So I do a lot of documentation and there's a common mistake that happens. The step numbers referenced in a field often are unchanged even when the field heading eg. 2.2.4 changes to 2.2.2. What I want to be able to do is link the field header to simple text that would read something close to this

4.1.2 Total Number of Hair clips (Reference Step 2.2.4)



So what I want to do is when and if I take out a row in the table I'd like for that 'Reference Step 2.2.4' to also update when the field is changed, to whatever new field number it now is Eg I'd like the updated field to now read "Reference step 2.2.2 (provided that's the new field number). It's a tiny thing but is often forgotten and I'm trying to find a way to make it a none issue.

I understand if there's no way to do this but thought it wouldn't hurt to ask. Thank you for your time in advance.

I use Office 2002 (old I know yikes!!!)

Hi autumnfire,

If you used Word's built-in level numbering and cross-references, the updates would take care of themselves. The most you might need to do is a Print Preview or Str-A, F9. It helps if you go to Tools|Options|General and check the 'Update automatic links at open' option and if you go to Tools|Options|Print and check the 'Update fields' and 'Update links' options.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

Macropod,

Thank you for your response. However i'm not talking about 'updating' the built-in numbers. What I want to do is be able to reference those built in numbers on other pages of a document. The problem is when you're doing a big document and take out a few tables then your built in numbers change (which is great). My problem is right now we write out 'See Step 3.1.2' when in reality it's now 2.1.2. This 'See step 3.1.2' is found in an actual paragraph. What often happens especially in big big documents with numerous tables is we forget to manually change the references. What would help is having these specific references update the same as the fields and built in numbers do themselves. I know that doing a bookmark could work.

I'm attaching a photo to better illustrate what I mean. As I know I'm probably not explaining it as well as I should . The pink boxed area is where I'd like to do soemthing where it changes when the field numbers change.

Attached Images

example.png (8.4 KB, 9 views)

To reference those other numbers, all you should need to do is use Insert|Cross Reference, choose the 'Heading' reference type, then the relevant entry. You don't need to bookmark anything.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

Thank you! I will give it a shot and let you know if I achieve the results I'm looking for.

Worked like a charm!

What I did was I used the 'bookmark' to set a check1 just on the built in number. Then I did a cross reference. It worked well and when I deleted a row it updated both the built in number and the referenced number. Thank you so much!