word doc problems with TOC/numbering and styles

I have inherited a document, 100 plus pages, likely created with word 97 or 2000 and has been modified by at least 6-10 other users over the years.  The autonumbering is messed up (to put it mildly), in many sections its manually numbered, in other sections its automatic. 

 

The TOC was generated manually, likely because the styles are also very messed up. 

 

It appears (my guess) that previous authors tried to use styles to generate a TOC automatically, but also gave up. (Styles not implemented consistently within the document.  Before I tried to bring styles to some sort of semblance, complete paragraphs would be listed in the TOC.

 

I tried to modify the styles (manually modify  heading1, 2,3 etc) to be able to get auto document numbering   1.0, 1.1, 1.1.1, etc.   

 

The numbering and styles appear to be very convoluted, despite my attempts the last three days to improve them, I've had very limited success in doing so.

 

I've read many tutorials, seen many pages, tried the various tips and bottom line is that they still do not play well with each other. 

I even tried to start with a blank document template  and had limited success with that as well (margin formatting issues trying to cut/paste tables and diagrams from old version to new blank template)

 

When I apply styles, the numbering disappears at times, or numbering goes out of sequence, resorting with a restart to 1.0 or 1.1 . if I click on numbering, then the styles are eliminated and  consequently the TOC does not display that item. My choice is for some items either to display that single item in the TOC without numbering.

 

At times using the various tutorials and tips on various web pages such as ShaunaKellys website, I've had limited luck- it starts out fine, works for a couple of paragraphs  the a document goes from section 5.0 to 1.1 when I indent.

 

Can I reset styles to default or import a style format template to this document, to override the many things that were done by many different authors to this document?

 

Thanks

If you properly set up the numbering as detailed on the Late Shauna Kelly's website, it WILL WORK.
Hope this helps,
Doug Robbins - MVP Office Apps & Services (Word)
dougrobbinsmvp@gmail.com
It's time to replace ‘Diversity, Equity & Inclusion’ with ‘Excellence, Opportunity & Civility’ - V Ramaswamy

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If you properly set up the numbering as detailed on the Late Shauna Kelly's website, it WILL WORK.

I'll give it another try, but I've tried so many things,  I really think this document is demon possessed! LOL

Thanks.  I will report back next week on whether I have had any luck.

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It is quite likely that the demon that is possessing your document is the result of a mixture of Styles and direct formatting.  It is only when you get the appropriately defined numbering and associated Heading Styles assigned to all of the headings in your document that you can expect the Table of Contents to be generated correctly.
Hope this helps,
Doug Robbins - MVP Office Apps & Services (Word)
dougrobbinsmvp@gmail.com
It's time to replace ‘Diversity, Equity & Inclusion’ with ‘Excellence, Opportunity & Civility’ - V Ramaswamy

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It is quite likely that the demon that is possessing your document is the result of a mixture of Styles and direct formatting.  It is only when you get the appropriately defined numbering and associated Heading Styles assigned to all of the headings in your document that you can expect the Table of Contents to be generated correctly.

it is what I thought- having had so many other owners and keepers of the document.  is there a simple way of loading a set from a master document online?  I tried to create a set today, but with paultry instructions and not all the settings are well defined, the indenting with the numbering got to be a very daunting and frustrating task filled with trial and error, and I'm still not satisfied with 1.1  yet, and 1.1.1 is not behaving either... the headers behave but not the paragraphs... :-(


Thanks

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I would create a new template in which I set up the Outline Numbering and Styles that I wanted to use in the document, adding them to the Quick Styles Gallery in the template.  Then, with the document open, via the Developer tab>Templates>Document Template, I would use the Attach button to attach the new Template to the document, temporarily checking the "Automatically update document styles" box.

Then, on the Home tab of the ribbon, I would click on the Change Styles drop down and then on Style Set and then on "Reset to Quick Styles from Template".  The styles that you set up in the template will then be available in the Styles gallery.

Following this method, does require a bit of preparation, but it does give you a template that you can re-use when necessary for similar documents.

Other things that make it easy to apply Styles are to use Ctrl+Shift+s to display the Apply Styles dialog.

Hope this helps,
Doug Robbins - MVP Office Apps & Services (Word)
dougrobbinsmvp@gmail.com
It's time to replace ‘Diversity, Equity & Inclusion’ with ‘Excellence, Opportunity & Civility’ - V Ramaswamy

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I appreciate the support, and advice  however,  our employer has disabled streaming video, (my best learning method, written instructions are always more difficult, less intuitive)  can't take documents home, to work on them... and I'm still struggling and can't quite fully explain where and why its not working for me as yet.   I will keep at it however, I've had to put this aside for a bit with other urgent tasks/priorities ( high volume, fast-paced, interruptive work environment that affords little time for studying topics like this).  I am determined to get this monster tamed but for all the resources I've checked out so far, none seem to be geared to a novice on said topic.  

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If you want to send me a copy of the document, I will investigate the issues that you are having with it.
Hope this helps,
Doug Robbins - MVP Office Apps & Services (Word)
dougrobbinsmvp@gmail.com
It's time to replace ‘Diversity, Equity & Inclusion’ with ‘Excellence, Opportunity & Civility’ - V Ramaswamy

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I am embarassed to say that not being used to 2013 yet, it was write protected/track changes.  Once I took care of that all started behaving!  Thanks for all the help!

As a matter of approach- I would like an opinion:

I've had some issues with the numbering having a mind of its own (degenerating to lower number later in the document ) but then again have seen that problem in versions 97 through 2003 (without using styles) and having to go in and redo the numbering several times to try to get it back into proper numerical order:

1: is it best to use styles without numbering with this type of (a 1.0, 1.1, 1.1.1) document so that while using autonumbering, the two systems (styles with autonumbering) are not working against each other?

2: Is the best method to type the document first and then apply styles when complete, or to add styles as you go , or does that matter?

Thanks


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You should set up the required numbering and link it to the appropriate Styles as detailed on the Late Shauna Kelly's website.

Re your second question, it's probably a matter of choice, but I apply the Styles as I go, particularly with a document numbered in that way.  For that purpose, if use Ctrl+Shift+s to display and invoke the Apply Styles dialog.  In that dialog, when you use Ctrl+Shift+s to invoke it, the Style Name control will have the focus and as you type a style name, it auto-completes which makes it easy to use, select the required style, which will then be applied by pressing the Enter key and the focus then moves back to your document so that you can continue to type.

Hope this helps,
Doug Robbins - MVP Office Apps & Services (Word)
dougrobbinsmvp@gmail.com
It's time to replace ‘Diversity, Equity & Inclusion’ with ‘Excellence, Opportunity & Civility’ - V Ramaswamy

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OK thanks,  Intuitively that is what I did ,  set up the heading styles to contain 1, 1.1, 1.1.1, etc.

I then applied it to the existing document which already contained the autonumbering.  I just thought that was why the two were occastionally clashing in a section such as 4.0 where inside, it insisted on starting over at 3.1 underneath  4.2 ...

I undid, and redid it (3.1) several times and finally got it to behave as 4.1.

 As I originally hinted-  this document was seemingly demon posessed, having had so many previous guardians... lol , but then again with autonumbering, I've occasionally had a runaway numbering sequence as well.

Thanks again!

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Last updated October 5, 2021 Views 904 Applies to: