Word 2010 - list number style wont restart at 1

Anonymous
2013-01-29T15:06:46+00:00

I am using the default list numbering in a pretty basic but large (450 page) document.  No macros, no custom styles...I am simply using the default headers and the list numbering.

the trouble all started when i decided it would look better to left align the list numbering.  When I have done this type of thing with regular headers there has never been a problem.  You can easily apply new formatting and apply to the entire document. 

With the List Number style this didnt work.  I found online a suggestion of using the Set Numbering Value at 1 each time which I have been doing for over 2 weeks now but the lists keep reassigning the starting numbers arbitrarily so some lists start at 98 and others at 74 and on and on.  I keep changing them back to start at 1 but again they reset themselvs.

This is an instruction manual so there are alot of short lists (steps on what to do) within alot of sections.

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  1. Doug Robbins - MVP - Office Apps and Services 323.6K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2015-08-27T23:17:55+00:00

    Hi Stefan,

    I would not say that Stable numbering requires a lot of work!  More a case of "a stitch in time saves nine"

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  2. Stefan Blom 353.5K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2015-08-28T08:11:00+00:00

    Good point, but I think that especially inexperienced users find the steps at http://shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/numbering20072010.html to be a lot of work. Of course, anyone who knows about templates can then easily re-use numbering by creating a template with the appropriate numbered (and unnumbered) styles.

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-04-13T20:00:04+00:00

    I have this problem in that when I am in the Multillevel list window (showing more) and I change the start value to 1 (from 9 - where it came from I don't know) it keeps reverting back to 9.

    The only way I could fix it was to import the style from my custom template. Now my list starts at 1 as it should.

    side note: If a style is not working as expected, I change it to a different  style and then back to the one I want and that usually fixes the problem. This number level problem, however, could not be fixed that way.

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  4. Charles Kenyon 171.1K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2016-04-13T20:18:24+00:00

    Hi Theresa,

    This is a very old and long thread. If you want help you may want to start with a fresh question so it doesn't get too confusing.

    When you reset numbering you want to go through all 9 levels starting with level 1. The step-by-step directions are found in the following article. This is not intuitive.

    How to create numbered headings or outline numbering in Ribbon Versions of Word by Shauna Kelly

    I'm sure this has been referenced in this thread before but am not sure how much you read.

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  5. Anonymous
    2017-09-01T16:48:25+00:00

    Old thread but I hope my answer will help someone. I tried the document that is linked to in one of the answers but it doesn't quite work for me.

    What I wanted was to do two things:

    1. Change the indent of the default List Number style and it's children;
    2. Have the List Number style reset to ''1' for each new list.

    The problem I had was that the list would not reset and I'd have to manually reset each list whenever I did a modification upstream in the document. Also, the margin reset didn't stay set.

    Here's how I solved my problem:

    1. Set a paragraph to the default List Number style.
    2. Right click on the paragraph and select the Adjust Line Indents option.
    3. In the dialog box select level 1.

    4. Link this level to the default style (usually Normal)

      4a. Set number style to (none)

      4b. Set alignment and test indent at 0 (or whatever you want)

      4c. Set following number with to 'nothing' and uncheck Add tab stop at: checkbox

    1. Select level 2
    2. Link this level to default List Number style

      6a. Set start at = 1

      6b. Select your number style and enter the formatting

      6c. Select the Restart list after: checkbox and select Level 1

      6d. set alignment and indent as you wish

    1. You may continue to link level 3 to List Number 2, Level 4 to List Number 3, etc.

    Click OK.

    Now all you have to do is to ensure at least one paragraph in the default style is between lists to ensure they restart at 1.

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