Numbering with Sequence Fields

I've just started using this tool, but if I go back earlier in the document and insert a number, the later numbers don't auto-update. How do I get them to do this? And how about lists of the form 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 etc?

Could this be adapted to use a custom numbering list? I'm trying to number items using the following list:
a b c d e ab ac ad ae bc bd be cd ce de abc abd abe acd ace ade bcd bce bde cde abcd abce abde acde bcde abcde

I've tried a number of ways using the SEQ field, without success. Thanks very much for this excellent website.

"Is it possible to create a document with a number in the top corner that will auto number every time the document is opened, e.g the first time it is opened thw number could be 10 then the next time it is opened the number would be 11 and so on "

This is not a "SEQ" field issue, but is possible with an "AutoOpen" macro that would increment a counter. I would suggest:

1. Create a Custom Document Property
a. go to File | Info | Properties | Advanced Properties | Custom tab
b. Fill in a name, e.g., "OpenCount", type "Number", Value "1" (or zero), clcik "Add"

2. Format the document with a page-1 header
a. Page Layout tab | Page Setup menu | Layout tab | check "Different first page

3. In the page-1 header, insert a field linked to the Opencount property
a. Press Ctrl-F9
b. inside the field braces, key in: DocProperty "OpenCount"
C. Press F9 to update, the field should show the value you entered above.

4. Save the file as a "*.docm" file, e.g., "TestCounter.docm"
a. File | Save As (or press F12)
b. Save As Type: select "Word Macro-Enabled Docuemnt (*.docm)

5. Go to the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) macro compiler:
a. Developer Tab | Visual Basic button, or press Press F11
i. If you do not have a Developer Tab, enable it by going to:
ii. File | Options | Customize Ribbon
iii. In the "Customize the Ribbon" menu (right hand side):
A. Click the "Developer" checkbox
B. Click "OK."
6. In the VBA compiler,
a. Select the project pertaining to your document (Project(TestCounter) in my example)
b. Right-click the selected project
c. From the context-sensitive menu, select:
i. Insert | Module
ii. Select the new module ("Module1")
iii. Go to the module's properties
iv. In the "Name" field , select the text "Module1" and key in (rename the module" "AutoOpen"
v. In the module code area, paste in the following SubRoutine:

Sub Main()
ActiveDocument.CustomDocumentProperties("OpenCount").Value = _
ActiveDocument.CustomDocumentProperties("OpenCount").Value + 1
ActiveDocument.Range.Sections(1).Headers(wdHeaderFooterFirstPage).Range.Fields(1).Update
End Sub

vi. Save your document. Every time you open it, it should increment the counter in the Document Property, then update the field in the page-1 header.

Yes, this is complicated for a non-programmer, but it should work if you follow the steps exactly.

Post if you have problems!

-Bill W.

This works well unless you're trying to add these fields to text boxes. In Word 2013 it seems like it may work for a text box or two, but then decides to start the numbering over. Is there a way to get this to work with multiple text boxes?

Listnum appears to work with multiple text boxes, except you have to display a trailing period or paren that you can't get rid of.

Is it possible to create a document with a number in the top corner that will auto number every time the document is opened, e.g the first time it is opened thw number could be 10 then the next time it is opened the number would be 11 and so on

Thanks for this tip, it is close to what I need in my requirement specification - but my problem is that I need the (requirement-)numbers to be allocated once a requirement is defined, and then stay with that value 'forever', and at the same time be sure to have unique (requirement-)numbers.

In fact, the number/value should be allocated automatically as the next in line 'when inserted', and then stay until it maybe is actively deleted.

It doesn't matter that all (requirement-)numbers over time will not be there, but its mandatory that every present (requirement-)number only exists once!

Is this possible?

thank you, very useful

Being a "nit picker" myself, may I point out that, technically, what is referred to as a "bracket" is really a "brace?"

{} = Braces {UPPER CASE}
[] = Brackets [lowercase]

I don't do much of these kinds of things in Word, so perhaps this comment is not of much use to anyone. For more about keyboard's key's names:

http://www.computerhope.com/keys.htm

This tip was very helpful. Now I have been able to automatically number dozens of examples in a linguistics paper, and as I revise the paper and insert new examples between the existing examples, the numbering is automatically adjusted. Now the next step is how to use bookmarks for the references to the examples in the text of the paper. The references need to point to specific examples, and need to be automatically adjusted when the numbering of examples is adjusted. Any ideas on how to do this?

I have been generating 150-400 page reports with multiple lists in tables. Word's auto numbering would only go so far in applying sequential numbering but then it just stops and I could not use it any more. I had to manually type in the numbered list which was quite annoying and very time consuming. Then I came across your Word Tip. Awesome! It worked. Thanks so very much.

I have multiple documents that I would like to link together, ie each document is a chapter. Each chapter has automatic numbering.

Is it possible to have each chapter automatically update if I remove a document or add in a new one?

Hi, Please, I need to write Of.0001-FFALCON-DILC in secuence with the field SEQ How could I get this?
Thank you

Just struggled through exactly the same issue. Copy the 1st page onto the second, right click on the each inserted number, and click update field, then select that page, copy and then paste for as many pages as you need. Select all these pages and hit F9, and as if by magic, all the number will fill in.

How do I specify the number I want to start my sequence (Step 4)
I want to start with 79196 not 1

I am trying to use mailmerge to print tickets. I tried using a column of sequential numbers on a spreadsheet and inserting that as a field into the mailmerge, but oddly, it used number 8 eight times on the first page, number 16 eight times on the second page, etc. So, I tried using a sequencing field as you describe. It worked great for the first page (numbers 1-8) but when I completed the mailmerge, it repeated numbers 1-8 on each successive sheet. What do I have to do to make this work in a mailmerge?