Create Table of Contents for non-predefined headings and Table entry fields

Word 365
In rare cases, the Table of Contents in a Word document is created without customization. Word offers several useful features to help you create the perfect Table of Contents for your needs. Learn how to create and modify a Table of Contents and how to customize the applied styles.

Along with many other functions, Word offers the ability to customize which headings or parts of the text to include in the Table of Contents and what order:

Table of Contents in Word 365

To customize which styles and in which order should be inserted in the Table of Contents, do the following:

   1.   Open the Table of Contents dialog box (see how to create a Table of Contents). E.g., the Table of Contents in the Simple format:

Simple format for Table of Contents in Word 365

   2.   In the Table of Contents dialog box, on the Table of Contents tab, click the Options... button:

Options button in Table of Contents dialog box Word 365

   3.   In the Table of Contents Options dialog box:

Table of Contents Options dialog box in Word 365
  • In the TOC level fields, enter the sequence of the levels you want to appear (the checkmarks near the styles' names are checked automatically). See an example of including a custom style in the Table of Contents below.

    Note: The Available styles list contains all styles already used in the Word document, including custom styles.

  • Select the Outline levels check box (selected by default) to include any paragraph that assigned an outline level (no matter what style it is) in the Table of Contents at that level.

    This check box is selectable only for Headings. To any custom style, it is greyed.

   4.   Click the OK button to close the Table of Contents Options dialog box.

   5.   Click the OK button to the Table of Contents dialog box.

Word asks about updating the existing Table of Contents:

Microsoft Word message in Word 365

Include a custom style in the Table of Contents

For example, to include the text in the Custom style:

Custom style in Table of Contents Word 365

Note: The custom or any selected style should start the paragraph. Otherwise, Word can't recognize the text in the selected style. See how to include parts of text in the Table of Contents.

In the Table of Contents Options dialog box, type the level number for it:

Table of Contents Options dialog box in Word 365

Note: To include more than 3 levels, ensure that in the Table of Contents dialog box, in the Show levels fields is selected the appropriate value (for this example, 4). You can't change that value after selecting the custom style; you can use the field switches instead.

After updating, the Table of Contents includes the blocks of texts in the Custom style:

Table of Contents in Word 365

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Table of Figures and Table of Contents switches

Table of Figures and Table of Contents switches

Word inserts a Table of Contents and Table of Figures as a TOC field (see how to work with fields in Word). The TOC field collects entries for an appropriate Table using Heading styles, other specified styles, captions, or Table of Contents Entries.
How to create and modify Tables of Contents

How to create and modify Tables of Contents

When you work with a long Word document that includes headings, you may want or need to meet the requirements for creating a Table of Contents or several Tables of Contents. The Table of Contents lists the headings in a document, along with the numbers of the pages where the headings appear.
Use a Table of Content Entries

Use a Table of Content Entries

Some headings or titles (such as table titles or figure captions) in the document are too long or have a format, making it difficult to include them in a Table of Contents, Table of Figures, or similar lists. Word offers functionality Table of Contents Entry that keeps text readable in a Table of Contents, Table of Figures, etc.