Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 4, 2025)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Word in Microsoft 365
One WordTips reader expressed a desire to number the various equations appearing in his document. The desire was to have the equation centered on the page, and the equation's number appear at the right margin within brackets. When a new equation is added to the document, the subsequent equations should be renumbered.
There are several ways you can approach this problem, but the possible solutions can be broken down into two general methods. The first method accomplishes the numbering using a combination of tables and fields, and the second uses tabs and fields. If you want to use the table approach, you can do so as follows:

Figure 1. The Field dialog box.
If you want to use tabs to accomplish the same task, you can easily do that, as well. For instance, let's say you are using 8.5 x 11 paper, with 1-inch left and right margins. In this case, you would follow these steps:

Figure 2. The Tabs dialog box.
The advantage of using the tab method (as just described) is that you can define a paragraph style that already has the two tab stops set. You can then format any paragraph with the style and simply type your information. You can take it one step further and also save the brackets and sequence field as a Building Block entry. In this way you could very quickly enter your sequence numbers.
When you add new equations in the middle of your document, it is very possible that not all of your subsequent equations will automatically increment. If you want to make sure that all the sequence numbers are correct, you can select the entire document and press F9 to update the fields.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (273) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Word in Microsoft 365.
Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2021 or Microsoft 365. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word Step by Step today!
One of the viewing modes you can use for a document involves the use of the Navigation pane. This shows a quick outline ...
Discover MoreIf you establish dynamic links between documents, then you can force Word to update those links whenever you want. How ...
Discover MoreNeed to see how many pages, words, paragraphs, or lines are in your document? Word makes it easy to retrieve such ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments