Numbering, revisited

[Dogwoodnc]

While there are already a lot of posts about numbering, I haven't been able
to find the solutions for my specific quandry...

[BTW, I'm posting this under "General" even though ultimately I'd like to
make macros to support the answer -- since a manual solution needs to be the
first step! ]

Background: My workgroup is preparing to migrate to Word 2007 very soon.
We create/maintain hundreds of large procedure manuals, each containing
multiple chapters (sometimes up to 40-50 per manual). Each chapter consists
of steps, using multi-level numbered lists -- the first level is a "1, 2, 3"
type list, and the second level is an "A, B, C", type list. Often, there are
tables or notes interspersed between the steps, and sometimes the steps are
multiple paragraphs long.

Therefore, we need to be able to:

a) Set up a multilevel list in each chapter -- with each chapter's list
starting at step #1

b) Restart a series of steps after a break (such as after a table or a Note)

c) Skip numbering the second paragraph of a step

d) Revise the information in the steps (adding/deleting/rearranging) as
needs dictate, without adversely impacting the overall numbering, (In other
words, if you have a series of steps 1, 2, 3, 4, A, B, 5 -- if you delete
#3, the new steps would be 1, 2, 3, A, B, 4 -- not 1, 2, 4, A, B, 5 or 1, 2,
1, A, B, 2, or 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.)

In theory, it appears that this should be 'easy' in Word 2007. (We've been
doing these tasks successfully with other versions of Word, with macro
support, since the days of Word 95! I've even tried using some macros/VBA
code that worked well in XP.) However, in practice, this is what I've
observed thus far in Word 2007:

a) I can set up a multilevel list. However....

b) If I use either the restart/continuing number function, the multilevel
list becomes a one-level list, and any indented steps (A, B, C) are converted
to main-level steps. Thus a 1-2-a-b-c-3-4 list becomes 1-2-3-4-5-6-7. When
I re-select Multilevel list (on the Home tab), nothing happens; if I try to
tab over to re-indent the step, nothing happens at all.

c) I've experimented with different types of breaks between chapters -- but
it doesn't seem to matter whether there's a Page Break or a Section Break --
in either case, if I select Continue Numbering after a blank line after step
4 in chapter 2, not only does the next step have the next conscutive number
AND the indented steps are converted to main-level steps, but ALSO the
numbering of all the steps in chapter 2 are continued after chapter 1. So if
chapter 1 has 8 steps, the first step in chapter 2 is #9. If I click
"Restart at 1" (from the Context menu) on the 1st step, nothing happens. If I
go into the Numbering menu itself, sometimes it actually will revert to 1 --
but only in a one-level list.

d) I was able to "skip numbering" by establishing a style that looks like a
numbered step that's really just an indented paragraph. However, then the
next step by default becomes a new #1, and the issue with the
restart/continuing numbering (losing the multilevel list capability)
reappears.

e) I also tried using a numbering "style" (List Paragraphs), but was unable
to set it up to be a multi-level numbering scheme.

ANY suggestions for coping with these frustrating behaviors is greatly
appreciated! Being able to effectively use multilevel lists -- with breaks
between steps, and with distinct starting points in each chapter -- is
extremely crucial to our work. Thank you in advance!

Diana

 

[Pamelia Caswell via OfficeKB.com]

It is not clear from your post whether you are using W2003's outline
numbered list feature in your current documents. From the description of the
problems, I am guessing no. In W2007 the outline numbered list is called
multilevel list and, by either name, list levels linked to paragraph styles
is the key to getting what you want. The suggestions below are based on your
description of your documents.

Background: My workgroup is preparing to migrate to Word 2007 very soon.
We create/maintain hundreds of large procedure manuals, each containing
multiple chapters (sometimes up to 40-50 per manual). Each chapter consists
of steps, using multi-level numbered lists -- the first level is a "1, 2, 3"
type list, and the second level is an "A, B, C", type list. Often, there are
tables or notes interspersed between the steps, and sometimes the steps are
multiple paragraphs long.

Therefore, we need to be able to:

a) Set up a multilevel list in each chapter -- with each chapter's list
starting at step #1

See b.

b) Restart a series of steps after a break (such as after a table or a Note)

This is doable by setting up a multilevel list where list levels are linked
to chapter, note, table, the 1,2,3 list, and the A,B,C list paragraph styles.
The level for list 1,2,3 should be set to restart after the table level (it
will restart after level 1 and after level 2 as well as after level 3 (the
tale level).

The built-in List and List 2 paragraph styles and their "list continue"
counterparts may suit for the list paragraph styles or you could define your
own styles.

c) Skip numbering the second paragraph of a step

Style not linked to a list number level do not carry a number (as long as
they are not based on a numbered style), so the built-in List continue
styles would work here.

d) Revise the information in the steps (adding/deleting/rearranging) as
needs dictate, without adversely impacting the overall numbering, (In other
words, if you have a series of steps 1, 2, 3, 4, A, B, 5 -- if you delete
#3, the new steps would be 1, 2, 3, A, B, 4 -- not 1, 2, 4, A, B, 5 or 1, 2,
1, A, B, 2, or 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.)

Should not be a problem. Many , if not all, of the problems you describe
below should become a distant memory. If you are not familiar with setting
up outline/multilevel lists, see
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.html
while you still have W2003. Your thought to get the to work in W2003 is a
good one. When you get W2007, either search this site for instructions on
how to create multilevel lists or write back.


For later, after you've spent some time with W2007( or 10), you can make
applying styles easier for users by customizing the quick styles gallery for
your template. Because your list is so customized, you may want to consider
defining a "List style", which can be shared to other documents.

