Make Word restart numbering automatically when I paste a list

I have a 95 page document that is nothing but a series of numbered lists. Each day I take the current list of tasks and copy-and-paste it one page down in the same document after the current date. When the list is copied I want word to keep its current number scheme starting at 1. What actually happens is that word continues the numbering from the original list despite the fact that there is a page break and other (non-list) information between the original list and its copy.

Example: ------------------------------------

1. Line one
    A. Item Ay
2. Line two

-- Page Break --

September 3, 2014

(after a copy and past of the above list)

3. Line one
    A. Item Ay
4. Line two

--- End of Example -----------------------

I know I can manually, with a few clicks, have word restart the numbering at 1, but I have a massive number of lists I am maintaining and the renumber by word is inconsistent.

Is there a way of shutting of this particular auto formatting in word?

codingCat

Posted 2014-09-03T20:49:32.540

Reputation: 338

1This is not a sustainable workflow. Design a template to be like your list so that you don't have to copy and paste every day in the same document. Over time, the file will become large and slow, take up more and more of your time each day as it grows, until eventually you will have to take the time to separate the days into individual files anyways. Also, your reliance on this file's health will also grow, which is dangerous. This will also fix your numbering problem :D – Wutnaut – 2014-09-03T20:57:32.123

Nope. There is nothing regular or homogenous about this process. The lists are lists for convenience. I copy and paste because I work from the original for the next day and change the copy to reflect what actually happened at the same time. The numbered lists can also have bullet-ed lists imbedded, or maybe be broken in two to include pictures and examples. Plus being able to search through an entire year of logs is the invaluable. Trying to develop a template for this mess would be a waste of time. All I want is for word to stop trying to guess what I want to just keep what it already has. – codingCat – 2014-09-03T21:10:06.203

Also, this is a constant irritant even in small files where there are only two or three lists. The size of this file is only the best example. Is there a way to turn off list auto formatting? – codingCat – 2014-09-03T21:11:15.380

I'm trying to experiment with the AutoFormat options, but I can't reproduce your numbered list problem. Can you give me the process to recreate? I made a numbered list 1 to 3, then put other information after, copied, pasted, and it kept the list 1 to 3 instead of 4 to 6. – Wutnaut – 2014-09-03T21:18:25.393

Open a new document in Word 2013. Start a numbered list. Type: "This is line one" <enter> "This is line two" <enter><enter>. Type a triple dash and hit enter for a separating line. Hit Control-Enter for a new page. Type "Title" <enter>. Go back to the first page and select the two lines from the list. Cntrl-C to copy. Go down to the second page click after the title. Contrl-V to paste. Word continues the original list and numbers the copy starting at 3. – codingCat – 2014-09-04T14:49:26.913

Didn't happen for me: http://i.imgur.com/o9mKEUB.png

– Wutnaut – 2014-09-04T16:24:17.540

Very interesting. This suggests that the problem is a setting. Any guesses what option would control this? What version of Office are you using? Mine is 2013 Pro+. Did you change any of the default settings? – codingCat – 2014-09-05T22:44:26.990

I'm using 2013 and I believe it is Pro+. I haven't changed too many settings and haven't changed any of my "autoformat" settings, which I think may be the issue. Here's 2 screenshots of my autoformat settings: http://imgur.com/a/43YyP

– Wutnaut – 2014-09-08T15:16:28.377

More and more curious. The only difference I had was the auto lists as you type. I looked it up, and that has nothing to do with copy and paste; AND I reset them just to see if it made a difference. It didn't. It seems my copy of word has placed itself into some weird mode. Hmmmm... Can I do a factory reset? – codingCat – 2014-09-09T14:05:09.010

Factory reset? That implies returning the device to out-of-box condition, which is a bit overkill for this situation. You should be able to either repair the installation (through programs and features in control panel) or uninstall and reinstall. – Wutnaut – 2014-09-09T18:42:18.643

By factory reset I was referring to returning Word to its "Just installed" state. Do you know of a way to do this all at once without having to uninstall and reinstall the entire app? – codingCat – 2014-09-10T20:19:40.137

Like I said, try to repair the installation through the programs and features section of control panel. – Wutnaut – 2014-09-16T18:10:55.520

1For the record, now have a new computer, running Windows 10, with the latest version of Office installed new, and I'm working with a new file; and this is STILL a problem. It seems that continuing the list is just the default state for Word. – codingCat – 2016-04-01T19:21:58.877

1Further update: This is still an issue in Word 2016. When copying and pasting a numbered list, the numbering from the previous list is continued rather than starting from 1. – codingCat – 2017-09-15T18:38:31.313

Answers

The way Word handles list pastes is truly weird. I have tried several methods that do not work, or that only sometimes work.

One method that always works is to use the small popup which appears when pasting a list. It has the option of "New List (N)", so when it does appear, then clicking the down-arrow on the popup and pressing N or clicking on the option will restart the numbering.

Another method might be to customize the ribbon and add somewhere the "Restart Numbering" command. You may also assign it a keyboard shortcut. However, this method requires clicking on the first list item before issuing the command. (See link.)

There is an option of "Keep source formatting" under "File / Options / Advanced / Cut, Copy, and Paste", which seems to be the one you are searching for, but it only sometimes works for lists or not at all.

