Generating Multiple Table of Contents in One Document

If you have a very large document, using more than one Table of Contents in it can make managing the chapters much easier! This option is useful if you are putting together a large instruction manual, training book, or human resources binder – just to name a few.

Heading Styles

Before you can insert a Table of Contents, you will need to identify the text in your document that should appear in the TOC. The easiest way to mark and generate a TOC is by using the Heading Styles. MSWord has 9 Heading Styles to use – which gives you up to 9 levels in your TOC outline. Before generating the TOC, you should apply the Heading Styles.  Go do that and come back… I’ll wait right here!

Bookmarks

After applying the Heading Styles, you will create a bookmark for each area (part, segment, zone) in your document that needs its own Table of Contents. You will need to select the entire area (highlight/select all of the pages that contain the text that will appear in the first TOC) and create a Bookmark – one bookmark for each area. I am specifically not using the word “section” to avoid any confusion. You do not need to break your document into sections to have multiple TOC’s.  However, if you need to control pagination, page numbering, etc., then you will need to use Section Breaks as necessary.

To Bookmark an area:

First, select the entire first area that contains all the text to appear in a Table of Contents.

Next, select the Insert tab and click on Bookmark.

Type in a descriptive name (no spaces) and click Add. Important Note: you will need to remember the name of your bookmarked area because you will need to type it in a later step… so write it down!

Do this for each area in your document that will need its own TOC.

In my example document, I made the Heading Styles in each area a different color so that it will be easier to see the separate parts.

Generate the Table of Contents

The last step is to generate the Table of Contents.  Place your insertion point where you want the TOC to appear. Click on the Insert tab, click Quick Parts, then Field.

Next, select Index and Tables from the Category drop-down list.

Next, click on TOC.

In the lower-left, click on the Field Codes button (it changes to Hide Codes and the Options button appears).

Next, click on the Options button.

Next, click on Add Field. The Field Options dialog box will open.

After the Field Options is visible, select the \b switch and click Add to Field.

Then, click to the right of the \b switch and type the Bookmark name for the section you want. Remember I mentioned that you would need to type in the name of the Bookmark?

Finally, click OK, then OK again.

The Table of Contents will be inserted!

Repeat the steps for each Bookmarked area to generate the TOC for that area.

Happy Learning!

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