WD: Numbering Restarts After Inserting Table or Embedded Object

ID: Q120915

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

When you insert a table or embedded object in a numbered list, Word restarts the numbering of the paragraph following the table or object at 1.

For example, the following sample shows a numbered list before and after you insert a table or embedded object in the list. 

   Numbered paragraph               Same numbered paragraph after
   before                           inserting table or embedded object
   -------------------------------------------------------------------

   1. Apples                        1. Apples
   2. Oranges                       2. Oranges
   3. Pears                         3. Pears
   4. Pineapples                       <inserted table or embedded object>
   5. Guavas                        1. Pineapples
   6. Mangos                        2. Guavas
                                    3. Mangos

CAUSE

The above behavior of the Bullets and Numbering command on the Format menu is by design in Word.

WORKAROUNDS

To work around this problem, use any of the following methods.

Method 1

Apply a heading style to your numbered paragraphs and use the Heading Numbering command on the Format menu to number the paragraphs instead of the Bullets And Numbering command. For more information on Heading Numbering, see Chapter 8 in the "User's Guide."

Method 2

Use the Word 2.x Bullets And Numbering (ToolsBulletsNumbers) command to number your paragraphs. To use this command, run the ToolsBulletsNumbers command from the Tools Macro dialog box (Select All Commands in the Macros Available In box). To facilitate this workaround, you can add the ToolsBulletsNumbers command to a toolbar, menu, or shortcut key combination using the Customize command on the Tools menu.

Method 3

Use the SEQ, AUTONUM, AUTONUMLGL, or AUTONUMOUT fields to number your paragraphs. For information about using these fields, double-click the Help button on the Standard toolbar and then type the field name (such as "SEQ" [without the quotation marks]).

Method 4

1. Insert a section break before or after the table or embedded 

   object (Note: This step is not necessary for Word 7.0).
2. Select the listed items to be renumbered.

3. From the Format menu, choose Bullets And Numbering.

4. Select the Numbering tab.

5. Choose the Modify button.

6. Change the Start At value to the next number in the numbering 

   sequence (in the example below, change the Start At value to
   "4).", and then choose OK.

   1. Apples
   2. Oranges
   3. Pears
      <inserted table or embedded object>
   -----------<Section Break>------------
   4. Pineapples
   5. Guavas
   6. Mangos
For more information on Bullets And Numbering, see Chapter 8 in the "User's Guide."

Method 5

Place the table or embedded object in a frame and anchor the frame to an unnumbered paragraph above or below the numbered list.

NOTE: This workaround may not work in every situation. For example, this workaround may not work on a page that consists entirely of numbered paragraphs.

For more information about anchoring a frame, please see the help file for your version of Word.

Word 7.0:

1. On the Help menu, click Answer Wizard.

2. On the Answer Wizard tab, type "anchoring" (without the quotation 

   marks), and click Search.
3. Click to select the "Position graphics with related text", click 
   Display, and then click the topic "Make a framed graphic maintain a
   position relative to a specific paragraph."
Word 6.0 for Windows:

1. On the Help menu, click "Search for help on."

2. On the Index tab, type "Anchoring" (without the quotation marks), and 

   then click Display.
3. Click to select the "Moving a frame anchor" topic and then click 
   Display.
Word 6.0 for the Macintosh:

1. On the Help menu, click "Search for help on."

2. Type "Anchoring" (without the quotation marks), and then click Show 

   Topics.
3. Click to select the "Moving a frame anchor" topic, and then click the 
   "Go To" button.
Additional query words: restart multi-level reset stop skip wrong broken incorrect 
Keywords          : winword kbnumbering macword kbtable word6 word7 word95 
Version           : 6.0, 6.0.1, 6.0.1a | 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c, 7.0, 7.0a
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: February 7, 1998