My standard Word template includes paragraph styles used to create to-do lists, like Checkbox and Checkbox - done. Both are bulleted styles, each using a different bullet. (An empty checkbox and a checked one, respectively.)



My requirements are:

• Two item styles (checked and unchecked) with the text indented from the bullet if it wraps across multiple lines
• Items (bullet + text) can be indented to create hierarchy
• An easy, keyboard-compatible way to switch an item from unchecked to checked (macros are fine if need be)
• The item indent will not be lost when switching from checked to unchecked and vice-versa

My problem is the last point. Currently, if a level-3 item (indented twice, i.e. 2 × 0.5") is switched from Checkbox to Checkbox - done, it will lose its indent. (It's easy enough to Ctrl+Alt+] a couple of times to restore the indent, but it's problematic when I select several paragraphs with various indents and mark them complete — manually resetting each item's original indent is error-prone.)

So, how can I implement this to-do list? Thanks!
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I should point out that, although I describe this to-do list as multilevel, I believe I am not using Word's multilevel lists, although the styles were defined years ago, so I'm not 100% sure.

The Checkbox style is described in the Modify Style window as Font: Humnst777 BT, Bold, French (Canada), Indent: Left: 0), Hanging: 0.25", Numbered + Level: 1 + Numbering Style: Bullet + Start at: 1 + Alignment: Left + Aligned at: 0" + Indent at: 0.25", Based on: Normal

How to control bullets in Ribbon Versions of Word by Shauna Kelly

That's a great generic guide, but I'm having problems.

• I created a new multilevel list style named Checkboxes
• I created a 1 Checkbox style with a checkbox bullet and zero left indent
• I duplicated those settings for styles named 2 Checkbox and 3 Checkbox
• I created 3 similar styles with a "checked box" bullet, named 1 Checkbox - done, etc. (Note: these styles will be used in further replies; problems below prevented me from making use of them.)
• I attached the 1 Checkbox, 2 Checkbox and 3 Checkbox styles to the first 3 levels of the multilevel list

First issue: when I use this multilevel list and enter items, if I press Tab, demoted items are indented but their style doesn't change to 2 Checkbox, as I understand the list style would apply. Also, their numbering level (in the Reveal Formatting window) remains at 1.

Second issue: say I move to a level-3 item and press Shift+Tab. This should demote it to a level 2, right? Except it changes its indent to zero, not 0.5".

So before I go any further with my need to switch from one style to another (to mark completed items), we should examine why the multilevel list isn't behaving as expected. Thanks.

I'm sorry, I never use the tab and shift-tab functions, I just change the styles.

It appears that what you are trying to do is not so much bullets as checkboxes.
You may want to take a look at Add Interactive Toogle or Sequenced Object to Document by Greg Maxey and my Checkbox Add-In.

It is a checkbox project, but what I need is to be able to differentiate completed/uncompleted items by the paragraph background color and the bullet (empty vs. checked checkbox). My current technique, switching an item's style when completed, changes both the bullet and background color, something I can't do with actual checkbox controls. (Plus, editing lists is clumsy with actual checkboxes: you need to Ungroup the list, add your item and re-Group the list. And changing the background color based on that paragraph's associated checkbox status would require scripting.)

I think the simplest solution will be to bind two macros to the key combos I currently use to apply the Checkbox and Checkbox - done styles; the macros will record the current indent, set the style, and restore the indent.

Thanks for your help. Enjoy your day!