I am writing a PhD thesis and require some help numbering my figures and tables. I use Word 2010 and would like Word to restart numbering of my figures and tables after each chapter (NOTafter each section). For example, captions of figures/tables in Chapter 1 should read Figure/Table 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, etc, and captions of figures/tables in Chapter 2 should appear as Figure/Table 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, and so on. I use the built-in Heading 1 style for chapters.



When I go through the Insert/Reference/Caption routine, the caption label and numbering seem to be fine with the correct chapter and figure numbers (I ticked the "Include chapter number" and assigned Heading 1 for "Chapter starts with style" option).
So far so good!

However, the problem is when I click OK after doing all of these settings, for some reason the Chapter number field in the caption for the desired figure/table does not appear correctly, rather it appears as "0" instead of the correct chapter number and this happens in all chapters. For example, Figures of chapter 3 are all good like 3.1 to 3.10...but starting chapter 4, Figure 4.1 appears as Figure 0.1, Figure 4.2 appears as Figure 0.2, etc. The same problem happens with tables.

Is there any suggestions to resolve this problem? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Make sure that Heading 1 is using auto numbering, so that the Caption feature can pick up the numbers.

Also, how are you creating vertical spacing between text paragraphs? If you press Enter twice in a heading and suppress the numbering, then the captions read the paragraph number as zero. At the very least, apply an unnumbered style, such as Normal, to the blank paragraphs. The best approach, however, is to avoid empty paragraphs and make use Spacing Before paragraph formatting instead.

__________________
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP

Microsoft 365 apps for business
Windows 11 Professional

i have solved these problem..First step is DON'T write CHAPTER in thesis yet but use multilevel list at paragraph menu, there you will find "CHAPTER 1 - heading", then try to insert captions...it will solve your problem..

After a whole night no sleep, finally found out how to solve MY problem regarding the same symptom.

My problem is that I didn't set "number" to my Heading 1. In order to set that, on my Microsoft Word 365, I need did the following:

1. Right click "heading 1", select "modify"

2. Click on the drop-down menu on the left bottom corner.

3. Select "number"

4. Change from "none" to "Chapter, 1, 1, 1, ..."

5. Reset all existing "Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3..." make sure the newly entered chapters are formatted to the "heading 1" that has changed its number setting to the "chapter..." thing.

All above.

Hope it may help people save their life/time

See and follow:

• How to create numbered headings or outline numbering in Ribbon Versions of Word by Shauna Kelly
• How to number headings and figures in Appendixes in Microsoft Word by Shauna Kelly

Unfortunately when I choose on the numbering and select the correct numbering for Heading 1 and press OK. My figure still reads Figure 0.1 ..... Yet I am in chapter 2. Going again to check for Heading 1, I find it returned to none. Therefore I am not able to pick the numbering for Heading 1 because after pressing OK everything returns to none. I am using Office 2007. Kindly help.

Look for blank paragraphs formatted in Heading 1 style but whose numbering has been suppressed. You can apply Normal style to these blank paragraphs or (which is better) delete the blank paragraphs altogether.

__________________
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP

Microsoft 365 apps for business
Windows 11 Professional