WD: How to Number Table Cells Continuously

ID: Q115267

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

In Word, if you select a table and apply number formatting to the table cells, you have the option to number across rows or down columns, as shown in the following examples. To number table cells continuously, use one of the methods provided in the "More Information" section of this article.

Example: Number Across Rows is selected: 

   ---------------------------------------------
   | 1. Word  | 2. Excel    | 3. Power Point   |
   ---------------------------------------------
   | 1. Works | 2. Access   | 3. Fox Pro       |
   ---------------------------------------------
   | 1. DOS   | 2. Windows  | 3. NT            |
   ---------------------------------------------
Example: Number Down Columns is selected: 

   ---------------------------------------------
   | 1. Word  | 1. Excel    | 1. Power Point   |
   ---------------------------------------------
   | 2. Works | 2. Access   | 2. Fox Pro       |
   ---------------------------------------------
   | 3. DOS   | 3. Windows  | 3. NT            |
   ---------------------------------------------

MORE INFORMATION

You can number table cells continuously, as shown in the following example using one of the methods described below: 

   ---------------------------------------------
   | 1. Word  | 2. Excel    | 3. Power Point   |
   ---------------------------------------------
   | 4. Works | 5. Access   | 6. Fox Pro       |
   ---------------------------------------------
   | 7. DOS   | 8. Windows  | 9. NT            |
   ---------------------------------------------

Method 1

Individually select each row or column of the table and change the Start At number. For example:

1. Select the first row and apply the desired number format using the 

   Numbering toolbar or by selecting Bullets And Numbering from the Format
   menu.
2. Select the second row, choose Bullets And Numbering from the Format 
   menu, choose Modify, and change the Start At number to the desired
   number.
3. Select subsequent rows and repeat step b for each.

Method 2

Convert the table to text and number the cells statically, as follows:

1. Select the table or rows of a table that are to be numbered. (Make a 

   note of the number of columns that make up the rows.)
2. Click the Numbering button on the toolbar.

3. Select Number Across Rows and choose OK.

4. While the rows are still selected, choose Convert Table To Text from the 

   Table menu.
5. Under Separate Text With, select Paragraph Marks and choose OK. The text 
   will be separated into individual paragraphs and highlighted.
6. From the Edit menu, choose Cut.

7. From the Edit menu, choose Paste Special. Select the Paste option and 

   under As, select Unformatted Text. Choose OK. This will paste the text
   numbered statically instead of dynamically.
8. Select the numbered paragraphs and choose the Convert Text To Table 
   command from the Table menu. In the Convert Text To Table dialog box,
   enter the number of original columns from step 1 into the Number Of
   Columns box. Select Paragraphs for the Separate Text At option. Choose
   OK.

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Word User's Guide," version 6.0, pages 300, 284-285

Additional query words: copy paste special static dynamic consecutive sequence sequential numbers 

Keywords          : winword macword kbtable word6 word7 word95 
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 7, 1998