Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, and 2013. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Creating a Table of Contents from TOC Fields.

Creating a Table of Contents from TOC Fields

by Allen Wyatt
(last updated February 16, 2018)

1

Word allows you to create a table of contents using your own TOC specifications. You do this by first inserting TOC fields in your document (as described in the previous tip) and then compiling the actual TOC. To compile the TOC, follow these steps:

  1. Position the insertion point where you want the TOC inserted.
  2. Display the References tab of the ribbon.
  3. Click the Table of Contents tool in the Table of Contents group. Word displays a drop-down list from which you should choose Custom Table of Contents. Word displays the Table of Contents dialog box.
  4. Make sure the Table of Contents tab is selected. (See Figure 1.)

    5. Figure 1. The Table of Contents tab of the Index and Tables dialog box.

  5. Click on the Options button. Word displays the Table of Contents Options dialog box. (See Figure 2.)

    6. Figure 2. The Table of Contents Options dialog box.

  6. Make sure the Table Entry Fields check box is selected (at the bottom of the dialog box).
  7. Click on OK to close the Table of Contents Options dialog box.
  8. Click on OK to generate your TOC.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (12660) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, and 2013. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Creating a Table of Contents from TOC Fields.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Updating Calculated Fields in a Form

When creating a Word form, you use special form fields to collect information from users. You can even perform ...

Discover More

Increasing the Capacity of AutoCorrect

AutoCorrect can be a great tool to, well, "correct" information that you type. If you get a little creative, you can even ...

Discover More

Moving the Insertion Point in a Macro

One of the common things done in macros is to somehow "process" documents, which often means moving the insertion point ...

Discover More

The First and Last Word on Word! Bestselling For Dummies author Dan Gookin puts his usual fun and friendly candor back to work to show you how to navigate Word 2013. Spend more time working and less time trying to figure it all out! Check out Word 2013 For Dummies today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Headings in Tables Not Showing in TOC

Word includes a couple of built-in tools that rely upon the use of heading styles in your document. These tools include ...

Discover More

Customized Tables of Contents

Generating a table of contents is easy in Word. Changing how that table of contents looks is also easy, provided you ...

Discover More

Two-Line Headings in a TOC

If you use the TC field to mark what goes in a TOC, you may wonder why if you mark two lines together with the field they ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is five minus 4?

2014-11-16 19:33:53

Bill

Hi
Ref Tip 12660

TOC works great!

BUT

I moved the file from C to my old VISTA desktop. I was half finished. Now the program TOC is not working!!!

The HEADING 1 from the first do not show up (they are marked Heading 1) and only those from my VISTA will show-up.

Ihave removed the TOC on both computers.

Restarted both computers.

The TOC will not UPDATE or goaway!!

any suggestions.

Bill

This Site

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.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.

Links and Sharing
OUR COMPANY
OUR PRODUCTS
OUR AUTHORS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2018 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.