Letters and Numbers in Page Numbers

In many documents you may have a need to number your pages with a section number as a preface. For instance, you may want them numbered as A-1, A-2, A-3, etc. Exactly how you do this depends on how you have your documents set up. For instance, if each "section" is actually a different document file, then you simply need to set your page numbers this way:

1. Display the Insert tab of the ribbon.
2. Assuming you want the page number in the footer, click the Footer tool in the Header & Footer group and then click Edit Footer. Word displays the footer area of the current page and places the insertion point there. (If you want the page number in the header, simply follow this step but look for "Header" instead of "Footer" in each instance.)
3. Type the section letter followed by a dash. (For instance, A- or B-.)
4. Make sure the Design tab of the ribbon is displayed.
5. Click the Page Number tool in the Header & Footer group. Word displays some options for your page number.
6. Click Current Position | Plain Number. Word inserts a page number for you.
7. Format your header or footer as desired.
8. Click the Close Header and Footer tool near the right side of the Design tab of the ribbon.

If all the sections of your manuscript are in a single document file, just make sure you have a real section break between each of your sections. You can then set up your page numbers this way:

1. Position the insertion point in the section where you want page numbers.
2. Display the Insert tab of the ribbon.
3. Assuming you want the page number in the footer, click the Footer tool in the Header & Footer group and then click Edit Footer. Word displays the footer area of the current page and places the insertion point there. (If you want the page number in the header, simply follow this step but look for "Header" instead of "Footer" in each instance.)
4. Again display the Insert tab of the ribbon.
5. Click the Quick Parts tool (in the Text group) and then choose Field. Word displays the Field dialog box.
6. Make sure the Numbering category is selected in the Categories list. (See Figure 1.)



Figure 1. The Field dialog box.

7. Choose Section in the Field Names list.
8. In the Format list, choose the option for capital letters (A B C...).
9. Click on OK to actually add your field to the header or footer.
10. Type a dash.
11. Make sure the Design tab of the ribbon is displayed.
12. Click the Page Number tool in the Header & Footer group. Word displays some options for your page number.
13. Click Current Position | Plain Number. Word inserts a page number for you.
14. Format your header or footer as desired.
15. Click the Close Header and Footer tool near the right side of the Design tab of the ribbon.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (13269) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, and 2013. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Letters and Numbers in Page Numbers.