WD: Heading Numbering Does Not Reset for New Sections

ID: Q117694

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
Microsoft Word for Windows 95, version 7.0
Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, version 6.0, 6.0.1, 6.0.1a
Microsoft Word for Windows NT, version 6.0

SYMPTOMS

When you number headings in a document using the Heading Numbering command on the Format menu, you cannot use multiple heading numbering formats nor change the starting number without affecting the entire document, even though the document may be divided into sections.

For example, your document cannot contain both of the following numbering schemes when using the Heading Numbering command:

   I. First level heading
      A. Second level heading
         1. Third level heading
   <Section break>
   1. First level heading
      1.1. Second level heading
           1.1.1. Third level heading

Choosing the Restart Numbering At Each New Section option resets each section to start at the number you specified in the Start At box. For example, if you choose to Start At 4, all sections of your document will begin at 4. (To locate these options, choose Heading Numbering from the Format menu, and choose the Modify button.)

Word Help incorrectly states that Restart Numbering At Each New Section "restarts page numbering at the beginning of each section." This option does not affect page numbering, it affects heading numbering.

CAUSE

By design, heading numbering is a document-specific property that can be applied only to paragraphs formatted with the built-in heading styles (Heading 1 through Heading 9). Since it is document specific and not section specific, any modifications you make to the heading numbering format will affect the entire document.

Selecting the Restart Numbering At Each New Section option will renumber each section beginning with the number specified in the Start At box. It does not provide the option to set a new initial number for a new section.

WORKAROUND

To specify different starting numbers for each of your sections or to use different styles of numbering, use the multilevel numbering feature. The drawback to this method is that you cannot apply multilevel numbering to text that has been formatted with built-in heading styles.

To use multilevel numbering, first remove the heading styles, choose Bullets And Numbering from the Format menu, and select the Multilevel tab.

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Word User's Guide," version 6.0, Chapter 8, "Formatting and Sorting Lists"

Word Help - "Heading Numbering Command (Format Menu)" and "Creating a Multilevel List"

Additional query words: word6 macword winword ntword word7 wordnt word95 heading numbering style multi-level different initial reset renumber

Keywords          : kbnumbering 
Version           : WINDOWS:6.0,6.0a,6.0c,7.0,7.0a;MACINTOSH:6.0,6.0.1,6.0.1A
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: February 6, 1998