How can I use multiple page numbering styles in one Word document?

December 21, 2004 12:22 AM

MS Wurd formatting problem: page numbering. [+]

Okay ... I HATE Wurd, but am forced to use it for a project. My problem:
--I need the first 5 pages with NO Page Number.
--The next 10 with ROMAN-style page numbers (starting from "i").
--The rest of the document with ORDINARY numbers (reset to "1").

Every time I think I under stand this, I munge the earlier attempts to set page numbers. What simple thing am I missing?

posted by RavinDave to Computers & Internet (9 answers total)

My "simple thing" has always been to make it more than one document, each with a different numbering. This does, of course, work best when you print and compile them right, but if you are planning to print it out, it might be an easy solution.
Of course, there is probably something else I have been missing this whole time, too.
posted by librarina at 12:39 AM on December 21, 2004

Divide the document into three sections using insert-break-next page for each.

Don't insert page-numbers in the first section. If they are there, select them in the header footer and delete.

For the second section, insert-page number (select show number on first page), click format, choose style (I,II...) and select "start at" i ..... (dont choose "continue from previous section)

Then the same for your third section, except choose style 1,2,3, ...

This works in Word 2000, at least.
posted by Rumple at 12:55 AM on December 21, 2004

Try here
posted by fullysic at 2:57 AM on December 21, 2004

Divide the document into three sections using insert-break-next page for each.

In Word2000 it is Insert->Break... and then under "Section break types" in the Break dialog box you select Next page.

To check that your breaks are in the right places turn on paragraph marks by pushing the backwards P symbol beside the zoom level drop down control on the standard toolbar.

I wrote my whole thesis in Word, which is kind of embarrassing really, it was an engineering thesis.
posted by Chuckles at 4:31 AM on December 21, 2004

Response by poster: Thanks for all the help, gang o' mine. I'll give the ideas a whirl.
posted by RavinDave at 5:08 AM on December 21, 2004

The section breaks as above should do it for you. If you find that the numbers are continuing from one section to the next, the properties are probably under Insert -> Page Numbers -> Format (Format is a button). Every version of MS Word, bless its little heart, tends to put things like that in a different place, though.

You can also go the multiple document route mentioned before. Once you've got each document, you can manage it with what Word calls a "master document" from the Outline view.

Good luck. If you get really stuck, you can email me the file (email in profile). I was a secretary for far too many years and have done a lot of this stuff.
posted by Karmakaze at 6:44 AM on December 21, 2004

The advice given may work - but beware that Page Breaks are notSection Breaks.
You can insert Section Breaks, then go into the the footer (View>Headers and Footers), and be sure the "same as previous" button is not clicked. Once that is cleared, you can make a separate footer for each section, and format your numbering however you'd like.
As Karmakaze said, good luck (with Word, that always helps). I'm a tech writer and would be happy to help more if I can.
posted by dbmcd at 11:53 AM on December 21, 2004

You can insert Section Breaks, then go into the the footer (View>Headers and Footers), and be sure the "same as previous" button is not clicked.

Damn, I should have included this, obviously.

Taken together I think the solution is now complete, but let us know if it is working, you never know...
posted by Chuckles at 1:30 PM on December 21, 2004

Be well aware that MS Word inevitably screws up page numbering in large documents. It is about the least-trustworthy software available for documentation.
posted by five fresh fish at 2:03 PM on December 21, 2004