Skip Numbering

[Paul Gauci]

In my Word 2007 the Skip Numbering command (I have included the corresponding
green button in the QAT) does not work. Is this a problem with Word 2007?

 

[Stefan Blom]

If you want to skip numbering, the easiest way is to apply a style which is
not numbered. For example, you can press Ctrl+Shift+N to apply the Normal
style.

FWIW, I don't know how the Skip Numbering command is supposed to work; as
you've noticed, it doesn't seem to work at all.

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


in message
news:[email protected]...

 

[Paul Gauci]

Stefan

I used it often in Word XP and Word 2003 and it is a most convenient
command. The corresponding icon is available in 2007 but as I pointed out it
does not seem to work.

Thanks

Paul

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

The way it's evidently supposed to work is to create a numbered item without
a number. I find this anomalous and confusing. Given that Word has provided
the List Continue set of styles to coordinate with the List, List Number,
and List Bullet styles, I feel it is preferable to use these (or Body Text,
as required) instead of just removing the number from a "numbered" style.

 

[Paul Gauci]

I see your point, but since I often need to use as much as nine different
types of List Numbers and List Bullets styles, the 'Skip Numbering' command
comes in very handy. Otherwise I would have to create different un-numbered
or un-bulleted paragraph styles (of different indentations).

This would then make my templates cumbersome for me and difficult to
comprehend for co-workers who may need to use my templates.

Ultimately, I would expect the command to work if it is included in the
package.

Thanks

Paul

 

[Stefan Blom]

Indeed, it seems to be a redundant feature... But I'm curious to learn if
you ever got it to work, when testing it?

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


in message

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

I've never used it.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Word already has a series of nine indented but unnumbered, unbulleted List
Continue styles that could be modified to your preference.

 

[Stefan Blom]

Neither have I, not counting the quick test I performed (unsuccessfully).

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


in message

 

[Paul Gauci]

In 2003 it worked perfectly. I loaded the corresponding icon in a floating
toolbar together with List Number and List Bullet icons and used it quite a
lot.

 

[Stefan Blom]

Well, you can certainly suppress a number or bullet by placing the insertion
point at the beginning of the paragraph and pressing Delete once. But it
would be better to use the List Continue styles, as Suzanne suggested.

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


in message

 

[Sherlock]

Like Paul, I had Skip Renumbering on a custom toolbar and used it all the
time. I helped numerous people in my office do the same thing and they all
loved it.

I must be missing something about the easy way to number a list, stop
numbering for a paragraph or two--but retain the formatting and indent, and
then restart numbering, because it seems to require several steps, vs. just
typing everything as part of the numbered list and then selecting the
paragraphs I want to change and clicking Skip Numbering.

Could you please give the most efficient steps for creating a numbered list,
stopping for a paragraph or two while retaining the indent and formatting,
and then continuing numbering?

Thanks.

 

[Jetstream]

I have used a simple way to skip renumbering, type a paragraph or two and
restart renumbering continuing with numbers and indent where it was
discontinued.

Type a numbered list. Then press Enter twice to exit the renumbering mode.
Type a paragraph or more without numbering. Press Enter. Click the Numbering
button in the toolbar. Numbering will start again but, by default, will begin
with Number 1. However, hover your pointer over the icon that pops up to the
left of the number and click the down arrow. Then click "Restart Numbering"
and the number sequence will begin where it left off along with the proper
indenting.

 

[Sherlock]

Thank you, Jetstream, but the unnumbered items do not retain the formatting
of the numbered items using this method.

If my numbered items are indented from the margin .25 inch with a hanging
indent of .5 inch for the text and trailing space of 4 pts, then the
unnumbered items in the middle of the list should be indented .5 inch with no
hanging indent and have trailing space of 4 pts.

This happened automatically with Skip Numbering, and it didn't matter if I
applied Skip Numbering before or after I formatted my paragraphs as a list.

 

[Cheryl Flanders]

An easy workaround to add a non-numbered paragraph between items would
be to press Shift+Enter before that paragraph. For example, Type #1
text and press Shift + Enter to type the next paragraph (twice if you
want to add a space between text and new paragraph). Press Enter
twice after your non-numbered paragraph and numbering will restart at
2.

Cheryl

 

[Sherlock]

Thank you, Cheryl. Yes, I've used that approach at times. I was just hoping
to find something that replicates the ability of Skip Numbering to retain the
numbered format on a free-standing paragraph with the ease of Skip Numbering.

Sadly, it looks like that functionality has been removed.

Thanks anyway.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

If you apply numbered styles to your numbered paragraphs, then you can apply
the corresponding "continue" styles for unnumbered ones. There is a series
of List Continue styles that, by default, have the same indents as the
default List, List Number, and List Bullet styles.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

 

[Sherlock]

Thank you, Suzanne.

I still have access to Word 2003, so I tried working with bullets and
numbering in both 2003 and 2007. Applying the List Continue styles only works
if you are using one of those styles, which makes sense, as you are applying
a specific style. That approach requires that there be a Continue style for
every List style. They do not appear to exist by default--Outline numbering
styles, for example--and in any case, developers would have to create them
for new bullet and number styles.

If you place your insertion point immediately to the left of the first
letter of text in a list item, after the bullet or number and its associated
tab, and press the Backspace key, the bullet or number is removed and the
formatting is retained. This is more cumbersome than clicking a Skip
Numbering button from anywhere in the item, but does result in the same
outcome as 2003's Skip Numbering.

I suppose one solution might be to write a macro that goes to the beginning
of the paragraph, backspaces, and then returns to the point of origin. That
could be used on any style, much as Skip Numbering could.

Thank you for your suggestion.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Any solution that does not rely on styles is ultimately going to be more
trouble to use.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

 

[Sherlock]

A valid point, Suzanne. Skip Numbering doesn't change the name of the applied
style other than removing the bullet or number, but I haven't tested to see
if the item with Skip Numbering applied is updated if the style is edited.

I didn't use styles for the first several years I worked with word
processing software and somehow seemed to manage. But in a business
environment, where consistency is important, I can no longer imagine life
without them. I had to put the Style box in my Quick Access Toolbar, because
I can no longer function unless I can glance and see what style something is!

Thank you for your replies.