Outline numbering:using a 0

[Kimmie B]

I have a client who wants to use outline numbering, but wants to be able to
skip a level and use a 0 where one would normally find a 1. For example,
this is what she wants:

2.0 Yak, yak, yak.
2.0.1 Yuck, yuck, yuck.

Instead, Word presents this:

2.0 Yackity yack.
2.1.1 Don't talk back.

Does anyone know how to make that middle digit a 0 in that case?

BTW, I have faithfully (and gratefully) followed Shauna Kelly's online
instructions for creating numbered headigs or outline numbering in an MS Word
doc.

 

[Jean-Guy Marcil]

I have a client who wants to use outline numbering, but wants to be able to
skip a level and use a 0 where one would normally find a 1. For example,
this is what she wants:

2.0 Yak, yak, yak.
2.0.1 Yuck, yuck, yuck.

Instead, Word presents this:

2.0 Yackity yack.
2.1.1 Don't talk back.

Does anyone know how to make that middle digit a 0 in that case?

BTW, I have faithfully (and gratefully) followed Shauna Kelly's online
instructions for creating numbered headigs or outline numbering in an MS Word
doc.

2.0 would have to be "Outline level 2," 2.0.1 would have to be "Outline
level 3."
Just set level 2 to start at 0 instead of 1 and it will work as you want.

And, I am sorry, but if you get
2.0 Yackity yack.
2.1.1 Don't talk back.
you did not use outline numbering, and if you did, you made a(some)
mistake(s) when following Shauna's instructions.

 

[Kimmie B]

If you can show me where I made some mistakes, I'd be obliged. I've gone
over section 2 of the aforementioned article pretty closely I cannot find my
error.

I used heading styles.

Heading 1 gives me something that looks like this: 1.0 Project Description

Heading 2 gives me: 2.1 Master/Vision Planning

Heading 3 gives me: 2.1.1 Purpose

Heading 4 gives me: 2.1.1.1 Healthcare

Indenting and numbering works perfectly, EXCEPT that numbering does not
insert a 0 if I skip a heading level.

 

[DeanH]

I don't think that Word numbering can be forced to go to zero if a level is
skipped.
You can of course have a level to start at zero but that will change all
occurences of that style.
Simple to solve, follow basic documentation rulings - never skip a level.
It can look messy and confuse the reader. Either insert a Heading 2; or
promote the necessary Heading 3 to Heading 2 (Outline View does this very
quickly).
All the best.
DeanH

 

[Jean-Guy Marcil]

If you can show me where I made some mistakes, I'd be obliged. I've gone
over section 2 of the aforementioned article pretty closely I cannot find my
error.

Maybe there is confusion arising from the gap between your
expectations/desires and Word limits.
I do not understand what you mean by "skipping a level".

In your sample below, you do not skip a level, you just go from 1.0 to 2.1.
That, to me, does not make sense. Where is 2.0 (or 2.)? Is that the skipped
level you mention?

Also, 1.0 cannot be level 1, unless the 0 is hard coded into the level 1
definition. 1.0 must be level 2 (or heading 2).

How did you get Word to display 1.0?

I must be missing something here...

I used heading styles.

Heading 1 gives me something that looks like this: 1.0 Project Description

Heading 2 gives me: 2.1 Master/Vision Planning

Heading 3 gives me: 2.1.1 Purpose

Heading 4 gives me: 2.1.1.1 Healthcare

Indenting and numbering works perfectly, EXCEPT that numbering does not
insert a 0 if I skip a heading level.

Can you show us an example of text with a skipped level?

 

[Kimmie B]

Maybe there is confusion arising from the gap between your
expectations/desires and Word limits.
I do not understand what you mean by "skipping a level".

What I mean by "skipping a level" is designating one paragraph as a Heading
1 (level 1, "1.0") and the paragraph that immediately follows as a Heading 3
(level 3, which I'd like to be numbered as "1.0.1") Therefore, there is no
Heading 2 as one would expect in proper writing form. (It's what the client
asked for.)

I concur with DeanH's suggestion to follow basic documentation ruling and
never skip a level. I'm trying to balance what I know to be basic writing
rules and the format that the client wants.

I appreciate your time and comments. If you know of a way to force Word to
use a 0 when a skip a heading level, that would be great.

In your sample below, you do not skip a level, you just go from 1.0 to 2.1.
That, to me, does not make sense. Where is 2.0 (or 2.)? Is that the skipped
level you mention?

Also, 1.0 cannot be level 1, unless the 0 is hard coded into the level 1
definition. 1.0 must be level 2 (or heading 2).

How did you get Word to display 1.0?

I added the 0 on the Customize Outline Numbered List in the Number format
field for Level 1 only. For levels 2-4 I used the default numbering format,
and then level 5 does has some alternate formatting that the client asked
for. All those work just fine.

 

[Kimmie B]

Sorry: I neglected to give you an example of a skipped level.

1.0 Overview (created by applying a Heading 1 style)
1.1.1 Resources Provided (created by applying a Heading 3 style)

In the example above, there is no Heading 2 between the H1 and the H3.

Ideally, the client would like the H3 to be numbered thusly: 1.0.1

Is that possible? I don't want to set the numbering to start at 0 because
that would mess up the majority of instances in which I did not skip a
heading level.

 

[Graham Mayor]

If I understand this correctly, it is level1 that needs to be skipped. 1.0
is then applied at level 2 and 1.0.1 by level three. Set level three to
start at 0 and remove the full stop (period) from the after the 0 in level
2.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP


<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

 

[Jean-Guy Marcil]

Sorry: I neglected to give you an example of a skipped level.

1.0 Overview (created by applying a Heading 1 style)
1.1.1 Resources Provided (created by applying a Heading 3 style)

In the example above, there is no Heading 2 between the H1 and the H3.

Ideally, the client would like the H3 to be numbered thusly: 1.0.1

Is that possible? I don't want to set the numbering to start at 0 because
that would mess up the majority of instances in which I did not skip a
heading level.

I gave you the answer in my first reply:

"2.0 would have to be "Outline level 2," 2.0.1 would have to be "Outline
level 3."
Just set level 2 to start at 0 instead of 1 and it will work as you want."

;-)

To get:

1.0 Text Level 1
1.0.1. Text Level 3
1.0.2. Text Level 3
1.0.3. Text Level 3
2.0 Text Level 1
2.0.1. Text Level 3
2.0.2. Text Level 3
2.0.3. Text Level 3

Just set level 2 to start at "0", and as you have already done, include the
"0" as a plain character in the number format of Level 1.

If you need

1.0 Text Level 1
1.0.1. Text Level 3
1.0.2. Text Level 3
1.0.3. Text Level 3
1.1.1. Text Level 3
1.1.2. Text Level 3

Your client is just plain weird. Readers will look for 1.1 in the example
above.

You will need a level 2 paragraph between "1.0.3. Text Level 3" and "1.1.1.
Text Level 3". But, if you want it skipped, just set the font attribute of
the level 2 style to "Hidden." In fact, you should also insert one of those
hidden paragraph between "1.0 Text Level 1" and "1.0.1. Text Level 3".