How to Continue Numbering in Next Row Table in Word

Word Tables: How to Number Rows to Automatically Update

Knowing how many rows of data are in a Word table is often important. Some use a narrow first column to manually number the rows, but if rows are added or deleted, the numbers must be re-entered!

Well, good news! We can have Word number table rows for us and automatically update them if adding and deleting rows.

○ This tutorial contains affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy to learn more. ○

Two Ways to Number Word Tables

There are two ways we number rows in a Word table: Create a numbers-only column, or number a column with data. For both methods, we'll first select the column of data and then select the numbering format. Then we'll tweak the table. Don't miss our Important Notes about Numbering Word Tables in the last section.

Select the Column Cells

Make sure that the Home tab on the Word ribbon is selected.

♦ If there are no rows that contain column headings, hover the cursor at the top of the column. When a black downward arrow appears, click to select (highlight) the column as shown in the image below. Alternately, you can right-click in any cell in the column and choose Select, then Column from the right-click menu.

♦ If the table does contain one or more header rows, place the cursor inside the top data row until you see a smaller angled arrow. Press the mouse button and move downward to select the rest of the cells in the column (see image).

A KeynoteSupport.com Tutorial

Select the Number Format

With the column cells selected, click the Numbering icon on the Paragraph section of the Home tab (second icon, top row), then click a number format on the dropdown menu. The images below show part of the menu and preview, when hovering, in our two tables.

After clicking on a number format, Word fills the column with sequential numbers. You'll notice that Word creates a large left indent, so let's reduce it.

Reduce the Left Indents

There are two indents to adjust: the First Line Indent and the Hanging Indent. And there are two ways to decrease the value of these indents.

♦ Reduce Indents: Method #1

Step 1:   Right-click on one of the numbers in the column, as shown below, to select all of the numbers. Just the numbers will highlight.

Step 2:   Select Adjust List Indents... from the Right-click menu as shown.

Step 3:   Adjust indents and click OK. The first image shows the default indents. The second image shows our changes.

Here are our two tables after having reduced the First Line Indent and the Hanging Indent.

♦ Reduce Indents: Method #2

After selecting the column cells, you may see the tab on the document ruler. If so, you can adjust the indents by sliding the First Line Indent and the Hanging Indent to the left. Figures 1-3 show the ruler location of the two indent tabs, and our finished, resized column.

Resize the Column

If the numbered list is in a column by itself and you have a limited number of rows, you may be able to make the column narrower. To do so, set the cursor on right column boundary until it becomes a resize cursor and click and hold while sliding to the left.

A KeynoteSupport.com Tutorial

Important Notes about Numbering Word Tables

CAUTION: Don't press the enter key to move to a new line inside a numbered cell. If the cell also contains text, Word will add a second numbered line right inside the cell! You can, however, press the Enter key to jump to a new line inside any of the other columns' cells.

It is easier to manage complex tables if the table headers are separate from the data rows. For instance, selecting a column of data is easier if the headers are in a separate table. For existing tables, see How to Split a Word Table in Two.

↑ Return to the top

mcclellansomet1976.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.keynotesupport.com/pc/microsoft-word-table-numbering-rows.shtml