Hi everyone,

I have a document that mainly consists of a table (one row) that can could extend across many pages. I need to add line numbers but I am unable to do that when there is a table.

Attached Images

line numbers.png (36.1 KB, 18 views)

Attached Files

line numbers.docx (14.0 KB, 2 views)

You can fake it by anchoring a text box with typed numbers to the page header. Anchor the text box so that it aligns with the page top margin and fill it with numbers. The text box will repeat on all pages that use the same header. I believe that some of Word's legal templates make use of this trick.

Attached Images

FakeLineNumberingSample.jpg (77.7 KB, 13 views)

__________________
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP

Microsoft 365 apps for business
Windows 11 Professional

Here is a sample document in Word format.

Attached Files

Sample doc with fake line numbering.docx (23.0 KB, 6 views)

__________________
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP

Microsoft 365 apps for business
Windows 11 Professional

Thank you Stefan for the workaround.

Can the numbers continue on the following pages? The numbers restart with every page.

Attached Images

line number.png (64.8 KB, 11 views)

You can't create consecutive numbering across pages, because the text box in the header is showing the same content on all pages. (Sequential numbering can be done with SEQ fields, but these do not work inside the header or footer.)

However, you can add a page number reference, if that helps. Just prefix the "fake line numbers" with a PAGE field (Alt+Shift+P).

In the attached sample, I have done that for the very first line number.

Attached Files

Sample doc 2.docx (24.0 KB, 3 views)

__________________
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP

Microsoft 365 apps for business
Windows 11 Professional

Thanks so much for the quick reply. This is definitely a better solution.
I hope Microsoft considers adding a feature where lines in table rows can be numbered. I deal with a lot of draft documents and I need the lines to be numbered for easy referencing.

I appreciate your help.

Regards,

M

You could use a borderless text box on each page and link them for continuous numbering. This would not be in the header, though, and you would have to create the text box on each page. I believe you can link up to 16 text boxes.

Otherwise, in the header, you could use a complex conditional field keyed to the page number to produce the numbering. This would be a real nightmare to create and maintain, though.

• IF Field
• = (Formula) field - Office Support

The place to ask Microsoft for changes is their feedback mechanisms.

• Giving Feedback on Microsoft Word or other Microsoft Products

Good point. For smaller documents that would be possible. :-)

__________________
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP

Microsoft 365 apps for business
Windows 11 Professional