Creating an Index

Once you have inserted all your index entries and subentries, Word allows you to create a complete index by following these steps:

1. Position the insertion point where you want the index inserted.
2. Display the References tab of the ribbon.
3. In the Index group click Insert Index. Word displays the Index dialog box; the Index tab should be selected. (Click here to see a related figure.)
4. Use the controls in the dialog box to indicate how you want the index to appear.
5. Click on OK.

Alternatively, you can follow these steps to create a normal index:

1. Position the insertion point where you want the index inserted.
2. Press Ctrl+F9 to insert field brackets. Make sure the insertion point stays between the brackets.
3. Type index.
4. Press F9 to update the field information. Word replaces the field with the index when the document is printed.

If you decide to use the index field to create your index, there are quite a few field switches you can use to control how Word creates the index. You can find information on these switches in Word's Help system.