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

2015-01-27T15:13:36+00:00

Just like Suzanne, I'd like to clarify that it's not about being interested in MacWord or not; it's about knowing enough about MacWord in order to provide the best help. So it's best to go to the MacWord forum, where users of Word for Macintosh hang out. :-)
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Anonymous

2015-01-27T19:40:11+00:00

It's not that I disagree with sending you to the Mac forum, but I know from reading posts in many, many Word forums, that far too many helpers only recommend that you redo the numbering from scratch. But frankly, that won't help you identify the problem (here, more likely momentary inattention—welcome, fellow sufferer) or help you avoid it. So, go to the Word for Mac forum. But if the message you get is to make a new (aka define new) multilevel list, try my suggestion first:

I can see from the preview (Forhandsgransking ?) and the Enter formatting for number (Format for listtecken?) input box that you have inserted the number field in the wrong place and perhaps the wrong order. Notice the “11..1”. To see what went wrong, temporarily set the level (Niva?) 2’s Start at (Borja med?) value to 2 and level 3’s to 3. You should then see 12..3, or 21..3, or 31..2, or some such variation. Delete the misplaced numbers and reinsert them in the correct order — by making sure the cursor is in the right place before leaving the Enter formatting for number input box, choosing the correct level from the Include level number from: (Foregaende nivanummer?) box, and appropriately adding the periods.

Please forgive me for not taking the time to use the correct diacritics for the Swedish words.
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Anonymous

2015-05-14T16:16:33+00:00

Do you have the option to restart numbering after the next-higher level selected in the Multilevel List dialog?

Hi Suzanne,

I'm back again. Despite how many times I've learned" this process (since 2008!), it's still not working quite right for me (altho I'm proud of how quickly I was able to set up the multi-level list again, from Shauna's document, for the first time in months!).

Similar to Champion Goober above, in my case I set up headings as follows, except that my next set of Heading 2's aren't re-starting either:

A. Heading 1

     1. Heading 2

     2. Heading 2

B. Heading 1

     3. Heading 2

     4. Heading 2

I went back in to the "Modify Multi-level list" to see if I had set it up right, and sure enough, I apparently had, and it's set to "Restart list after Level 1." -- But it's not!

I'm using 2010.

Thx!

Mark
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