How do I do automatic numbering?

[Offices of R.T. Lewin]

In just a list, for example.

thank you

 

[Jay Freedman]

In just a list, for example.

thank you

You've unwittingly stepped into a minefield. There are several ways to
number things in Word, and they're almost all too complicated and
prone to puzzling problems. :-( There's a treatise on the subject at
http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Numbering/WordsNumberingExplained.htm.

For a single simple list, one per document, it's probably best to
apply the List Number style.