Microsoft Word Table of Contents Multiple Documents

When creating a table of contents (TOC) in Microsoft Word, it's common to encounter issues when working with multiple documents. One such issue is updating the TOC field across different documents. In this article, we'll explore how to use the 'BookmarkName' switch within the TOC field code to isolate the range of a table of contents and maintain consistency across multiple documents.

To begin, toggle the view back to display the result of the TOC field by pressing F9. Edit the TOC field code (Alt-F9 toggles the display between the result and the code) to add the switch. For demonstration purposes, let's say we used the name 'UseInToC.' Select the part of your document you wish to include in the table of contents and assign a bookmark name using the Insert > Links > Bookmark feature.

This approach is particularly useful in multi-user environments or when maintaining several distinctly different document layouts. By using the 'BookmarkName' switch, you can specify which sections of your document should be included in the TOC, ensuring consistency across multiple documents.

It's also essential to attach a custom template to ensure that style definitions are retained and archived with the associated document(s). This will prevent future issues arising from differences in settings between documents. However, be aware that this approach can create problems if different documents based on Normal.dotx have different settings.

For some reason, the default setting is 'on,' which means any direct formatting changes made to an instance of a style will automatically update the style definition. This can lead to unintended consequences, such as all TOC 3 lines becoming italic if a user decides to make a given line italic. To avoid this, be sure to turn off the 'Automatically update' checkbox in the Modify Style dialog.

While modifying TOC styles using the Modify Style dialog is identical to our approach, accessing it through the ToC dialog may seem more intuitive. Nevertheless, by following these steps, you can maintain control over your table of contents and ensure consistency across multiple documents.

Microsoft word table of contents multiple documents