Word numbering number format

The following shows an intro with lower case Roman numerals. You can use any other format instead.

  1. Select between the intro and the body of the document and go to Layout > Breaks > Next Page.

    Tip: To see section breaks and other formatting marks, go to Home and select Show/Hide (¶) to turn on the display of formatting marks.

  2. In the header for the body section, deselect Link to Previous. If Link to Previous is dimmed, check to make sure a section break was created.

  3. In the intro section select Page Number and choose a location and style. If your change only affects the first page of your section, make sure Different First Page is not selected.

  4. To choose a format or to control the starting number, select Page Number > Format Page Numbers.

  5. Do either or both of the following:

    • Select Number format to select the format for the numbering, such as a, b, c or i, ii, iii for the intro.

    • Under Page numbering, choose Start at and type a number that you want to start the section with. For example, restart numbering at the beginning of the body section.

  6. Select Close Header and Footer, or double-click anywhere outside the header or footer area to exit.

The following shows an intro with lower case Roman numerals. You can use any other format instead.

  1. Select between the intro and the body of the document and go to Layout > Breaks > Next Page.

  2. In the header for the body section, deselect Link to Previous. If Link to Previous is dimmed, check to make sure a section break was created.

    Note: Headers and footers are linked separately, so if your page number is in the header, turn off linking for headers. If your page number is in the footer, turn off linking for footers.

  3. Go to Header & Footer > Page Number, and then click Page Number.

  4. Choose the position and alignment of page numbers. If you don’t want a page number to appear on the first page, clear Show number on first page.

  5. To choose a format or to control the starting number, go to Header & Footer > Page Number > Format Page Numbers.

  6. To change the numbering style, select a different style in Number format.

  7. To change the starting page number of the newly created section, select Start at, and then enter a number.

  8. Select OK.

  9. Select Close Header and Footer, or double-click outside of the header or footer to exit.

If you need to customize an existing numbered list (see
how to create a numbered list) or apply your
specifications to the number format, use the Define New Number Format dialog box.

   I.   To create a custom numbering format, do the following:

   1.   On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group,
choose the Numbering button:

Paragraph in Word 2016

   2.   In the Numbering list, click
Define New Number Format… item to display the Define New Number Format dialog
box:

Define New Number Format Word 2016

   3.   In the Define New Number Format dialog box:

  • Number style — Specifies the numbering style that you want. Choices include Arabic numerals,
    uppercase and lowercase Roman numerals, uppercase and lowercase alphabet letters, and word series
    (1st, One, and First). You can also choose no numbers at all, killing the sequential numbering.
  • Font… — Specifies the special font or font attributes (such as bold, italic, and underline)
    and the point size for the numbers. A standard Font dialog box appears when this button is chosen.
  • Number format — Types the characters, if any that you want to come before each number. If you
    want each number enclosed in parentheses, for example, type an opening parenthesis before the number
    in this box.
    Do not type over this number in this box! If you do so, even replacing it with another
    number, you will break the automatic numbering; each number in the list will be the same.
  • Alignment — Sets the distance from the left, centered or right margin that Word places the
    number.

   II.   To create a custom multilevel list format, following:

On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, choose the Multilevel List button and
click Define New Multilevel List… item to display the Define new Multilevel List dialog
box:

Define new Multilevel Format Word 2016

If the button in the lower-left corner is the More >> button, click it. Word displays an
extra panel at the right of the dialog box, so you see the full dialog box, as shown here. Word also
changes the More >> button to a << Less button that you can click to hide the
extra section of the dialog box again.

