Based on your description, I know that you are using Word for Mac. You can follow the steps in the article Add multilevel lists or create new ones in Word for Mac to create or apply multilevel numbered list. In addition, as far as I know, there is a build-in 3 level numbered list in List Library.
Thanks for helpful points. I am trying to set default font (complex script) in multilevel numbering list in Word 2013 but “set default” icon is not active there. Each time starting Word, I need to define a complex multilevel numbering, I should set it manually for that session and then it goes off when exiting the application.

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When working in Office 2011 for Mac, you’ll likely need to know how to create a multilevel numbered list in Word 2011. The easiest way is to start with a list that’s been indented with tabs. In a multilevel numbered list, a number denotes each new item in the list. Indents invoke formatting rules for sub-numbering. When working in Office 2011 for Mac, you’ll likely need to know how to create a multilevel numbered list in Word 2011. The easiest way is to start with a list that’s been indented with tabs. In a multilevel numbered list, a number denotes each new item in the list. Indents invoke formatting rules for. However, if you would rather not have Word apply automatic numbered or bulleted lists at all, you can turn this feature off. When you have a document open in Word, click the “File” tab. In the list of items on the left, click “Options.” On the “Word Options” dialog box, click “Proofing” in the list of items on the left.

Microsoft Word is similar to an iceberg: only its small tip is visible to an ordinary observer. Legal professionals, however, need to learn how to see underwater. Most of what makes Word such a powerhouse text editing tool is hidden from the laypeople’s eye, so it takes time, effort, and expertise to truly see how valuable this tool is for working with legal documents.

Because legal practice involves working with so many types of documents all the time, lawyers have to dig deeper and find better ways to create docs with Word. Jackie Van Dyke, a certified paralegal, owner/writing coach at The Paralegal Writer™, and Paralegal Studies Professor, recognized that “One of the biggest challenges when working with Word is to dedicate enough time to discover all the various helpful tools available.”

Still, taking some time to learn the shortcuts and handy tools can save you loads of time in the future. Hopefully, with this guide, you will learn everything you need to know about Word for your legal practice. More than that, improving your Word skills may help you become a writer overall.

“Mastering Microsoft Word and all its tricks empowers my clients and students to be better writers.”

With that inspiring quote in mind, let’s dive into the tips and tricks of Microsoft Word for legal professionals.

Word basics

One of the reasons Word is a dominant text editing tool among legal pros is because “Most professionals learned how to use this tool while attending school,” told Berlinda Bernard, a paralegal, writer, and blogger for Quintessential Pillar. It’s true, most of us know the basics of Word from before our careers begun, which sometimes acts as a trap: many of us think we know how to use Word, but in reality, we haven’t even started digging further since school.

If you’re familiar with a shortcut for pasting unformatted text, you might want to skip the basics and go straight to the Styles chapter. Still, keep in mind that even the most experienced drafters can live years not realizing there’s a basic shortcut for what they do manually over and over again. So make sure you know and use these shortcuts.

Basic text editing shortcuts

Ctrl + X (Command + X for Mac) = Cut

Ctrl + C (Command + C for Mac)= Copy

Ctrl + V (Command + V for Mac)= Paste

Ctrl + Shift + V (Command + Shift + V for Mac) = Paste unformatted. A giant shortcut for legal professionals! Pasting unformatted text can save you time reformatting a messy doc in the future or even save your lists from getting crushed by the newcomer style;

Ctrl + Z (Command + Z for Mac) = Undo

Ctrl + Y (Command + Y for Mac) = Redo

Ctrl + S (Command + S for Mac) = Save

Alt+20 (Option + 6 on Mac) = ¶

Alt+21 (Option + 7 on Mac) = §

Double-click = select one word

Triple-click = select a paragraph

Find and replace = to replace all mentions of a specific term in a document with another term;

To create your own tailored shortcuts, use the Macros feature. We’ll talk about Macros further in this guide.

Word count

Keeping track of word count is a good habit of any disciplined writer. In MS Word, you can track your word count in the bottom left corner of the screen. To get more details, click the Tools tab on the top of your screen and click Word Count to get information on character and paragraph count. Alternatively, click on the Review tab in the Ribbon Tabs (the upper taskbar in Word) and then click Word Count.

Styles: organize document formatting

Documents with clean, consistent formatting express true professionalism and attention to detail. Unfortunately, getting a messy document into a proper look is a nitpicky, monotonous task that often takes too much time and effort. Word Styles are a gamechanger tool for formatting your documents conveniently.

Using default Styles

The Styles pane sits in the right part of the Home tab. To apply a different formatting style to your text, select a paragraph and click on one of the styles in the panel. Word offers a library of default styles that may be handy in some cases, but most of the time is not very useful for lawyers. The best way to work with styles is to create a set of your own styles and stick to them.

Creating your own Styles

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To create a new style, select a paragraph with the combination of font type, size, and line height and click on the Style Pane. Then click New Style and set the name and characteristics of your new style and click OK. A great way to work with formatting is to create styles according to structural parts of your common docs (Heading 1, 2, 3, normal text, etc.) and then reuse them accordingly.

Modifying Styles

If you’d like to change an already existing style, just right-click on it in the styles pane and click Modify. Make the required changes and save them.

Word Styles are handy for drafting documents, but their power is limited when you face a foreign messy doc or a new type of formatting. For these cases (and to speed up restyling of any document), we recommend trying out Loio, our Microsoft Word extension for reviewing contracts.

Numbering: create and change numbered lists

Lawyers have a love-hate relationship with lists. A clear numbering system makes contracts readable and easy to follow, but managing and editing lists can be a painful experience. Word has a vast numbering functionality, but its instruments often do not work intuitively. A little misclick or extra Enter tap can ruin your entire numbering system. Still, if you master these aspects of numbering in Word, you will definitely lift a tonne of text editing weight off your shoulders.

Set up numbering templates

Creating a numbered list is simple: click on the list icons in the Home tab. Of the three list icons, the one on the left manages bulleted lists, the center one is for numbering, and the right one is for multilevel lists. You will probably use the right one most often. If none of the default list options satisfy your needs (which is often the case), click Define New Multilevel List at the bottom of the Multilevel List menu. The screen with new list settings will pop up.

On this screen, you can set up all the characteristics of your new list. The best way to avoid a shuffle is to create reusable templates of numbered lists for all the document types that you deal with the most. Let’s take a look at what exactly you can set up in the Define New Multilevel List menu.

Number format

The Number format section allows you to set up how each level of your list will look: the fonts and the style of your numbers (Roman, Arabic, letters, special characters, etc.).

Word For Mac Multilevel List Not Working