Microsoft Word 2008

Using Numbered Lists

With Word, you can make bulleted lists, numbered lists, or outlines. You can create numbered lists using the Home command tab or AutoFormatting. For information on bulleted lists, refer to Using Bulleted Lists.

About Numbered Lists
Using the Formatting Palette
Using AutoFormatting
Working with Formatted Numbers

About Numbered Lists

This is an example of a numbered list
When the text wraps, it does not wrap all the way to the number, but only to where the first line of text began
The NUMBERING button on the Bullets and Numbering toolbar acts like a toggle switch. Clicking once turns it on; clicking a second time turns it off

Using the Formatting Palette

You can easily create numbered lists from the Bullets and Numbering section.

Applying Numbering as You Type

When you are ready to add numbered text to your document, use the following steps:

Place the insertion point where you want the numbering to begin
Click TOOLBOX
From the Formatting Palette, in the Bullets and Numbering section, click NUMBERING
HINT: If the Bullets and Numbering section is not expanded, click it.
NOTE: Word inserts the first number and moves the insertion point a quarter inch to the right, where you can begin typing text.
Type the desired text
If the text wraps, Word maintains the quarter-inch indent.
Press [return]
Another number appears.
Repeat steps 4 and 5 as necessary
When finished typing the last line of numbered text, press [enter]
The insertion point should appear on a blank numbered line.
To end the numbered list, from the Formatting Palette, on the Bullets and Numbering toolbar, click NUMBERING
OR
To end the numbered list, press [enter]

Applying Numbering to Existing Text

Select the text to be numbered
From the Formatting Palette, in the Bullets and Numbering section, click NUMBERING

To remove numbering:

Select the numbered text
From the Formatting Palette, on the Bullets and Numbering toolbar, click NUMBERING

Using AutoFormatting

Numbered lists can be created automatically as you type if you have those options selected in the AutoCorrect dialog box. If you have created a specific number style, you may want to turn this option off. For more information, refer to AutoCorrect: Automatic Formatting.

Working with Formatted Numbers

The paragraph character ¶ influences the formatting of the numbering of a list item. If one or more numbers is formatted (e.g., boldfaced, italicized, colored), the paragraph character was included when the formatting was applied.

To remove the formatting from the number only:

On the Standard toolbar, click SHOW/HIDE
Your document's non-printing symbols are displayed.
Select the paragraph symbol for the list item with the formatted numbering
From the Formatting Palette, use the formatting tools to remove the formatting