Rearranging the order of pages in Word 2010

Anonymous
2012-03-15T13:24:51+00:00

In Word 2010  can you sort pages like you can sort pages in Powerpoint by simply dragging and dropping ?  If not by dragging and dropping, how?

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Charles Kenyon 170.9K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2012-03-15T13:41:49+00:00

In Word 2010  can you sort pages like you can sort pages in Powerpoint by simply dragging and dropping ?  If not by dragging and dropping, how?

Nope.

Word is a text flow program. It prints text on pages but doesn't really organize by page. Powerpoint is a slide show program. It does organize by slides.

You can cut and paste text.

If you have used heading styles to organize your document, you can use the navigation pane to move logical sections around.

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Anonymous
2012-03-15T15:20:45+00:00

If each page begins with a heading  formatted with a page break before (instead of a manual page break between pages), you can switch to outline view, collapse the view to the heading level used at the tops of pages (say, heading 1), and move (by dragging or by cutting and pasting) the headings.  The content under the heading will move with them.  Also in outline view, you can sort the headings.   When cutting in outline view, you must include the heading's paragraph mark so that subheads and text will be included in the cut.  

The navigation pane also allows you to collapse or expand the heading levels shown and to drag headings to rearrange, but as far as I know, you cannot cut and paste to move headings and you cannot sort them.

HTH,

Pam

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  1. Paul Edstein 82,871 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2016-04-20T22:45:05+00:00

    The real issue is that some people have a fundamental lack of understanding of what Word is and what its design parameters require. It is a word-processor that provides for text and tables to flow in columns, across page boundaries, etc., not a: page layout program like Publisher; presentation program like PowerPoint; spreadsheet program like Excel; or database like Access. Yet all too often people complain that they can't use Word the same way as those other programs, that: they can't drag pages around willy-nilly regardless of what happens with content that spans a page break; it doesn't have tabs and calculation functions like Excel; and so on. So, just as you can find a few threads with people agitating for Word to provide tools for moving things around at the page level, so too you'll find threads with people whingeing that Word doesn't provide Excel-like tabs, etc. The mere fact such things can be found proves nothing more than a lack of understanding on what a word-processor is. If you want a word-processor, use Word. If you want the functionality of a different program, use that.

    As has already been discussed in this thread, Word does have tools for moving content around but, in accordance with it's design paradigm as a word-processor, that's at a content level, not at the page level.

    I'm not dismissing anyone's request, but what people complaining about the lack of ill-conceived functionality do need is a reality check. If you want you can ask MS to provide whatever features you want, via http://word.uservoice.com/. Alternatively, you're free to use any other word-processor you might prefer. Just don't expect to find one with the same functionality as Word, let alone the ability to drag pages around willy-nilly the way you expect Word to.

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-04-20T21:39:41+00:00

    To the reply from LiamMacintosh, I tip my hat!  Very nicely said.

    Bryan

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-04-20T21:31:23+00:00

    That may be true, however you over estimate the average users' need and actual use of Microsoft Word, as well as their education. The issue with being an MVP sir, is that you take for granted what you find to be simple and dismiss a simple request which incidentally can be found on mutliple forums with a simple Google search. And your answer, is merely to bash a simple solution posted by a more average user. In addition, this solution though it may not work with the elements you stated, does not harm the orginal document. No harm, No foul. So kudos on being a MS MVP - Word, now trying being an MVP at life.

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