"Word 2007 Table of Contents - Using Headings to Create a TOC"

How to use the Word 2007 table of contents to create the TOC easily?

A table of contents (TOC) is very useful for a long document. For example, you can use TOC to quickly browse through what are the contents of a long document.

Adding a TOC to your document is simple if you have included styles (either build-in style such as Heading 1, Heading 2, etc or custom styles)

Many people try to create a table of contents manually, without using the built-in process in Microsoft Word. It's not easy and the spacing never comes out quite right, does it?

This tutorial demonstrates how to create a TOC. There are two steps you take to create a TOC:
1. Prepare your document by assigning heading styles that you want to appear in the TOC.
2. Apply those headings into the TOC.

After the heading styles are applied, it's time to collect them all together in the TOC. This is where Word does the work for you.

To create a Table of Contents

• Position the insertion point where you want the TOC to appear, usually at the beginning of the document.
• Click the References tab of the ribbon.
• From the Table of Contents group, click Table of Contents icon. Word displays a drop-down list of TOC options.
• Click either Automatic Table 1 or Automatic Table 2, whichever TOC looks best to you in the instant preview.

To modify a Word 2007 Table of Contents

• Position the insertion point where you want the TOC inserted.
• Click the References tab of the ribbon.
• From the Table of Contents group, click Table of Contents icon. Word displays a drop-down list of TOC options.
• Click Insert Table of Contents. Word displays the Table of Contents tab of the Table of Contents dialog box.

• In the Table of Contents dialog box, make sure that the Formats drop-down list is set to From Template.
• Click Modify button.

• From the Style dialog box displayed, click TOC 1 to select the highest level, or Level 1, in the TOC, and then click Modify.
• From the Modify Style dialog box displayed, change the necessary options in the Formatting section (i.e. use the Font color box to change the color to blue).

• No table of contents entries found.Click on OK to close the Modify Style dialog box.
• Click on OK again to close the Style dialog box.
• Look in the Print Preview area of the Table of Contents dialog box and you will see that TOC 1 (or Level1) is now blue.
• After you click the final OK, a message appears asking if you want to replace the TOC.
• Click OK.

Note: If you want to change TOC 2 (Level 2) or TOC 3 (Level 3) to be blue also, you would do the same procedure selecting TOC 2 or TOC 3 in the Style dialog box before proceeding to the Modify Style dialog box.

The TOC is automatically updated whenever you open the document; but it's a good idea to also update it whenever you add more titles or headings in your document or when you add more content that may affect the page numbers that appear in the TOC.

To update Word 2007 Table of Contents

• Click the References tab of the ribbon.
• From the Table of Contents group, click the Update Table icon.
• From the Update Table of Contents dialog box displayed, you have two options to choose:


Update page numbers only: If you've added body text but no new headings (this option is faster).
Update entire table: If you have added or changed a chapter title or heading.

Note: Avoid editing entries in the TOC itself; if you ever update the TOC you will lose those changes. To change text that appears in the TOC, be sure to edit this text in the body of the document and then click Update Table to compile the changes.

Related Topics:

Discover the Three Methods to Insert a Table in Microsoft Word 2007

Create Table with Specific Column Widths in Word 2007

How to Delete Column, Row or Entire Table in Microsoft Word 2007?

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