A solution that always seems to work (tested in Word 2016) is to create a VBA macro which pastes the clipboard with the option of Restart Numbering :

Sub PasteWithRenumber()
    Selection.PasteAndFormat (wdListRestartNumbering)
End Sub

Create and assign the macro a keyboard shortcut as described in the Microsoft article
Create or run a macro. To run it, click at the position to insert in the document and type the keyboard shortcut.

harrymc

Posted 2014-09-03T20:49:32.540

Reputation: 306 093

Seems like the option of "New List (N)" was only added in Word 2016. – harrymc – 2017-09-14T10:21:58.393

New list in on form or another has been around for a while. It doesn't solve this issue though. The problem is workflow, not possibilities. I want to move on from a Cntrl-V paste operation. I do not want to move my hands off the keyboard to use a menu item to cancel a formatting option I didn't request. – codingCat – 2017-09-15T18:41:04.070

I added to the answer a solution that works the way you want. – harrymc – 2017-09-16T09:47:07.117

Thanks for trying, harrymc. But I had tried much of what you suggested and I've tried what I can of the other ideas. None of it has helped, unfortunately. – aparente001 – 2017-09-21T02:30:09.227

Are you sure that the VBA macro did not work for you? It was the only solution that worked consistently for me. – harrymc – 2017-09-21T06:47:29.097

Nice work around, but this wouldn't really solve my problem. As a power user, I am leaning into Cntrl-C/Cntrl-V for this and I wouldn't want to remap it to a macro. Annoying as it is, I have simply trained myself to right click on the list as soon as it is pasted to restart the numbering at 1. – codingCat – 2017-12-04T16:16:58.733

I remember having had this same problem before but while trying to reproduce it in my new working environment, I don't see the problem anymore: in my new working environment I'm working with Word 2016, and while trying to reproduce I see following paste options "Continue List", "New List" and "Keep Text Only". I believe those paste options have been added after the problem you mention, so I'd advise you to upgrade to Word 2016. This should solve your issue.

Dominique

Posted 2014-09-03T20:49:32.540

Reputation: 1 013

I recommend reading existing answers before hopping in. – harrymc – 2017-09-14T10:23:12.933

I am running Word 2016 and this continues to be a problem. Copy and Pasting a list continues the numbering from the previous list. Sure, is easy enough to over-ride by using an option from the paste menu, or with "Restart at 1" from the right-click menu -- but why should I? This is enforcing a format that I have not request and there is no way to shut off. I'm a power user. I leverage keyboard shortcuts as much as possible to speed workflow. It's more than a little annoying that I have to stop, take my hands off the keyboard, move the mouse to undo formatting I did want, before continuing. – codingCat – 2017-09-15T18:34:01.623

@codingCat - Well, no matter what gymnastics I do with my hands, mouse, etc., I still can't get it to retain my styling (which I saved in a Style) AND restart the numbering. – aparente001 – 2017-09-17T04:19:12.590

Follow the steps in the following numbered list:

Open the Word Options dialog.
Select the Advanced options.
In the Cut, Copy and Paste section:
Make sure the Use smart cut and paste option is ticked.
Click the Settings button next to this option.
Make sure the Merge pasted lists with surrounding lists option is ticked.

The interesting thing is if you read the builtin Word Help(less):

Merge pasted lists with surrounding lists Select this option to format list items to conform to the surrounding list when you are pasting the items into a list.

Really!! Not.

robinCTS

Posted 2014-09-03T20:49:32.540

Reputation: 4 135

Isn't this exactly the opposite of what is asked ? – harrymc – 2017-09-16T20:22:29.927

@harrymc Exactly! The setting makes no difference when inserting into the middle of a list*, which is what the description implies. You could also loosely translate "surrounding" to mean just before of just after, in which case it does the opposite. * Inserting in the middle always re-numbers the entire list. – robinCTS – 2017-09-16T20:30:55.393

Did you read the title of this post? – harrymc – 2017-09-17T06:50:32.743

@harrymcOkay. My bad. I assumed your first comment was referring to the builtin help quote I posted in my answer, which is the exact opposite of what actually happens. Thus my agreement with you in my first comment. However, before you start criticizing my comprehension skills, I suggest you actually try my solution. If it doesn't work, by all means criticize away. Once you try my solution and see that it works, come back here and apologize. If it doesn't work then I'll apologize, even though it does work on my computer… – robinCTS – 2017-09-17T10:12:18.240

1I further suggest you carefully re-read my answer and ask yourself why I posted "The *interesting* thing.is" and what exactly was meant by "Really!! Not.". ;) – robinCTS – 2017-09-17T10:35:06.493

@aparente001 Just a heads up for you - I've posted a working solution. – robinCTS – 2017-09-20T04:50:59.513

I can confirm that this had no effect on the problem. – codingCat – 2017-12-04T16:13:02.973

I have exactly the same problem and after lots of research all I could do to stop the stupid automatic renumbering was to turn off numbering and manually enter the numbers in each list.

I'm writing a procedure manual and set up a template with sections containing standard headings and numbered lists and each time I pasted the template into my document the numbers would automatically renumber - some times continuing from the section above, sometimes randomly to other values. Very frustrating.

It would make more sense to never continue numbering from the previous list if the copy/paste function is invoked.

It would be great to have the option to turn this annoying feature off somewhere in MS Word.

I'm using MS Word 2010 and assume it behaves the same in MS Word 2013.

user2652153

Posted 2014-09-03T20:49:32.540

Reputation: 1

Welcome to SuperUser! Your answer includes additional comments that don't appear to directly answer the OP's question. Please consider editing it for clarity and focus on the exact details required to address the OPs question.

– I say Reinstate Monica – 2015-01-04T03:21:19.900

Welp, that is comforting in an annoying kind of way. It is always nice to know that it is not just you. In the four months since I posted this question originally, I have found neither a cause, nor a possible solution. If you figure it out pop back and post your solution. – codingCat – 2015-01-15T20:28:52.487