1. Hard coded means that the numbers are part of the text rather than automatically assigned as a paragraph format. When you select paragraphs of text, if the shading of the selection includes the list numbers then I would call that 'hard coded', if the shading excludes the list numbers then the numbers are automatic and won't still be there if you change the style - they may also disappear when your 'other' software gets the text.
2. 100% size is a term relevant to html documents being viewed in a web browser. It isn't terminology used in Word formatting (other than perhaps if you are working in Web view and saving as html). Word sizes characters in points (there are 72 points in an inch).
3. Removing local font formatting allows Word to style the content according to the font attributes of the paragraph style applied to that content. All Word content is formatted firstly according to the style attributes and then it is overlaid with 'local font formatting' which records the variations from the style. It is those variations that you want to avoid - wherever possible you should get your formatting from the style and only the style.

List formatting is a paragraph format, not a font format so removing font formatting will not get rid of a list element. However, changing paragraph formatting can get rid of (or apply) list formats.

__________________
Andrew Lockton
Chrysalis Design, Melbourne Australia