Not allowing me to restart numbering for listed items

[rbilleaud]

I have a recurring problem where Word will not allow me to restart numbering
for listed items. When I select the items to be listed and select
Format>Bullets and Numbering, the Restart Numbering option is grayed out. I
have been able to work around it somewhat by going to the previous numbered
list, and adding a line to that list and starting the renumbering there which
it will allow me to do, then moving all of the text in between the first list
and the second list up so it falls between the last number in the first list
and the numbered item I just added. In order to keep it from automatically
renumbering, I have to move the first item in the second list into the new
number 1 I have created and then I can delete the new number 2 that opens up
from moving the previous number 2 to the number 1 position. Obviously that's
ridiculous that I should have to go through that. I am so disgusted by Word
always going off and doing its own thing that I have completely switched over
to Word Perfect for home use, unfortunately at work I have no choice but to
use this monster they've saddled me with.

 

[Pamelia Caswell via OfficeKB.com]

If you are selecting the entire paragraphs, try instead selecting (clicking)
the first number you want to change (all the numbers in the series will be
shaded and the number you clicked will have additional shading), right click
and choose restart numbering (or click the number icon, etc., as you've been
doing).

Selecting the whole paragraphs should work unless you've caught an unnumbered
paragraph too (perhaps because you have empty paragraphs between the numbered
ones).

Word is different, but you can learn its peculiarities just as you learned
WP's.

Pam