Thanks Stefan ... it is multi-column ... I will try that and report back.

Ken

Hello again, Stefan ...

Well, although it is a 2-column Index, Word does not appear to create a separate section for the Index, as far as I can ascertain.

Unfortunately, if I create a section for the Index as suggested, I must also create a new section immediately after it, because in my document the pages after the index are not permitted to have page numbers. But Word does not behave properly because if I clear the page numbers from that final section, it also clears the page numbers from the previous section, because it is insisting that the page numbering is continuous.

If you are a Microsoft MVP, please pass on the fact that Word is very very irritating when producing long documents with many embedded images and sections. I have used Word in its various versions since version 1, and have been deeply involved in computing since 1978. I'd have thought that Microsoft should have finished writing Word by now! How I'd LOVE to get old Bill Gates for a day - retired or not!

Many thanks

Kenneth Spencer

If you switch to Draft view and show nonprinting marks, you will see the section breaks added by the multi-column index.

However, it is possible that you inadvertently added the section break(s) inside the index. That is going to cause trouble.

Here's how to avoid problems: Temporarily show field codes instead of field results by pressing Alt+F9; you'll find that your index is now displayed as { INDEX }. Make sure that there is a section break before the index and another one after. You can now unlink headers (footers) and add page numbers as required.

__________________
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP

Microsoft 365 apps for business
Windows 11 Professional