  • In the Click Level To Modify, select the list level you want to change. Word selects the
    first level, 1, when you open the Define New Multilevel List dialog box.
  • If you need to link this numbered list level to a particular style, select the style in the Link
    Level To Style
    drop-down list.
  • Use the controls in the Number Format area to specify the number format.
    • In the Number Style For This Level drop-down list, select the number format you want
      to use. For example:

      • «1, 2, 3,»
      • «i, ii, iii,»
      • «A, B, C.»
    • To include the number from the previous level (or a higher level), choose the level from the
      Include Level Number From drop-down list. (This drop-down list is unavailable for the
      first level because there’s no level above it.) For example: if Level 1 uses «1, 2, 3»
      numbering and Level 2 uses «a, b, c» numbering, applying Level 1 in the Include Level
      Number From
      drop-down list to Level 2 changes the Level 2 numbering to 1a, 1b, and
      so on.
    • Word displays the number formatting you’ve chosen in the Enter Formatting For Number
      text box. Type any changes for the text of the format into this text box. For example, you
      might edit the «A)» format to «Section A)» so that each instance of the number included the
      word «Section.»
    • To specify font formatting, click the Font button. Word displays the Font
      dialog box. Choose the font, font style, size, and any extras (such as color or effects),
      and then click the OK button.
    • To customize the numbering, use the Start At spinner to change the starting number.
      If you want to restart numbering after a certain level, select the Restart List After
      check box and choose that level in the drop-down list. (The Restart List After
      controls aren’t available for the first level in the list, because there’s no higher level.)
    • Select the Legal Style Numbering check box if you want to use legal-style numbering:
      changing any roman numeral to an Arabic numeral. For example, 1.1.1 instead of
      I.1.1.
  • Use the controls in the Position box to customize where the number appears.
    • In the Number Alignment drop-down list, choose Left, Centered, or
      Right.
    • In the Aligned At text box, choose the position at which to align the number.
    • In the Text Indent At text box, set the indent position for the text.
    • In the Follow Number With drop-down list, select the character to include after the
      number: a tab, a space, or nothing. If you choose a tab, you can select the Add Tab Stop
      At
      check box and set the distance at which to place a tab stop.

Note: more details are available
in the Numbered lists section
in the Work with bulleted, numbered and multi-level lists lesson
of the Create basic documents free course.

See also this tip in French:
Comment personnaliser une liste numérotée.

Image of Susan Harkins

on

August 3, 2009, 12:50 AM PDT

Create a custom number format in Word

Numbering a list is an easy task in Word. But changing how those numbers look is a bit more complicated. Learn how to create your own custom number format.

In Word, you can quickly number a list by selecting the items and clicking the Numbering button on Word’s Formatting toolbar. Word even offers a selection of predefined formats that are adequate for most uses. However, you’re not stuck with just the predefined formats. For example, you might want to print an underscore in front of a numbered question. You see these types of lines on tests, surveys, and questionnaires.
Word doesn’t offer a predefined format for that type of list, but you can create it yourself. First, begin as you would any other list by typing the items.

Once you have your list, you’re ready to create and apply the custom formatting as follows:

  1. Select all the items in the list.
  2. From the Format menu, choose Bullets And Numbers.
  3. In the resulting dialog box, click the Numbered tab.
  4. Select a numbering option that you seldom or never use, because you’re going to modify it.
  5. Click Customize.
  6. In the Customize Numbered List dialog box, click before the number in the Number Format control.
  7. Type several underscore characters and a space.
  8. Click OK and Word applies the custom numbering scheme to the selected items.


You can rearrange the list and even insert new items; Word will automatically adjust the numbering scheme to accommodate your changes.

  • Software

Multilevel numbering in Word is the #1 headache for many people working with large documents. 

Believe it or not, it’s not complicated. It just takes somebody to lead the way and point out the pitfalls you need to avoid.

Today that pleasure falls to me!

Before I start, grab your free multilevel numbering troubleshooting guide that shows you the steps to get multilevel numbering working properly first time, every time, together with answers to over 20 FAQs and plenty of real client examples constructed step by step to help you fix what isn’t working with your numbering.

