List Numbering using SEQ Fields in Microsoft Word

A useful workaround for list numbering is to use SEQ fields to define a sequence, rather than using Word’s Bullets and Numbering feature. This way, you tell Word explicitly where each list starts, so it can’t really get confused. Entering SEQ fields manually is tedious, but you can create AutoCorrect entries that enable you to enter them almost effortlessly.

Start a new paragraph, click Insert tab.
Choose Field from the Quick Parts drop down (in the Text group).

Select Seq from the field name.
From Advanced field properties, in Field codes box, give Seq field a unique name (identifier), for example, SEQ myList.
Click Options

Click Field Specific Switches tab.
Choose \r switch from the Switches list and click Add to Field button. This switch resets the sequence and starts numbering from the provided number. You can see the description of this switch under the Description heading.
Write 1 in Field codes box after the \r field to start the sequence from 1.

Click OK to return to the Field dialog box. The Field codes box shows the full code SEQ myList\r 1 for the field.
Click OK to insert the SEQ field.
Press Alt+F9 to toggle the field code.

The 1 will be inserted in the document, right-click on 1 and click Toggle Field Code or press Alt+F9 to toggle fields code.

Repeat the above steps to create another SEQ field, on step 7, choose \n switch instead of \r 1 from the Switches list. The \n switch inserts the next sequence number, for example, entering SEQ myList\n field inserts 2 if the previous sequence was 1 and inserts 3 if the previous sequence was 2 and so on.

Alternatively, you can insert a field manually, start a new paragraph, and press Ctrl+F9 to insert the curly braces that designate the start and end of a field code: {}. (Don’t try typing the braces that won’t work.) Click inside the braces and type SEQ myList\r 1 to start a sequence of numbered fields starting with 1.
Repeat the above procedure on another paragraph and type SEQ myList\n inside the braces.

Now you have two SEQ fields in two paragraphs (press Alt+F9 to toggle the fields code if the codes are not visible):

{ SEQ myList\r 1 } and
{ SEQ myList\n }

AutoCorrect for SEQ Fields

Next, we’ll create AutoCorrect entries for each field. To create the AutoCorrect entries, click after the closing brace and type a period and a tab. Select what you’ve entered that is, { SEQ myList\r 1 }. and the tab (make sure not to select the entire paragraph, see smart paragraph).

See, how to show the formatting symbols.

Click File > Options and choose Proofing > AutoCorrect Options to display the AutoCorrect dialog box with your selection entered in the With box. Make sure the “Formatted text” option is selected (it should be selected by default), and type 1] in the Replace box. Click the OK button to add the AutoCorrect entry:

Next, create another AutoCorrect entry for { SEQ myList\n }, which will make it enter the next number in the sequence. Type a period and a tab after the closing brace, and select { SEQ myList\n }. and tab (make sure not to select the paragraph symbol).

Click File > Options and choose Proofing > AutoCorrect Options to display the AutoCorrect dialog box with your selection entered in the With box. Make sure the “Formatted text” option is selected (it should be selected by default), and type x] in the Replace box. Click the OK button to add the AutoCorrect entry:

You can now create a numbered list by typing 1] at the start of the first paragraph and then x] and a tab at the beginning of each subsequent paragraph. Word automatically displays the correct numbers for the fields.

Note that if you later go back and insert a new paragraph in the list, the numbers after it will be wrong. To update them, select the list and press F9 (see, how to update fields).To begin a list with the numbering continued from the previous list, start the first item of the continuation list with x] rather than 1].

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