WD: Numbering Resets After Pasting Part of a Series (119128)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Word for Windows 2.0
  • Microsoft Word for Windows 2.0a
  • Microsoft Word for Windows 2.0b
  • Microsoft Word for Windows 2.0c
  • Microsoft Word for Windows 6.0
  • Microsoft Word for Windows 6.0a
  • Microsoft Word for Windows 6.0c
  • Microsoft Word for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Word for Windows 95 7.0a
  • Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
This article was previously published under Q119128

SYMPTOMS

After you paste or link part of a numbered list, the numbering may reset to one (1). This behavior occurs when you use the AUTONUMBER field in Word 2.0 and when you use the Numbering or Multilevel Numbering feature in Word 6.0. For example, if you copy items 3 and 4 to another document

  1. Cat
  2. Dog
  3. Bird
  4. Hampster
they will appear as

  1. Bird
  2. Hampster
after pasting or linking in a new document.

When you use Multilevel Numbering, if you paste or link part of a series, such as item "b. Oranges," then the numbering restarts at "a" for the new series. If all of the sublevel is copied, the numbering and indentation level will be preserved. If you select all of item 2 in the following example, and paste this text to a new document, numbering will reset to 1 for this series.

  1. Fruits

    1. Apples
    2. Oranges
  2. Vegetables

    1. Lettuce
    2. Cabbage
  3. Dairy

    1. Milk
    2. Cheese
This behavior occurs within the same document as well as across other applications, such as Microsoft PowerPoint and Microsoft Excel. It may also occur in other Microsoft and non-Microsoft products that support linking and embedding.

CAUSE

In Word, the numbering formats are applied to a paragraph relative to their position in the series. If only a portion of the numbered series is moved, the numbering resets relative to the new series.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Word versions 2.x, 6.0, and 6.0a for Windows. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

WORKAROUND

Traditional Numbering

Using the first example above, first select items 3 and 4 and change the Start At number for the series to 3. This will not change the numbering for the other items in the list and will preserve the numbering when you paste the items.

In Word 6.0, to change the starting number for the selected text:

  1. From the Format menu, choose Bullets And Numbering.
  2. Select the Numbering tab and choose the Modify button.
  3. Change the Start At Number to 3 and choose the OK button.
In Word 2.0:

  1. Select the text.
  2. From the Tools menu, choose Bullets And Numbering.
  3. Select the Numbered List option.
  4. Clear the Auto Update check box.
  5. Type the desired number in the Start At box.
  6. Choose the OK button.

Multilevel Numbering

The drawback to the following method is that it requires creating a temporary document to modify the outline numbering.

  1. Using the outline example above, select a group such as Vegetables, and copy this series to a new Word document.
  2. In the new document, select the series and choose Bullets And Numbering from the Format menu.
  3. Select the Multilevel tab.
  4. Choose the Modify button.
  5. Change the Start At number for this portion of your outline and choose the OK button.
  6. Copy the selection to your document.
NOTE: Changing the Start At number in the original document will reset other items in the outline.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:8/16/2005
Keywords:kbprb kbualink97 kbusage KB119128
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