Sequential Numbering in Cells

[jfreedman]

I have created a simple Word document with a 2 column x 4 row table and
would like to insert a running count of each cell - a la "Insert Page
Number" in the footer - in each cell.

They'll be tickets for an upcoming charity event and I would like to
number each ticket/cell sequentially from 001 through 350...so that my
mother-in-law doesn't have to hand write numbers on each ticket. (Save
time and keep it clean-looking.)

Thanks!

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

There are probably several ways to do this, but for multiple tickets on the
same page, I think this would be the easiest:

Instead of setting up your own table, use Data Merge to create Labels, but
the only thing you merge into the labels is a list of numbers from Excel.
In Excel use Edit | Fill | Series to enter the numbers automatically. More
detail on that way here:
http://word.mvps.org/faqs/MailMerge/NumberCopiesOfDocMMerge.htm
(hit refresh a few times in Safari, or use a different browser)
Explore the dialog for a Label that fits the structure you want. Labels
basically just create tables that are sized to fit certain products--since
you are doing this anyhow, I bet Avery or somebody has pre-perforated ticket
sheets that you could use. Or you'll probably want to format the Label
table to have borders that print, for ease of cutting. (Under Data Source,
be sure to hit the icon with two arrows to Propagate Labels--you set up just
the first label, and then Propagate copies it to all the other labels.)

You could also use a SEQ (sequence) field--you copy and paste the field
codes, and they automatically increase in number--but then you would have to
copy and paste the ticket text 300 times.

 

[John McGhie [MVP - Word and Word Mac]]

Daiya is absolutely correct!! That's the "proper" way to do it

Now let's see... this is a "throw away" job, right? And it's for your
mother-in-law, right? So let's not spend all week on it!!

Add the text of each ticket into each of your four cells. In the
appropriate place, add a ListNum field for the ticket number, one for each
ticket. Look up ListNum fields in the Word Help: you also need to look for
the general purpose switches that enable you to format the number to show
the leading zeros.

When you have one page looking right, simply copy and paste 44 times.

Job's done in ten minutes and we're outta here. Yeah, I know, it's a
disgusting way to do it. But it's quick.

Modern versions of Word have very high limits. You can take advantage of
that to do all sorts of things you couldn't get away with in earlier
versions. And there's absolutely no reason why you shouldn't do so -- for
quick-and-dirty one-off throw-away jobs like this.

Of course, if you come back in six months time saying you have been using
this document every day and now it's broken, we will smugly send you back to
Daiya's advice and tell you you should have done it properly in the first
place

Cheers

--

Please reply to the newsgroup to maintain the thread. Please do not email
me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie <[email protected]>
Microsoft MVP, Word and Word for Macintosh. Consultant Technical Writer
Sydney, Australia +61 4 1209 1410

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

Daiya is absolutely correct!! That's the "proper" way to do it

Now let's see... this is a "throw away" job, right? And it's for your
mother-in-law, right? So let's not spend all week on it!!

But he would have learned three new skills my way... But had I recognized
the concept of pasting 8 at a time, and thus only needing to hit Paste 45
times instead of 350, I might not have suggested it.

Why ListNum instead of SEQ fields, John?

DM

 

[John McGhie [MVP - Word and Word Mac]]

ListNums are "hot" fields, they update automatically. SEQ fields are not
only deprecated, they are "cold" fields. I woulda had to explain how to
update them, and I'm too lazy...

Cheers

--

Please reply to the newsgroup to maintain the thread. Please do not email
me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie <[email protected]>
Microsoft MVP, Word and Word for Macintosh. Consultant Technical Writer
Sydney, Australia +61 4 1209 1410

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

Oh! Very cool, I had no idea you could get anything other than notes to
update automatically.

Will have to remember that trick (despite the fact I never number anything).

DM