How to generate table catalogs and chart catalogs in Word

Key points of this article

The table table of contents and chart table of contents are generated based on the captions, not the title style, so add a caption to each table and picture first, then the table of contents will have content.
The numbers in the caption are automatically generated by Word. The numbers will be automatically rearranged after adding or deleting objects. Do not enter the numbers manually.
Use different caption labels for tables and figures, and insert table catalogs and figure catalogs respectively. The two types of lists do not interfere with each other.
Update the fields after modifying the content, otherwise the page numbers and text of the table of contents may still be old.
After generation, check item by item whether the numbers are consecutive, whether the entries are complete, and whether the page numbers are correct.

When many people write papers, make reports, or organize bid documents, there are more than a dozen tables and dozens of pictures in the document. They want to add a "Table of Contents" or "Table of Contents" before the text, but they can only type in the page numbers manually one by one. Once the content is changed, all the page numbers will be misplaced, making modifications very time-consuming. This article talks about how to automatically generate tables in word table of contents, including the method of chart table of contents.

After reading, you can do three things: add standardized captions to tables and pictures, insert a table or figure table of contents, modify the content and update with one click and check the results. It is different from the ordinary title table of contents: the title table of contents collects title-style text, and the table and figure table of contents collect caption text. The two cannot replace each other.

How to generate table directory and chart directory? One sentence conclusion

First add captions to each table and picture, and then use Word's insert table table of contents function to automatically generate a list based on the captions instead of manually entering entries and page numbers.

your situation	Recommended practices	reason
There are only a few tables, and they will basically not be changed after that.	You can also enter it manually, but it is recommended to still use the caption	Manual operation is feasible when the number is small, but the caption can automatically adjust the number after adding or deleting objects.
There are many tables and pictures and they will be revised repeatedly.	Use title numbers uniformly, insert table catalogs or figure catalogs, and update fields after modifications.	Numbers and page numbers are automatically updated as content changes, eliminating the need to check items one by one.
Tables and figures need to be listed separately	Use different caption labels for tables and figures, and insert a table of contents for each	The two types of objects do not interfere with each other, making it more direct for readers to search.
The document has chapter numbers, such as "Table 3-1"	Include chapter numbers in titles, or renumber each chapter	The numbering system is consistent with the main text and is not easily confused when citing.
I only want to see chapter titles in the table of contents	Use a title table of contents instead of a table or figure table of contents	The title table of contents is based on the title style, and the caption table of contents is based on the caption. If you use the wrong type, you will get blank or incomplete results.

Before you start: First, confirm these points

Before starting, clearly assess the following points to avoid rework halfway through.

Confirm the list type. Table directories depend on captions, and title directories depend on title styles. If you write plain text in the table instead of a caption, inserting it into the table of contents will result in a blank space.
Confirm the position of the annotation. Table captions are usually placed at the top of the table, while image captions are usually placed at the bottom of the image. Consistent placement prevents confusion for readers when reading and editing.
Unified numbering format. Consistency between beginning and end, for example, write everything as "Table 1" or "Figure 1". Chinese and English are mixed, sometimes written as "Table 1" or sometimes as "Table 1," making the list look messy.
Flag objects that do not need to be numbered. Cover images, signature images, and decorative illustrations are usually not included in the catalog. Mark in advance to avoid misaligned numbering after adding a title or notation.
Confirm section and page number settings. The table of contents is usually placed before the main text. If the document has multiple sections, page numbers may start from different numbers. First, confirm the starting position of the page number so that the page numbers in the table of contents will correspond to the correct page.