Good luck,
Pam

 

[Dogwoodnc]

Thank you for your suggestions!
Indeed, in previous Office versions, we have been using a 'defined'
multilevel list, but not a true style, due to other software limitations.
(For many years, after we finished our Word docs, others copied them into
Lotus Notes & served them to the intranet via Domino, for viewing by various
browsers. Unfortunately, there were poor online results when we used Styles,
so we developed the defined lists as a workaround.)

Fortunately, we are not using that methodology now, so we have already
started implementing Styles in other aspects of our documents. So, for new
documents, the solution of defining and using a multilevel style should work
well. Again, thank you for that suggestion! I've already defined these
styles, made macros to easily call them, and added them to a custom tab on
the ribbon, which we plan to distribute via a startup template. So that's
progress!

I'm still a bit concerned about revising existing documents (since there are
SO many of them and some are extremely large), since they still exhibit the
flaky numbering as described earlier when steps are added/deleted/rearranged
-- until we are able to reformat them all. I think reformatting (using
styles) will be the optimal solution -- but it may be a long time before we
can reformat EVERYthing.

Any additional suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Peter T. Daniels]

Note that whenever you create a Word document, you are using Styles --
even if only the "Normal" style, with individual formatting applied on
top.

It's curious that you've made "macros to easily call" styles -- when
styles are easily applied either from the dropdown style list, or by
opening the Styles & Formatting panel (Ctrl-Shift-Alt-S), which can
dock unobtrusively at the side.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Keyboard shortcuts can also be assigned to styles (some have built-in
shortcuts).

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

Note that whenever you create a Word document, you are using Styles --
even if only the "Normal" style, with individual formatting applied on
top.

It's curious that you've made "macros to easily call" styles -- when
styles are easily applied either from the dropdown style list, or by
opening the Styles & Formatting panel (Ctrl-Shift-Alt-S), which can
dock unobtrusively at the side.

 

[Dogwoodnc]

True! I was referring more to the outline style that was referenced earlier
in the thread. The only style that seemed to convert properly through the
other software applications was 'Normal'. And, indeed, we did use the
multilevel list definitions extensively -- they just were not defined to be a
separate "outline" style.

To offer an explanation about the macros for calling specific styles. We
have quite a large number of customized macros that we use during the course
of working a project, so I've tried to collect them and put them on one
custom tab on the ribbon (as well as on menus accessed via the ribbon) --
along with other frequently used standard editing/formatting commands. It
just seemed more efficient to also place the specific style choices in macros
that could be presented as small icons on the same custom tab, rather than
requiring the writer to access the Home tab just for that particular
function. (I was unable to find a "drop-down style list" that I could
include on the custom tab -- except for the Quick Styles Gallery, which takes
way too much real estate for that tab. If you have any suggestions, though,
I'd love to hear them -- I'm still a relative novice when it comes to Word
2007.) So it was an effort to provide one stop shopping, so to speak!

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

The dropdown styles list that Peter referred to can be added to the QAT.
Open the dialog to customize the Quick Access Toolbar and select Commands
Not in the Ribbon. Scroll down to Style (when you mouse over it, it will
display the name StyleGalleryClassic). Unfortunately, there is no way to
resize it to show longer style names as was possible in earlier versions of
Word. When dropped, however, it does expand, and it displays style names in
their style (unfortunately, you have no option about that, either).

Another option is the Styles pane, which is opened by clicking the dialog
launcher arrow in the bottom right-hand corner of the Styles group on the
Home tab. It *is* resizable and stays open regardless of which tab is
displayed, even when the Ribbon is minimized. In this pane you do also have
the option to show a simple list or each style name in its style (using the
"Preview" check box).

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

 

[Dogwoodnc]

Thanks! Yes, I had already experimented with both a drop-down on the QAT and
the Styles pane. However, for our users (who are very accustomed to having
their tools presented in a pre-defined location), it seemed expedient to make
the separate macros/icons on the ribbon. Very few (if any) will likely want
to customize their QAT.

But I DO appreciate the ideas!

When writing the other post, I forgot to mention that I had also added a
line of code to the RibbonX that displays the style gallery after clicking an
icon on the ribbon --
<gallery idMso="QuickStylesGallery" label="Style " />
However, since the gallery shows all available styles (by default) -- and I
don't really want to limit those choices programmatically in case the users
are working on OTHER types of documents -- again, to avoid confusion for the
users, their main choices are also available via individual macros/icons.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

In any given template, you can define which styles appear in the Quick
Styles gallery.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

 

[Pamelia Caswell via OfficeKB.com]

I glad I could help.

If your documents are well and consistently formatted, you could search for
particular formatting and in the replace box specify an appropriate style.
Several such searches could be bound into one macro. The first step in
such a macro should be to attach a template with your styles and multilevel
list. More help may be available from the programming forum. Of course,
you'd still have to proof the results against the record copy.

Pam

 

[Dogwoodnc]

This has been working well -- until I tried to make the template "global" by
putting it in the Startup folder. At that time, not only did my Quick Style
gallery revert to the default styles (and the styles I had deleted from the
Quick Style gallery have reappeared), but also my customized numbering styles
totally disappeared. They do not appear on the Quick Style Gallery, in the
Styles Pane, or within the Organizer (off the Macro box).

I KNOW the custom styles are still on the template itself -- since when I
move the template to a non-startup file and open it directly, they're easily
accessible. But not so when they're in the startup file.

Any advice about how to retrieve and use them from a global template would
be greatly appreciated! And/or any suggestions of other ways to share these
styles among all documents and all users, short of making everyone use the
same Normal template.

Thanks in advance!