Create a table of contents in Microsoft Word with your own custom styles

Microsoft Word has a built-in feature for creating a table of contents. Learn how to substitute your own custom styles for the default styles.

Problem: Microsoft Word has long had the built-in ability to create a table of contents. This utility, found under the Insert | References menu, works well if you follow the default Word styles for headings, subheadings, figures, footnotes, etc. However, if you use custom styles in your documents, this automated creation function was very limited or non-existent, depending on how custom you chose to get. But Word does allow you to substitute your custom styles for the default styles, reviving the feature for even the most colorful of custom styles.

Do you take full advantage of automated TOC creation features in your Word processing applications?This download is also available as a TechRepublic article.