Like most people, you probably use Microsoft Word for all your document needs. And while Word is great for simple documents, it also has features that can make your life easiersuch as the ability to create a custom table of contents.
In this article we will show you how to create a custom table of contents in word, as well as how to use an existing table of contents or even insert a table of contents into an existing document. In the end, you will be able to create custom tables that will save you time and make your documents look more professional.
Create a table of contents in Microsoft Word
Include chapters in the table of contents
To include chapters in your table of contents, use Word’s built-in heading styles. Apply the appropriate title style to each chapter title (Section 1 for chapter titles, Title 2 for section titles, etc.).
Then select all the text to include in the table of contents and open the ” Contents » by going to « References », « Contents », « Custom table of contents “.
In the “Table of Contents” dialog box, make sure the correct options are selected under “General”. Make sure “Show Levels” is set to 3 if you want to include chapter headings in your table of contents. Then click “OK” to insert the table of contents.
Customize the table of contents
If you want customize your table of contentsyou can do this in two ways: either by selecting the text in your table of contents and using the various customization tools by clicking a button, or by going to ” References », « Contents », « Custom table of contents “, then click the button ” Edit “.
From here you can change things like font and text size, as well as change other formatting options. When you are done making changes, click ” Okay ” to update your table.
Use an existing table of contents
When you want to use an existing table of contents, there are two main options: modify an existing table of contents or create a new table of contents from a template.
Edit an existing table of contents
If you already have a document with a table of contents and want to make changes to it, you can do so by following these steps:
1. Open the document in Microsoft Word.
2. Click on ” References “.
3. In the group” Contents “, Click on ” Update table “.
4. Choose from the drop-down menu whether you want to update the entire table or only the page numbers.
5. Click on ” Okay “.
6. Make your changes to the text and format of the document as desired.
7. Repeat steps 2-5 above to update the table of contents.
Create a table of contents from a template
If you don’t have a document with a table of contents but want to create one, you can do so using a template or by following these steps:
1. Open Microsoft Word and click on ” File “.
2. Choose ” New in the drop-down menu.
3. From the list of available templates, select the one you want to use and click ” Okay “.
4. Follow the directions to complete the pattern.
5. To insert a table of contents into your document, follow steps 3-5 in the “Edit an existing table of contents” section above.
Insert a table of contents into a document
If you already have a document to which you want to add a table of contents, you can do so by following these steps:
1. Open the document in Microsoft Word.
2. Place the cursor where you want the table of contents to appear.
3. Below ” References “, in the group” Contents click the button’s drop-down menu, then click ” Custom table of contents “.
4. Adjust the various parameters as desired and then click “ Okay “.
Conclusion
Creating a custom table of contents in Microsoft Word can be a great way to organize your document and make it easier to navigate. By including chapters in your table of contents, you can quickly jump to the section you need without having to scroll through the entire document.
You can also customize the appearance of your table to match the rest of your document. Whichever method you choose, adding a table of contents to your Microsoft Word document can be a useful way to keep your document organized and easy to navigate.