How to customize Word Numbering

J

James Hebert

I come from a graphic design background (I know and love InDesign dearly). Now I am in a developer environment where legal style numbering for more technical documentation, and editability by others, is required, meaning "we use Word here."

Word's auto numbering baffles me when it comes to modifying styles and tabs to achieve a layout that is easier to scan. I have spent hours combing the web only to find that this area seems rife with confusion, or only partial information.

Is there a resource exist that addresses Word's numbering and page layout features from a designer's point of view? Most texts cover the basics from a reference style point of view, covering each function, but providing no hint as to visual elegance or style in the resulting appearance. Am I being naive--is this expecting too much?

Failing that, how would you go about adjusting the way that word lays out its auto numbering... from 1 to 1.1 to 1.1.1, ad infinitum, so that you can force tabs and copy to line up mor evenly (rather than indent further and further across the page, causing the copy that accompanies any numbered item to zig zag with a ragged left edge)?

Thank you!

James
 
J

James Hebert

Sorry...

I'm using Word 2007 on Vista, if this is of use to your reply.

James
 
D

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

See the following article on fellow MVP, Shauna Kelly's website "How to
create numbered headings or outline numbering in your Microsoft Word
document" at:

http://www.ShaunaKelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.html

As you are using Word 2007, you should also take not of the following
comments by fellow MVP Stefan Blom

Quote

The list formatting does not include line spacing. To have different line
spacing for each level in the list, associate a unique paragraph style (with
the desired line spacing defined) with each numbering level.

Here's how to do that: Place the insertion point in the first top-level item
of your list. On the Home tab, click Multilevel List and then click Define
New Multilevel List. In the dialog box, first click the More button to see
all options (if necessary). Then, for each level, choose a style name in the
"Link level to style" box. When you are done, click OK.

Note that assigning a paragraph style for each numbering level has been the
recommended approach for Word versions 97 and later. The difference is that
Word 2007 no longer allows you to access the numbering options via the
top-level paragraph style (which was the recommended approach in older
versions; see
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.html).

The new approach offered by Word 2007 is to create a list style, via Home
tab | Multilevel List | Define New List Style. Once created, a list style
appears at Home tab | Multilevel List (under "List Styles"). The advantage
of list styles is that they can be modified via the Modify Style dialog box
like any other style, but note that list styles do not replace assigning
paragraph styles to numbering levels.

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP

Unquote

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP
 
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