Using Sections to Add Multiple Headers and Footers in a Single Document

Points to Note Before We Start

In this post, we:

• work with footer content but exactly the same method and rules apply for changing header content
• are assuming this document does not have different footers for first, even and odd pages

In a previous post, we saw how to assign different headers and footers to the first, even and odd pages of a document.

There are times when you want different headers and footers for different parts of a document.

For example, in a book or a manual:

• The cover page has no footer
• The Table of Contents uses a footer with just roman numerals as page numbers in the centre.
• The pages in the main document use a footer with page number and document name
• The back cover has no footer

If you want to change the footer content for different parts of a document, you have to use sections. Each part of the document that has a unique footer will be in a section by itself.

Let us first understand what needs to be done and then practise doing it.

The Tutorial

Download the sample file Sample_Doc_Changing_Footers_v1.docx. We will be using this file as the sample in this tutorial.

The Basics

By default, a Microsoft Word document in which there are no sections will use a common footer throughout the document. This is indicated by the name of the header or footer section. When you create sections:

• each section can have its own footer area, as seen from the name; for example, Footer -Section 1-, Footer -Section 2-, Footer -Section 3-, etc.
• each section’s footer, by default, is linked to the footer of the previous section as shown by the Same as Previous indicator on the right.

By default, the Same as Previous option is selected and so the content of all footers is the same. In addition, a change in one section’s footer will change the footer in all sections.

What We Need to Do

If a section is to have a unique footer, you have to break the link between:

• the section and its preceding section
• the section and its following section

For example, if section 2 is to have a unique footer, you have to break the link between:

1. sections 1 and 2
2. sections 2 and 3

 

Understanding the Example

Download the sample file Sample_Doc_Changing_Footers_v1.docx. We will be using this file as the sample in this tutorial. We will create four (4) sections:

1. The first section is the cover page and the footer will not have any content.
2. The second section contains the Table of Contents that will use a footer with:
   • Document name on the left
   • Page numbers in roman numerals, starting at 1, in the centre
   • Table of Contents on the right
3. The third section will be the content section that will use a footer with:
   • Document name on the left
   • Page numbers as decimal numbers, starting at 1, in the centre
   • Contents of the nearest title formatted with the style Heading 1 on the right
4. The fourth section will be the back cover that has no footer.

Creating Sections in the Document

1. Open Sample_Doc_Changing_Footers_v1.docx.
2. Observe that:
   1. Cover page is page 1
   2. Table of Contents is page 2
   3. Main content starts from page 3
3. To separate the cover page into a separate section:
   1. On what is currently page 2, click before the T of Table of Contents.
   2. On the Layout tab, in the Page Setup group, click Breaks, and in the displayed list, click Odd Page. We are using an odd page section break because we want the next section (i.e. the Table of Contents) to start on an odd page or the right side.
4. Observe that:
   1. Table of Contents is now on page 3
   2. Content starts from page 4
5. To separate the Table of Contents into a separate section:
   1. On what is currently page 4, click before the U of Using AutoText Effectively.
   2. Insert an odd page section break. We are using an odd page section break because we want the next section (the content) to start on an odd page or the right side.
6. Observe that contents now start from page 5
7. To separate the back cover into a separate section:
   1. On what is currently page 16, click before the © of © ibruk Consulting…
   2. On the Layout tab, in the Page Setup group, click Breaks, and in the displayed list, click Even Page. We are using an even page section break because we want the next section (the back cover) to be on an even page or the left side.

As, the back cover already started on an even page, we don’t see a change in page number, like we did for other sections. However, it is now a separate section. The document now has 4 sections:

• Section 1: Cover Page on page 1
• Section 2: Table of Contents on page 3
• Section 3: Content on page 5
• Section 4: Back Cover on page 16

By default, the footers of all pages display page numbers in the decimal format in the centre.

Changing the Footer Content for Section 1

To remove page numbers from section 1:

1. To ensure that the section 1 containing the cover page has no footer, we need to check that the link between the footers of section 1 and section 2 is broken. This will ensure that any changes we make to the footer of section 1 do not affect the footer of section 2 and vice-versa.
   1. Double-click the footer area on any page. The footer now becomes editable.
   2. Click in the footer area of section 2. This section contains the Table of Contents.
   3. Observe that the Same as Previous indicator is displayed on the right.
   4. On the Header & Footer tab, in the Navigation group, click Link to Previous.
   5. Observe that the Same as Previous indicator is no longer displayed on the footer of section 2.
2. To remove the page numbers from section 1, scroll to any page in Section 1 and delete the page number displayed in the footer.
3. Scroll to section 2 and 3 to see that their footers are unchanged.

Changing the Footer Content for Section 2

1. Click in the footer of section 3. It has the Same as Previous indicator displayed on the right.
2. On the Header & Footer tab, in the Navigation group, click Link to Previous to break the link between the footers of section 2 and 3. Notice that the Same as Previous indicator disappears from the footer of section 3.
3. Click in the footer of section 2.
4. On the Header & Footer tab, in the Header & Footer group, click Footer, and from the menu select Blank (Three Columns).
5. Click the placeholder on the left, and type Microsoft Tips & Tricks.
6. Click the placeholder in the centre, on the Header & Footer tab, in the Header & Footer group, click Page Number, and from the menu select Current Position, and then Plain Number.
7. To start the numbering from 1 and to use roman numerals:
   1. On the Header & Footer tab, in the Header & Footer group, click Page Number, and from the displayed menu, select Format Page Numbers.
   2. In the Page Number Format dialog box, from the Number Format list, select the roman number format (i, ii, iii…).
   3. Under the Page numbering group, select Start at and type 1.
   4. Click OK. The page number is now displayed as a roman numeral and starts at 1 (i).
8. Click the placeholder on the right and type Table of Contents.

Changing the Footer Content for Section 3

To change footer content for section 3 that contains the main body of the document:

• Click in the footer of section 4. It has the Same as Previous indicator displayed on the right.
• Following the same steps as explained previously, break the link between the footers of section 3 and 4.
• Click in the footer of section 3 and add a Blank (Three Columns) footer, like we did for section 2.
• Click the placeholder on the left, and type Microsoft Tips & Tricks.
• Click the placeholder in the centre, on the Header & Footer tab, in the Header & Footer group, click Page Number, and from the menu select Current Position, and then Plain Number.
• For this section, we will use decimal numbers. To start the numbering from 1 and use decimal notation:
  1. On the Header & Footer tab, in the Header & Footer group, click Page Number, and from the displayed menu, select Format Page Numbers.
  2. In the Page Number Format dialog box, from the Number Format list, select the decimal number format (1,2,3…).
  3. Under the Page numbering group, select Start at and type 1.
  4. Click OK. The page number is now displayed as a decimal number and starts at 1.
• To display the content of the nearest title formatted with Heading 1 on the right:
  1. Click the placeholder on the right.
  2. On the Insert tab, in the Text group, click Quick Parts, and then click Field.
  3. In the Field dialog box, from the Categories list, select Links and References.
  4. From the Field name list, select Styleref and then from the Style name list on the right, select Heading 1.
  5. Click OK. The footer displays the heading content.

Changing the Footer Content for Section 4

1. Click in the footer area of section 4.
2. Delete all content in the footer.
3. On the Header & Footer tab, click Close Header and Footer.
4. Scroll through the document to see the various footers in use.
5. In Section 2, click Update Table, and then click Update entire table, to see the page numbers updated.
6. Save the document.