Multilevel Numbering in Word - The Missing Guide

1. What Multi-level Numbering Looks Like

Often used in the legal profession or in large corporate documents, multilevel numbering creates a logical hierarchy and easy navigation within the document. The headings can also be summarised later on in a table of contents. Here is a simple example:

Multilevel numbering in Word 01

2. How to Set Up Multilevel Numbering

Here is the correct process:

1.  Select the text that you want to number (this can be a section of text or the whole document).

Multilevel numbering - where to start

2.  Select the Home tab.

3.  Click the multilevel numbering icon in the Paragraph group.

Multilevel numbering icon

4.  You can either select an existing layout from the list to use as a starting point, or you can create a new numbering system from scratch. As you hover over each thumbnail image, Word provides a larger image of the numbering system.

5.  Choose Define New Multilevel List to display the control dialog.

Define new multilevel list

The dialog box can be broken down as follows:

Step #1 Click level to modify

In the top left is a list of levels. As you select each level, the settings in the rest of the dialog box changes. 

Level 1 is the highest level, i.e. the main headings such as chapter or section titles. 

Level 2 is subordinate to level 1.

Level 3 is subordinate to level 2.

Click Level to Modify

Step #2 Enter formatting for number

This is where the level number is constructed. If you include a previous level number, it will be displayed with a grey background, as will the number for the current level.

Type anything you wish to put in between the numbers such as dots, dashes, brackets etc.

Clear any text in the ‘Enter formatting for this number’ box.

Step #3 Include level number from

When creating a subordinate level (or child level), you can first specify the level number of the parent.

For example, for section 3.2

  • 3’ is the parent level (level 1) and
  • 2’ is the child level (level 2)

Multilevel numbering in Word 05

Step #4 Number style for this level

Each level can have its own number style. It may be a standalone style, e.g. 1, 2, 3 or a, b, c or continue on from a higher level, e.g. 1.1.1 or 1.a.i.

  • When creating 1.1 numbering, this option is 1, 2, 3.
  • When creating 1.a numbering, this option is a, b, c

Multilevel numbering in Word 06

Step #5 Font

Set the font formatting for the selected level, if you want.

Enter formatting for number

Step #6 Position

What position from the left margin do you want items for each level of numbering. For example, level 1 items may be 0cm from the left margin, level 2, 1cm from the left margin and level 3, 2cm from the left margin.

Here’s what they mean: 

  • The Aligned At determines how far from the left margin the number appears.
  • The Text indent at figure determines how far from the left margin the text following the number is.

Multilevel numbering in Word 08

6.  Click OK to save all the settings and close the dialog box.

The text you selected in step 1 now looks like this.

Multilevel numbering - initial numbering

The next part is where the magic happens …

3. How to Apply Multilevel Numbering

Once you have created your numbering system:

1.  Position the cursor at the beginning of a line.

Multilevel numbering - place the cursor at the start of the line

2.  Press the TAB key to move the text down a level (demote).

Multilevel numbering - press TAB to demote and SHIFT TAB to promote

3.  Press the SHIFT and TAB keys together to move the text up a level (promote).

Multilevel numbering - press SHIFT TAB to promote

If you prefer, you can also click the indent icon to demote and the outdent icon to promote between levels.

Multilevel numbering - you can use the indent and outdent icons to demote and promote between numbering levels

4. How to Change Multilevel Settings

Once you have created your numbering system:

1.  Reselect all text that is using the multilevel numbering.

2.  Click the multilevel numbering icon and select Define New Multilevel List (yes, you choose this option even if you are modifying an existing multilevel list).

Redefine multilevel list

The original settings that you defined are redisplayed.

3.  In the top-left box select the level that you wish to change, then change your settings.

4.  Repeat for the other settings.

5.  Click OK to save the settings. Your numbered list should now reflect your new settings.

5. Linking Multilevel Numbering to Styles

Each level of a multilevel numbering system can be linked to a style. This means that as you apply styles throughout the document, the numbering is applied appropriately and automatically. You can either use the built-in Heading 1, Heading 2, Heading 3 styles or use your own custom styles.

1.  In the Numbering dialog box, click the MORE button in the bottom-left corner to expand the dialog box.

2.  Select level to modify in the top-left box.

3.  Open the Link level to style drop-down list and choose the style you wish to connect to the numbering level.

Link level to style

4.  Click OK.

5.  In the document, apply the Heading 1, Heading 2, Heading 3 styles where needed.

It’s a good idea to create a body text style and apply that where appropriate, so that the body text does not inadvertently get caught up in the multi-level numbering.

