First, create a backup copy of your document (”Save As…” then reload the original document).

If you have not already written your Microsoft Word 2003 document in outline mode, then you need to signify what text should be mentioned in the table of contents. Highlight the document text that you want to show up as table of contents major sections. Then, hold down CONTROL, ALT, and the 1 key. This will change that text’s style to what is called Heading 1. This text stands out from the rest of the text and is good for signifying major sections of the document.

Depending on your document, you may have sub-headers and sub-sub-headers. Highlight text and press CONTROL-ALT-2 to make it a sub-header, and highlight text and press CONTROL-ALT-3 for Microsoft Word 2003 to make it a sub-sub-header.

Once you have your document headers ready (or if you wrote your document in outline mode), it’s time to add a table of contents. Scroll to the top of your document and select “Insert”, “Reference”, “Indexes and Tables”.

When the “Indexes and Tables” multi-tabbed dialog box appears, select the “Table of Contents” tab. Press “OK”, and your table of contents is ready!

When you change your Microsoft Word 2003 document, you need to update your table of contents to reflect new headings and/or page numbers. Just right-click on it and choose “Update Fields”. An “Update Table of Contents” dialog box may appear. If it does, select “Update entire table” and press “OK”.