Multiple Indexes in a Document

Marc has a multi-sectioned document. He wants to create an index on one section and a second index for the entire document. Marc wonders if there is a way to have two indexes in a document where one of them covers only a single section.

The short answer is yes, there is a way. When you insert an index into a document, what you are actually doing is inserting the INDEX field. With no switches used in the field, Word creates an index based on the entire document. To create an index based on only a portion of the document (such as on a single section), follow these general steps:

1. Select the document section that you want to have indexed in its own special index.
2. Create a bookmark that applies to the selected text. (Click the Bookmark tool on the Insert tab of the ribbon.) Remember the name you used for the bookmark.
3. Create the basic INDEX field. (Press Ctrl+F9 to insert field braces and type the word INDEX.)
4. After the word INDEX, type a space, \b (to indicate that this index will apply to only a bookmarked area of the text), another space, and the name of the bookmark you created in step 2. Your entire field should look something like this:

{ INDEX \b MySection }

5. Press F9 to collapse the field and create your index.

There is another way to approach the problem, as well: You could add a switch to the XE field that is used to create an index entry. For instance, let's say you are indexing the term "polar bear" for the index. Make sure you have a field near the term like this one:

{ XE "polar bear" \f "a" }

The \f switch should appear only for index entries in the section that you want to have its own index. Later, when you insert the INDEX field to create the index for that section, you should make sure it looks like this:

{ INDEX \f "a" }

The index created by this field will only include those index entries that use the \f switch followed by the letter "a".

This addition of a switch to the XE field is handy, and it opens up another potential use. Say that you want two indexes for the entire document, perhaps one for places and one for people. All you need to do is follow these general steps:

1. Insert index entries for all of the places you want indexed. Make sure that these index entries all include the \f switch followed by the letter "a".
2. Insert index entries for all of the people you want indexed. Make sure that these index entries all include the \f switch followed by some other letter, such as "b".
3. At the point you want your index for places, insert an INDEX field and include the \f switch followed by the letter "a".
4. At the point where you want your index for people, insert an INDEX field and include the \f switch followed by the letter "b".
5. Update all the fields in your document. (Press Ctrl+A and then press F9.)

This should provide you with the two indexes you want. The key is that you are using the /f switch in the XE field to indicate which index (specified by the INDEX field with the same /f switch) should include that entry.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (12137) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, Word in Microsoft 365, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Multiple Indexes in a Document.