Applying Numbers from the Keyboard

Word makes it just as easy to create and destroy numbered lists as it does to work with bulleted lists. All you need to do is click on the Numbering tool to convert a paragraph to a numbered item, and click on it again to remove the number. There is no keyboard equivalent for this tool, but you can create one. This involves the use of the Customize Keyboard dialog box (Click here to see a related figure.) which is displayed in different ways depending on your version of Word.

• If you are using a version of Word prior to Word 2007, choose Tools | Customize | Keyboard button.
• If you are using Word 2007, click the Office button and then click Word Options. In the Word Options dialog box, click Customize and then click the Customize button.

Once the Customize Keyboard dialog box is displayed, follow these steps:

1. In the Categories list, choose Formatting.
2. In the Commands list, choose FormatNumberDefault.
3. Click in the Press New Shortcut Key box.
4. Press the keystroke you want to use to apply bullets. Alt+N is a good choice, since it is not in use on a default Word system.
5. Click on Assign.
6. Click on Close to dismiss the Customize Keyboard dialog box.
7. Click on Close to close the Customize dialog box.

Now, whenever you press the keystroke you chose in step 4, it is the same as clicking on the Numbering tool. Press the keystroke again, and the numbers are gone. You can also press Ctrl+Q to remove any paragraph numbering.