Help me outline in Word
December 10, 2014 6:36 PM Subscribe
MS Word Outline filter
I need to create a long, detailed outline with 4-5 levels. Word’s own outline function is horrifying: different fonts, sizes, colors, all designed to cause seizures...
My idea of an outline is much simpler: same font, size, color, with a small indent and numbering convention to distinguish each level. I will add one nice-to-have: I'd like to be able to change the formatting of any given level if I want to.
Help me either a) find a template for this or b) create it myself.
(Word version I use: irrelevant. I’ll use any version, on IOS or Windows, if I have a good solution to this problem.)
My idea of an outline is much simpler: same font, size, color, with a small indent and numbering convention to distinguish each level. I will add one nice-to-have: I'd like to be able to change the formatting of any given level if I want to.
Help me either a) find a template for this or b) create it myself.
(Word version I use: irrelevant. I’ll use any version, on IOS or Windows, if I have a good solution to this problem.)
You can go in and "define a new multilevel list" in Word. I'm working with 2010 here, but if you have something older the same functionality should exist (entirely possible I'm being overly optimistic here). I just click on the outline button (what Word calls a "multilevel list") in the home tab (just to the right of the bullet point list and numbered list buttons), which then has a bunch of options for outline templates. Below those options are a couple clickable things, one of which is "define a new multilevel list", which then takes you to a dialog where you can alter the font, heading style, and indent of every level of your list. The template includes 9 levels.
posted by LionIndex at 6:55 PM on December 10, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by LionIndex at 6:55 PM on December 10, 2014 [2 favorites]
If you're open to a two-step solution, I just tested this and it works fine: Do your outline in Workflowy, then copy/paste it into Word. Uniform fonts and sizes.
(You might find that you can do all you need to do in Workflowy and just say to hell with Word. If all you need is outlining, I'd say that's the way to go.)
posted by jbickers at 5:53 AM on December 11, 2014 [1 favorite]
(You might find that you can do all you need to do in Workflowy and just say to hell with Word. If all you need is outlining, I'd say that's the way to go.)
posted by jbickers at 5:53 AM on December 11, 2014 [1 favorite]
I'd suggest using the Styles in Word to accomplish what you'd like to accomplish. You can edit styles to look like multi-level lists but they are much more flexible than lists.
When I make styles, I like to type things out how I want them just using "Normal" formatting, and then I highlight the first line of the outline and I right-click on the appropriate formatting button in the Style Ribbon (e.g. If it is the first level of the outline, I would right click on Heading One) and choose "Update to match selection." This will make it so that everything formatted as Heading One looks exactly how you'd like it to look. Repeat for all levels. You can then save this style and re-use it in future projects.
posted by sockermom at 6:19 AM on December 11, 2014 [2 favorites]
When I make styles, I like to type things out how I want them just using "Normal" formatting, and then I highlight the first line of the outline and I right-click on the appropriate formatting button in the Style Ribbon (e.g. If it is the first level of the outline, I would right click on Heading One) and choose "Update to match selection." This will make it so that everything formatted as Heading One looks exactly how you'd like it to look. Repeat for all levels. You can then save this style and re-use it in future projects.
posted by sockermom at 6:19 AM on December 11, 2014 [2 favorites]
Seconding Styles *if* the investment of time in learning Styles strikes you as worthwhile.
Are you already using the Navigation Pane, formerly known as Document Map? (If not, it's under the View tab, Show section.) My personal Word outlining method is to highlight a line of text that I intend to use as a heading, then go to Paragraph Settings (Home tab -> little button in lower-right of Paragraph section) and change the Outline Level using the pulldown. This way I can style it all however I want, and the Navigation Pane is a quick and easy way to jump between headings. You wouldn't be able to easily change a level's formatting using this method, though (AFAIK).
posted by CheesesOfBrazil at 6:59 AM on December 11, 2014 [1 favorite]
Are you already using the Navigation Pane, formerly known as Document Map? (If not, it's under the View tab, Show section.) My personal Word outlining method is to highlight a line of text that I intend to use as a heading, then go to Paragraph Settings (Home tab -> little button in lower-right of Paragraph section) and change the Outline Level using the pulldown. This way I can style it all however I want, and the Navigation Pane is a quick and easy way to jump between headings. You wouldn't be able to easily change a level's formatting using this method, though (AFAIK).
posted by CheesesOfBrazil at 6:59 AM on December 11, 2014 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: These are all helpful and I'm going to experiment with all. I’ve worked with styles but it’s been a while.
I should note one other functionality that's important: the ability to collapse down to any given level. That's one advantage of Outline view that I don't know the other options offer.
posted by SallyHitMeOntheHead at 8:26 AM on December 11, 2014
I should note one other functionality that's important: the ability to collapse down to any given level. That's one advantage of Outline view that I don't know the other options offer.
posted by SallyHitMeOntheHead at 8:26 AM on December 11, 2014
Yeah, the Paragraph Settings/Navigation Pane approach allows you to collapse at all levels except the one reserved for, and named, "Body Text."
posted by CheesesOfBrazil at 9:26 AM on December 11, 2014
posted by CheesesOfBrazil at 9:26 AM on December 11, 2014
Best answer: Shauna Kelly has, IMHO, the best approach for how to do outline numbering in Word 2007 and later. I don't need to refer to it now, but for a while I had this printed out and posted next to my computer monitor. If you are going to take advantage of outline view and Word's ability to deal with outlining generally, you need to use multilevel lists at least, but Kelly's approach explains how to use both multilevel lists and paragraph styles so that you can take advantage of both.
posted by odin53 at 10:57 AM on December 11, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by odin53 at 10:57 AM on December 11, 2014 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Thx all, and especially odin53: it's styles, levels, and Outline combined. Looks like Ms Kelly has it covered.
posted by SallyHitMeOntheHead at 5:44 PM on December 12, 2014
posted by SallyHitMeOntheHead at 5:44 PM on December 12, 2014
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posted by Leontine at 6:54 PM on December 10, 2014 [2 favorites]