Adding Text before Numbering

Garth can create a paragraph style that he uses for his numbered lists. The style automatically adds the number to the beginning of the paragraph, using the numbering style he wants. He wonders, though, if there is a way to define the style so that there is text that automatically precedes the number. So, for instance, the "numbering" could be something like Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, etc.

This is quite easy to do. The easiest approach is to define a new numbering format and then assign that format to the paragraph style that Garth is using. These are the steps to get the desired result:

1. Display the Home tab of the ribbon.
2. Click the down arrow next to the Numbering tool. Word displays different numbering options.
3. Choose the Define New Number Format option. (This option should be near the bottom of the available options.) Word displays the Define New Number Format dialog box. (See Figure 1.)



Figure 1. The Define New Number Format dialog box.

4. Place the insertion point at the beginning of the Number Format box.
5. Type the word "Day" followed by a space. Word should update the Preview area as you type.
6. Click on OK. Word saves the numbering format.

At this point, all you've done is to create a new numbering format. Garth, though, mentioned that he had created a paragraph style for his numbering. So, there is just a bit more to do, to get the numbering format associated with the style. In this case, I'm going to assume that the style Garth is using is called MyStyle.

1. Display the Home tab of the ribbon and click the small arrow icon at the bottom right of the Styles group. Word displays the Styles pane at the right side of your screen.
2. In the list of styles, locate the MyStyle style.
3. Hover the mouse pointer over the MyStyle style and click the down-arrow at its right side.
4. Click on Modify. Word displays the Modify Style dialog box.
5. Using the Format drop-down list (lower-left corner of the dialog box), choose Numbering. Word displays the Numbering and Bullets dialog box.
6. Make sure the Numbering tab is selected.
7. In the numbering formats presented in the dialog box, you should see the one just created. Click on it to select that format.
8. Click OK to dismiss the Numbering and Bullets dialog box.
9. Click OK to dismiss the Modify Style dialog box.

Garth can now use this paragraph style, as desired. Plus, any paragraphs in the document that were already using this style should now utilize the desired numbering format.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (9606) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and Word in Microsoft 365.