Create and Modify Document Indexes and Tables

Creating and modifying document indexes and tables is an important aspect of formatting and organizing documents in Microsoft Word. An index is a list of keywords or topics that appear in a document, while a table of contents is a list of the document’s sections and subsections.

Here are the steps to create and modify indexes and tables in Microsoft Word:

Creating a table of contents:

a. Place your cursor where you want to insert the table of contents.

b. Click on the “References” tab in the ribbon.

c. Click on “Table of Contents”.

d. Choose the style you want from the list of available styles.

e. Word will automatically generate the table of contents based on the headings in your document. If you want to modify it, you can do so by clicking on “Table of Contents” and selecting “Custom Table of Contents”. Here, you can change the font, style, and other formatting options.

Creating an index:

a. Place your cursor where you want to insert the index.

b. Click on the “References” tab in the ribbon.

c. Click on “Insert Index” and choose the desired style.

d. Select the options you want for your index, such as including page numbers, indents, and other formatting options.

e. Click “OK” to generate the index.

Modifying an index or table:

a. Click on the index or table to select it.

b. Use the formatting tools in the “Home” tab to change the font, size, color, and other properties.

c. Use the “Table Tools” or “Index Tools” tabs to modify the table or index structure, including adding, deleting, or rearranging entries.

d. To update the index or table, click on it and select “Update Index/Table” from the context menu.