really need to have working, seems to be screwed-up. [This after I was able to successfully create another document using the same list styles & numbering last week]

It may be related to what I had reported last week: where Word "gets lost" as to which list style to apply (and more importantly, because I set up TWO of them based on the "Shauna method"). And what seems to be continually happening is that the list style being applied is "None." (That's possibly just 1 of my problems!)

So here is the vicious circle I'm stuck with:

I have 1 good Heading 1.: "A. Summary."

The next Heading 1 appears as "Project Description." -- and my choices are it appears w/out numbering, or it's stuck on "A. Project Description." (I can't get it to increment to "B.")

Additionally:

Applying style removes numbering

List style either reverts back to old one, or None

When I AM able to set Heading1 to the correct list style, I get the following:

"Multilevel List" shows several realities when click on my Heading1's:

(rarely) shows as "Current List"

usually shows as "List Styles"

(sometimes) "Lists in Current Documents"

(often) shows as "None" -- and numbering is removed

I don't even know where/how to begin to ask the question here. I think it's time I sent it to one of you two gurus... Doug, you helped me via email in the past: are you up for it again? I know you're very busy w/ other customers (and are probably tired of beating this dead horse!)... Let me know...

And btw, Ctrl-Q does nothing but strip the numbering.

Thx!

Mark
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Anonymous

2015-05-18T17:23:10+00:00
Hi Guys,

I've come back to this problem again, after working something else. The file I'm working now, a template that I really need to have working, seems to be screwed-up. [This after I was able to successfully create another document using the same list styles & numbering last week]

It may be related to what I had reported last week: where Word "gets lost" as to which list style to apply (and more importantly, because I set up TWO of them based on the "Shauna method"). And what seems to be continually happening is that the list style being applied is "None." (That's possibly just 1 of my problems!)

So here is the vicious circle I'm stuck with:

I have 1 good Heading 1.: "A. Summary."

The next Heading 1 appears as "Project Description." -- and my choices are it appears w/out numbering, or it's stuck on "A. Project Description." (I can't get it to increment to "B.")

Additionally:
- Applying style removes numbering
- List style either reverts back to old one, or None
When I AM able to set Heading1 to the correct list style, I get the following:

"Multilevel List" shows several realities when click on my Heading1's:
- (rarely) shows as "Current List"
- usually shows as "List Styles"
- (sometimes) "Lists in Current Documents"
- (often) shows as "None" -- and numbering is removed
I don't even know where/how to begin to ask the question here. I think it's time I sent it to one of you two gurus... Doug, you helped me via email in the past: are you up for it again? I know you're very busy w/ other customers (and are probably tired of beating this dead horse!)... Let me know...

And btw, Ctrl-Q does nothing but strip the numbering.

Thx!

Mark
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