This tutorial shows how to cross-reference tables and figures in Microsoft Word.
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Hello, my name is Erin.
I’m a technical writer and editor who shares writing tips for real the world on this channel
and on my blog at erinwrightwriting.com.
Today we’re going to create cross-references to tables and figures in Microsoft Word.
One benefit of using cross-references in Word is that they can be hyperlinked to the table or figure.
Before we begin, please note that these steps only work with tables and figures that have
titles or captions created with Word’s caption tool.
So, we will quickly walk through the basic steps of inserting table titles and figure captions
before we create the cross-references.
For complete details including how to customize the labels and numbering,
please see my other video titled “How to Insert Figure Captions and Table Titles in Microsoft Word,”
which is linked below.
Lastly, we’ll look at how to update cross-references as you add or delete tables or figures.
I’ll be using Word in Microsoft 365, which is formerly Office 365.
These steps will also work for Word 2019, Word 2016, Word 2013, and Word 2010.
However, your interface may look slightly different in those older versions of the software.
As mentioned, we’re going to start with a brief overview on inserting table titles or figure captions.
To begin, select and then right-click the table or figure.
Then, select Insert Caption from the shortcut menu.
And then select Table or Figure from the Label menu in the Caption dialog box.
The default positions for titles and captions will be appropriate for most situations.
Enter a title or caption into the caption text box, if necessary
Finally, select the OK button to insert the title or caption.
Now, we’ll insert a cross-reference.
In this section we’re going to cross-reference a table,
however the steps are the same for figures.
To begin, place your cursor where you want to insert the cross-reference.
Then, select the References tab in the ribbon.
Followed by Cross-reference in the Captions group.
Note that the Cross-reference option is also available in the Insert tab.
Now, select Figure or Table from the Reference type menu in the Cross-reference dialog box.
And then select an option from the Insert reference to menu:
Entire caption includes the figure caption or table title with the label and number.
Only label and number would be Table 1, Figure 1, etc.
Only caption text includes the figure caption or table title without the label and number.
Page number is the current location of the table or figure
And, Above/below, which inserts the word “above” or “below”
with no additional text related to your table or figure.
After you’ve made your choice, select Insert as hyperlink
if you want to give your readers the ability to select the cross-reference and move to the table or figure.
Then, select the table or figure you want to cross-reference from the "For which caption" menu.
And then select the Insert button.
Your cross-reference will be inserted into your text immediately.
Note that you can move your cursor and insert additional cross-references
while the Cross-reference dialog box is open.
When you’re finished, select the Close button.
In the next section, we’ll look at how to update cross-references
as you add or delete tables or figures.
Before we begin updating the cross-references,
please note that Word will automatically update table and figure numbers as you add tables and figures,
but it won’t automatically update those numbers if you delete or move table and figures.
So, if you need direction on that issue, please see my other video titled
“How to Update Table and Figure Numbers in Microsoft Word.”
Now, let’s update our cross-references.
To begin, select one of the cross- references in your text.
Then, select the Home tab in the ribbon.
Followed by Select in the Editing group.
Select "Select Text with Similar Formatting" from the menu.
All your cross-references should now be selected.
Right-click one of the cross-references and select Update Field from the shortcut menu.
Your cross-references should update immediately.
Note that If you don’t want to update all your cross-references, you can select an individual one,
right-click, and then select Update Field from the shortcut menu.
I have created many other videos about figures and tables in Word, including
“How to Create and Customize Charts in Microsoft Word” and
“Three Ways to Insert Tables in Microsoft Word.”
Please see the playlist called “Figures and Tables in Microsoft Word”
linked in the description box below for the complete list.
The companion blog post for this video listing all the steps we just performed appears on
erinwrightwriting.com, which is also linked below.
Feel free to leave me a comment if there’s a specific topic related to Microsoft Word
or Adobe Acrobat that you would like me to talk about in the future.
And please subscribe to my channel and give this video a thumbs-up if you found it helpful.
Thank you so much for watching!
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