# Sequential Numbering in a Word document



## zebo51 (Jun 24, 2009)

I would like to add a field in a word document that will start at a certain number and count up each time the field appears.

What I have is a document that prints business cards on business card sheets so to speak. So the page has 2 columns and 5 rows, so 10 business cards. I am using it to print coupons and would like to add a coupon code to each card. I want it to say start at 1000 and count up.

Right now it is just one page, so I am guessing I would need to duplicate the page X amount of times to get up to the number I want. In the past I have just printed the one page multiple times but then I would think this way I would get several copies with codes 1001 - 1010. 

Hope that explains things well enough and someone can help me figure it out. 

Thanks


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## macropod (Apr 11, 2008)

Hi zebo51,

Check out the SEQ field. You'll find it under Insert|Field (Word 97-2003) or Insert|QuickParts|Field (Word 2007).


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## zebo51 (Jun 24, 2009)

macropod said:


> Hi zebo51,
> 
> Check out the SEQ field. You'll find it under Insert|Field (Word 97-2003) or Insert|QuickParts|Field (Word 2007).


Ok, found it but can't figure it out. When I insert it, it gives me an Error! No sequence specified. 

So messing around I got that to go away by adding a switch so it look like 
SEQ \n \* MERGEFORMAT

I don't see how to start the numbering though. Say I want it to start at 1000 and count up from there. Then I don't see what field I would put to continue to count up each time I place it in my document.

Getting close though I think.

Thanks


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## zebo51 (Jun 24, 2009)

Making some progress 

I have this as my first field:

{ SEQ couponcode \r 1000 \* MERGEFORMAT }

then my subsequent fields are:

{ SEQ couponcode \n \* MERGEFORMAT }

One thing so far is if I change say 1000 in the first field to 999, I can't figure out how to get all the other fields to update. I can right click each one individually and choose update field, but that could take for ever once there are a lot of fields.


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## macropod (Apr 11, 2008)

Hi zebo51,

To update all the fields, simply do Ctrl-A then F9.

FWIW, you could get rid of the '\* MERGEFORMAT ' without doing any harm to the fields. If you want to, press Alt-F9 to expose the field codes, then use Find/Replace with '\* MERGEFORMAT ' as the Find string and nothing for the Replace string. Press Alt-F9 again to toggle the display again afterwards.


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