How to cure the numbering headache in Word documents

If you work with legal documents, you've probably had to contend with MS Word's outline numbering. In which case you may have also suffered the pain of your numbering spontaneously going haywire.

Sound familiar? Then read on.

There are 3 ways to avoid spontaneous outline numbering corruption.

1. The Typewriter approach
   
   Best for single-page documents being drafted by Baby Boomers.
   (Examples: none that I can think of.)
   
   
2. The Shauna Kelly approach
   
   Best for long bespoke documents.
   (Examples: books, journal articles, instruction manuals.)
   
   
3. The Automated approach
   
   Best for rule-driven, semi-standard contracts and other complex documents.
   (Examples: proposals; services agreements; renewal letters; employment packages.)

So, the next time you're about to start bashing away on the keyboard, make sure your outline numbering's up to the task.