Dot Leader Sporadically Missing from Table of Contents

Anonymous
2012-04-18T23:56:07+00:00

I am updating an automatic table of contents.  I'm using Word 2010.  There are dot leaders for each toc entry.  However, for several (but not all) of the new toc entries, the entry appears with the page number, but with no dot leader.  I've deleted the item and re-entered, re-formatted and done everything else I can think of and nothing works.  Help??

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Suzanne S Barnhill 279.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
2012-05-22T18:43:08+00:00

Considering just the entries that are missing the period leaders, are those entries much shorter or longer than the other entries? Often this problem is a result of placement of tab stops in the relevant TOC style; in that case, however, the problem also results in page numbers being in the wrong place as well as lacking leaders. The situation arises when there is a tab stop (or hanging indent) fairly far to the right in the TOC style. A very short entry will stop short of this tab stop, and so the tab that should go to the right-aligned tab stop at the right margin (for the page numbers, with leader) instead stops at the first tab stop/hanging indent.

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-05-09T01:54:44+00:00

    Thank you again for your time. Those are the directions I have been following. I even kept them open on the side and went through step by step in my document. I must have missed something but how do I figure out what? I have done the whole thing over from scratch three times and portions of it over countless times. It is so frustrating. Here is what I did:

    1. Changed the first six heading styles in Styles as per my boss's preferences (no numbering, just font changes) and set them up to "cascade" as per the instructions on www.shaunakelly.com. No problem there.
    2. I defined a new multilevel list as per my boss's preferences (six levels).  At this point, text that was changed to the new style did not want to indent unless I used the indent button, but otherwise seemed okay. The directions said there was no need to use the multilevel list button, but it would not work otherwise. 
    3. Inserted a TOC, which is where I noticed something was amiss. 

    I  just started a new job as a virtual assistant on Tuesday and I am not looking very competent right now. Any help you can offer would be a jobsaver. Usually, I have no issues with Word.

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  2. Suzanne S Barnhill 279.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2014-05-08T23:20:27+00:00

    Sounds like you need to back off and study how to create a TOC. See http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/tableofcontents.html and http://WordFAQs.mvps.org/TOCTips.htm.

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  3. Suzanne S Barnhill 279.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2014-05-08T23:17:34+00:00

    That tab stop is set by default; that's the problem here: the tab character is going to that tab stop because there is not one earlier in the paragraph.

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-05-08T22:30:28+00:00

    Thank you for trying to help me. I followed your suggestions and then tried to insert a TOC. The tab leaders disappeared, even though they were checked. The format for Heading Two changed to small caps. Also, a second tier of snuck in.  What could be going on?

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