You can create a character style which doesn't actually change the formatting and apply it to the appropriate words.

In the document footer, use { STYLEREF "Character Style Name Here" \L }.

The \L switch instructs Word to search from the bottom of the page (or the previous page).

__________________
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP

Microsoft 365 apps for business
Windows 11 Professional

A problem with this is if you have something in that style at the end of every page, the StyleRef Field will always pick the one on the current page. I suppose you could use two styles, alternate them between even and odd pages and use different headers on even and odd pages.

This might well be a solution for a finished manuscript, but it is not dynamic and if you add/subtract text everything will be messed up.

Good point, Charles. I should have done more thorough testing.

__________________
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP

Microsoft 365 apps for business
Windows 11 Professional