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Word header numbering failure

In creating a series of documents, I set up the styles for Header 1 through Header 4 with indents and numbering. Header 2 through 4 DO NOT restart numbering when used as follows:

1. Heading 1

    A. Heading 2

        (1) Heading 3

    B. Heading 2

        (2) Heading 3

2. Heading 1

    C. Heading 2

I expect the heading 2 to restart as A after a new heading level 1 and Heading 2 to restart as (1) after a new heading level 2.

In addition I set the hanging indent from a 0.25 to a 0.3 to create the proper spacing for heading number greater than one digit. When I manually change the numbering from (2) Heading 3 to (1) Heading 3 using the number/start numbing at feature the style for that single element changes back to the original hanging indent of 0.25 and each occurrence must be changed individually since the style still shows the correct 0.03 indent.

Click in the first Heading 1 paragraph in the document. On the Home tab, click Multilevel List, and then click Define New Multilevel List (as you can tell, the name of the command is misleading). In the multilevel list dialog box, define all aspects of numbering: restarts, linked paragraph styles, and indentation.
Stefan Blom
Microsoft 365 Word MVP since 2005
Volunteer Moderator (Office)
MS 365, Win 11 Pro
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Please note that I do not work for Microsoft
MVP program info: https://mvp.microsoft.com/
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I tried this before asking on this form. At the level 2 option, the restart numbering after where I should be able to restart numbering after a level 1 is grayed out. I can't set the numbering to restart correctly.

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This may help.

Archive How to create numbered headings or outline numbering in Word 2007 and Word 2010

Volunteering to "pay forward" the help I've received in the Microsoft user community.


Charles Kenyon
Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
wordfaq[at]addbalance[dot]com

Legal site: https://addbalance.com

2 people found this reply helpful

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It's crucial that you start with the insertion point in the first Heading 1 (level 1) paragraph even when you want to modify Heading 2 (level 2). In the multilevel list dialog box, select level 2. Also, verify that you see the correct style names in the "Link level to style" drop down. All of this ensures that the list is left intact. Details are in Shauna Kelly's article to which Charles has linked.
Stefan Blom
Microsoft 365 Word MVP since 2005
Volunteer Moderator (Office)
MS 365, Win 11 Pro
~~~~
Please note that I do not work for Microsoft
MVP program info: https://mvp.microsoft.com/
~~~~

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Been there, done that and still no joy. I don't have this problem with my word for Mac that was the latest version in December 2013 (I can't remember which version it is) and never had this problem with the older versions of word over the years.

I am working at a customer's with Windows 7 and Word 2010 . I even tried a new blank document and created brand new styles based on the original heading 1 through 4 settings and still had the same problem.

Looks like a bug to me. Thanks for trying but I'll close this question and just fix each issue as the failure occurs.

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I haven't seen this particular numbering issue, which may be the result of a corrupt Normal template. Exit Word and rename the Normal template. Then restart Word and recreate numbering in a blank document.
Stefan Blom
Microsoft 365 Word MVP since 2005
Volunteer Moderator (Office)
MS 365, Win 11 Pro
~~~~
Please note that I do not work for Microsoft
MVP program info: https://mvp.microsoft.com/
~~~~

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Thanks for trying. This didn't work either. Also I can't replace the normal.dotm file. I get an "in use by another user" error message even when I have closed word completely.

Might be a function of how the sysadmin has set my permissions.

When I goggled this I find lots of other people with the same issue and no solution.  I first started working with Windows and Word in 1995 and this was not a problem with any of the past versions.

Thanks for trying.

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Thanks for trying. This didn't work either. Also I can't replace the normal.dotm file. I get an "in use by another user" error message even when I have closed word completely.

Might be a function of how the sysadmin has set my permissions.

When I goggled this I find lots of other people with the same issue and no solution.  I first started working with Windows and Word in 1995 and this was not a problem with any of the past versions.

Thanks for trying.

Some versions of Outlook also use the normal template. Can you rename the normal.dotm template with both Word and Outlook closed?

Normal Template in Microsoft Word - How to Find or Open the Normal Template

Volunteering to "pay forward" the help I've received in the Microsoft user community.


Charles Kenyon
Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
wordfaq[at]addbalance[dot]com

Legal site: https://addbalance.com

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Sometimes, you may also have to restart Windows (in case there are any additional outlook.exe or winword.exe processes running for some reason).
Stefan Blom
Microsoft 365 Word MVP since 2005
Volunteer Moderator (Office)
MS 365, Win 11 Pro
~~~~
Please note that I do not work for Microsoft
MVP program info: https://mvp.microsoft.com/
~~~~

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Last updated March 8, 2023 Views 4,512 Applies to: