I am using Office 2000 and I have been using it for quite some time, but this problem just cropped up.

I have a weird problem with Bullets and Numbering -> Outline Number. I am trying to set up a new outline. I formatted the Outline template and the styles for the levels and it creates an outline form. Normally you use Alt+Shift and the arrow keys to change a line up or down a level. In the past, whenever I hit return, it creates a new line numbered at the same level as the last line. So if I was editing line 1.1., it will create line 1.2.

I tested several existing documents that I have created in the past and they all work this way. However, with the new outline, no matter what I do, the new line pops back to no outline. If I hold down Alt+Shift and the arrow keys, I can put the lines back into the outline, but why doesn't the new line get created at the same level?

I checked the Restart Numbering After and it is the same with the new outline as well as the older files that already exist. All the other settings on the Outline Number settings are the same.

I'm sure there is some setting somewhere that I'm missing, but I can't find it. I've never seen an outline do this before and I have been using this feature since the late 80s (in Word for DOS).



Thanks in advance…

Check your styles. In particular, check the style for the level that you are having this problem with. In the style definition, what is the setting for the style for the following paragraph?

In setting up your numbering, did you follow all of the steps set out here?

How to create numbered headings or outline numbering in Ribbon Versions of Word by Shauna Kelly

To expand just a bit on Charles' reply, the built-in headings, by default, have the Normal style as their "Style for following paragraph," but you can change that so that Heading 1 has "Heading 1" as the "Style for following paragraph," etc.

As an alternative, work with the document in Outline view; that way, the "Style for following paragraph" will be ignored.

Note that if you are planning to make use of headings in a numbered list (that is, without "intervening" non-heading text), you should also clear the "Keep with next" setting for your heading styles. If you leave that option selected, there will be problems with page breaks in the document (because Word tries, but fails, to keep all paragraphs together).

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Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP

Microsoft 365 apps for business
Windows 11 Professional