Steps to Generate Table and Chart Directories in Word

Organize the list of recipients. List tables and images that need to be included in the table of contents into a list, and mark objects that do not need to be numbered. The checklist helps you verify that entries are complete at the end.
Add a caption to the first table. Select the table, use Word's built-in caption feature, set the label to "Table," enter the description, and set it to the top of the table.
Add captions to images. Select the image, use the caption function as before, set the tag to "Image," and set it to the bottom of the image. Tables and charts use different tags to generate tables of contents separately afterward.
Add the remaining title notes in bulk. Add each item individually; do not manually enter the number. The numbers in the caption are automatically generated by Word, then objects are added or removed, and the numbers are automatically rearranged.
Insert table directories at the beginning of the document. Place the cursor where it should appear in the table of contents, use the insert table of contents function, and use the caption tag for the "table" type. You can set whether page numbers are displayed, whether page numbers are right-aligned, and prefix between table of contents entries and page numbers.
Generate the drawing directory. Similarly, insert a table of contents at the table of contents position, and change the title tag to the "Figure" category. If the tag list does not include "Graph", you can create a new tag in the caption settings and then return to step 5.
Update the domain after modifying the content. After adding or deleting tables, modifying title text, or adjusting pagination, select the table of contents and update the field. You can choose to update only page numbers or the entire table of contents. The directory does not refresh automatically; after modification, it must be updated manually.
Update again before printing or exporting. Before converting to PDF or printing, select all documents and update the domain to avoid pages stuck on older versions.

After completion, check each item one by one

After the table of contents is generated, don't submit your manuscript directly; check it according to the checklist below.

Inspection items	How to see it	What should you do if there's a problem?
Check if the numbering is consecutive	Scroll through the title number from start to finish	If there are skipped or duplicate numbers, check for manually entered numbers, delete them, and update the field
Check whether the table of contents entries is complete	Refer to the list in step one and count the table of contents entries	Missing items are usually not included in the title or labels are selected incorrectly; update the table of contents after adding the title notes
Check if the page numbers are correct	Click on the table of contents entry to see if it jumps to the corresponding page	Update page numbers after modification; If the page number is overall offset, check the section and page number start settings
Check whether the caption text is complete	View the description text for each item in the table of contents	Directly modify the title text, then update the field
Check whether the caption and object are on the same page	Flip through each table and image to see if the title notes are separated from the objects	Adjust pagination or set paragraphs for objects to stay together to avoid title notes falling on another page

📊 Core Comparison

When generating lists, there are three common approaches with different applicable scenarios:

Type	Data source	Applicable scenarios
Title directory	Paragraphs in the style of headings	Section structure is listed, allowing readers to search by chapter
Table of contents / Catalogs of figures	Title notes, categorized by tag	List tables or images, and readers search by number
Manual listing	Manually input each entry one by one	A short document with few objects and no changes, but errors are common when edited

If your document contains both chapters and a large number of tables and figures, you usually need to do all three lists: the heading table of contents comes first, followed by the table and graph lists.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Why is it empty after inserting a table directory?

Common reasons include not adding a title in the table, or the label used in the title title does not match the tag you selected in the table of contents. First, check whether there are captions at the top or bottom of the table, then confirm that the label in the table of contents matches the caption.

2. What should I do if I change the table title but the table of contents doesn't change?

The directory does not refresh in real time. After modifying the title text, select the table of contents and update the field, then choose to update the entire directory. Only then will the new text appear in the entry.

3. Can tables and figures be merged into a single table of contents?

It is usually recommended to generate them separately, because tables and figures use different caption labels, making them clearer after separation. If merging is necessary, it can only be adjusted manually, but future directory updates may overwrite it, so relying on this approach is not recommended.

4. Can tables in PDF be directly generated into table of contents?

The table directory feature is designed for Word documents. If the table is in a PDF, you can first use the PDF editor's export function to convert it into a Word document, then add captions to the table. Scanned PDFs require OCR first, and after conversion, check whether the table and images are complete.

📝 Summary

How to automatically generate tables in a Word table of contents is key to first adding captions to each table and image, then inserting table directories or graph directories, and updating the fields promptly after modifications. By checking the number, entry, and page numbers by checklist, you can keep the list consistent with the main text.

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