6.  Select the whole document (or the portion of the document where you want to apply your numbered sections).

7.  Click the  icon in the Paragraph group (Home tab).

8.  Select your custom numbering style from the gallery. The thumbnail image should show the linked styles.

Multilevel numbering in Word 12

6. How to Use Styles to Set Number Levels

1.  Select all the text that you wish to apply the same number level to. Alternatively, if you wish to go line by line, you can place the cursor anywhere in a line of text.

Multilevel numbering - place the cursor at the start of the line

2.  In the Styles gallery, click the style that corresponds to the number level you wish to apply. For example, to apply the top level numbering click Heading 1 and for the third level numbering click Heading 3 (assuming those are the styles you assigned).

The numbering and all the numbering settings will be applied to the selected text or the paragraph in which the cursor was positioned.

Multilevel number styles

And that, my friend, is how you do multilevel numbering in Word with no loose ends.

How to set up a dual-multilevel numbering system in Word

7. Two resources to help you

1. Grab your free multilevel numbering troubleshooting guide.

Multilevel Numbering Troubleshooting Guide

2. Watch over my shoulder as I set up multilevel numbering from scratch.

Click to watch video

8. What next?

I hope you found plenty of value in this post. I’d love to hear your biggest takeaway in the comments below together with any questions you may have.

Have a fantastic day.

Jason Morrell blog signature

About Jason Morrell

About the author

Jason Morrell

Jason loves to simplify the hard stuff, cut the fluff and share what actually works. Things that make a difference. Things that slash hours from your daily work tasks. He runs a software training business in Queensland, Australia, lives on the Gold Coast with his wife and 4 kids and often talks about himself in the third person!

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By default, Word uses Arabic numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.) when you create numbered lists. However, you can change the numbers to a different type or to letters. The character after the number or letter can also be changed.

NOTE: We used Word 2016 to illustrate this feature, but this procedure works in 2013 as well.

Highlight the text you want to convert to a numbered list. Click the down arrow on the “Numbering” button in the “Paragraph” section of the “Home” tab. Some number formats are available in the “Numbering Library” section on the drop-down menu that displays. If you’ve created at least one numbered list in the current document, the number formats used in the document display in the “Document Number Formats” section of the drop-down list. Any number formats used recently in the document are listed in the “Recently Used Number Formats” section. You can choose from any of these formats for your current numbered list. If the format you want is not on the drop-down menu, select “Define New Number Format”.

On the “Define New Number Format” dialog box, select a style from the “Number style” drop-down list.

You can select any of the following number and letter types for use on your numbered lists.

  • Arabic: 1, 2, 3, 4
  • Uppercase Roman: I, II, III, IV
  • Lowercase Roman: i, ii, iii, iv
  • Uppercase Alphabetic: A, B, C, D
  • Lowercase Alphabetic: a, b, c, d
  • Ordinals: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th
  • Word Numbers: One, Two, Three, Four
  • Word Ordinals: First, Second, Third, Fourth
  • Leading Zeros: 01, 02, 03, 04

In the “Number format” edit box, there is a period after the number or letter by default. If you want to change that to another character, such as a parenthesis (“)”), dash (“-“), or colon (“:”), delete the period and type the character you want.

The “Alignment” drop-down list allows you to specify whether the number or letter is aligned left, centered, or right in the space allotted for the numbering. The default choice is “Left”. Select “Centered” or “Right” if you want to change the alignment. To change the font of the numbers or letters on your list, use the “Font” button. When you’re finished making your changes, click “OK”. The numbered list is created similar to the example in the image at the beginning of this article.

If you’re going to customize the numbering on your list, you might want to turn off automatic numbered lists so Word doesn’t automatically apply the default numbering as you type your items.

You can also easily skip numbering in numbered lists and create numbered lists using the keyboard in Word.

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