Word 2010 - list number style wont restart at 1

Stefan

I appreciate your reply.  Let me explain that I have been in the software business for 30 years and at one time was an expert with Word perfect.  the fact this has me completely baffled goes to show the depth of complexity with such a simply function that boggles ones mind. 

All the replies so far are more complicated than this situation is.  I am going to try and explain in more detail the simplicity of my problem.  All of the information out there is dealing with alot more complex situations than the one I have at hand here.  I dont care to become an expert in Word numbering or to reset or reconfigure anything.

there is also an assumption made in the documentation that I am reading that people have a base understanding which in this case, I certainly dont and would think more people are like me than are not.  For example it makes no sense to me that I would create a List numbered style and apply it to Heading 1.  this is the second time I have seen documentation say this but why would I assign a new list style to Heading 1 when my list styles can follow any header. 

Let me try to explain this more simplistically.  I think the replies are assuming I am doing something more complex than I am.

I have a 450 page document where I am using the default styles, Heading, 1 through 6 for each section of my documentation guide.  Within these sections there could be numbered points that I want to make.  Also there are steps on how to achieve specific functions.  In fact, my documentation is the exact same as your link above.  Everything was fine in my document as it appears in your document (with steps indented using the List Paragraph style (default as in I did NOT create this). 

the trouble started when I tried to move the indented list paragraph (again as you have yours indented) to be left aligned and NOT indented.  At that point all my list paragraph numbering went screwy and no longer started with 1.  So throughout my 450 page document i have steps starting at 210 or 88 or whatever (seems no pattern to me). 

I read something online that I should use the function "Set Numbering Value" rather than the "Restart at 1" function (right click on the actual list paragraph numbers inside the document).

There are a number of places that these functions are controlled.  From the ribbon bar - "Numbering" and "Multilevel List" and from the Styles box where a sample of the style is shown. 

From your instruction you said "Right-click and choose Adjust List Indents from the context menu" but I cannot locate this.  There are so many options in Word (I am using 2010) that if you do not specify the EXACT steps to get there I cannot locate what you trying to tell me.  I do appreciate your help here but i need precise steps.

At this point I have taken my numbering out wherever it is wrong and strangely enough some have stayed correct which I cannot see a reason for except Word has a mind of its own.  I would like to put it all back at some point but wasting hours each day on recorrecting my numbers is losing me hair.

One other point i saw somewhere was to stop the Automatic Update on the document which I have done and maybe that has fixed the problem I dont know.

As another oddity the automatic spell check is not working even though it is checked to do this and that makes me wonder if my document is now just corrupt.

I hope that i have provided more information for someone to provide a simple resolve to this numbering problem.  Thank you in advance.

You can't specify a default numbering scheme in Word. Which specific option did you choose?

If you are using the List Number paragraph style, note that numbering will continue (through-out the document). Any restarts must be done manually.

To change the indentation of any numbered list (in Word 2007 or later), click the actual list number; Word selects all list items. Right-click and choose Adjust List Indents from the context menu. See also http://wordfaqs.mvps.org/NumberAlignment2007.htm#NumberedLists.

Hello Doug

Thanks for the instructions but they are complicated.  I have such a simple list requirement and am at a point whereby I am about to just remove all numbering from this document.

I am using the base List Numbering style.  Nothing at all fancy here.  Everytime I open the document it changes the numbering scheme throughout the entire document and I set them back to starting at 1 and it starts all over...sometimes the numbering is in the 200's and other times 4, 8 or whatever.  There is no reason for this to be happening that I can see.

As this is a software guide which is converted to html online it is a crises for me.  I dislike Word so much I could scream!

All i did was move the left margin over for the List Number style to better line up with the rest of the text and this mess was created. 

Do you have any other suggestions on how to fix this?

Does anyone offer a service to fix it for me?

Hello, thank you for your answer but it doesnt help me.  I am using 2010 and I am using, as stated in my post, the DEFAULT list numbering style.  I have not added this style.  its just the plain old default. 

I cannot locate the More button to see all options but I followed your steps.

From what i can see, since this is the default List Numbering Style that it does start with 1.

One thing that I have found from another post is that Automate updating should be removed.  I am trying this now.  Still pullling my hair out.

This is so basic.  Just using Header 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and List Numbers.  All default.  no custom styles.  the very ONLY thing I did was move the list numbering to be left aligned instead of indented and this mess was created.

I hope you can help.

If this is a named list style, created via Home tab | Multilevel List | Define New List Style, then you can right-click the icon for the list style at Home tab | Multilevel List and choose Modify from the context menu. In the Modify Style dialog box, click Format, and then click Numbering. In the dialog box that opens, click the More button so that you can see all options. Verify that "Start at" is set to 1. Click OK to close dialog boxes. Does this improve the situation?

If you are not using a multilevel list together with styles, you really should reformat the document. See Doug's reply.