WD97: Heading Numbering Command Changes Style, Paragraph Format

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This section contains a description of how heading numbering affects the heading style definition. When you apply heading numbering to a document, two things happen to the style definition:

• First, Word adds the Auto Numbering property to the style definition.
• Second, Word adds indent formatting to the style definition ( .5 inch by default, or as defined by the Number Position settings in the Modify Heading Number dialog box).

The key to understanding the effect of heading numbering on a document is that the Auto Numbering property is not a regular paragraph property, but rather a document property. Word does not add this property to a template if you add the style to a template.

Conversely, Word DOES add the indent formatting, which is a regular paragraph property, to a template if you add the style to a template. To demonstrate the effect of heading numbering on your styles, follow these steps:

1. Create a new, blank document, based on the Normal template. (To do this, click New on the Standard toolbar.)
2. Apply the Heading 1 style to one or more paragraphs in the document.
3. Click Style on the Format menu to check the Heading 1 style description. In a default Normal template, the style description contains no indent formatting and no Auto Numbering property.
4. Apply heading numbering by clicking Heading Numbering on the Format menu. Click OK to accept the default settings.
5. Click Style on the Format menu again. Notice that the style definition now contains indent formatting and the Auto Numbering property.
6. Use the Organizer to copy this Heading 1 style from the document to your Normal template (Normal.dot). (To use the Organizer, click Style on the Format menu, and then click the Organizer button.)
7. Repeat steps 1 through 3.
   
   Notice that, although Word does not add heading numbering to your Heading 1 paragraphs, it does apply the paragraph indent formatting. Also, notice that the Heading 1 style description includes the paragraph indent formatting but not the Auto Numbering property.