When you work on a long document in Word 2007 such as an academic paper or novel, you may want to refer readers to other parts of the document, particularly when it comes to footnotes, charts, and figures. You can insert the cross-references manually by adding something like “See page 9” in the text, but this method quickly becomes unruly as your document grows and you make changes, forcing you to go back and correct the cross-references when the document is complete.

Word 2007 provides a cross-reference feature that updates cross-references automatically as you work on your document, even if you add or remove pages. When the cross-reference is set up properly, the reader clicks the specified text in a document to be taken to a targeted location. Depending on what you are jumping to, the method of cross-referencing varies.

Cross-Reference Images, Charts, and Tables With Captions in Word 2007

This method of cross-referencing jumps to Microsoft Word 2007 elements with captions, such as images, figures, and charts.

  • Enter the text you want to use to direct the reader to a cross-referenced item. For example (See page )" or (See chart ) depending on the type of cross-reference.
  • Position the cursor in the text you just typed.
  • Click on “Insert” in the menu bar.
  • Click on “Cross Reference.”
  • Select “Figure” or “Image” from the drop-down menu in the box labeled “Reference Type” to reveal all the charts or images in the document that have captions.
  • Select the desired chart or image from the list.
  • Make a selection in the “Insert Reference to” field to display the entire caption in the cross reference text or only the page number or select one of the other choices.
  • Click “Insert” to apply the cross-reference.
  • Close the window and return to the (See page) area. It now includes the information for the cross reference.
  • Hover your mouse over the newly formed cross-reference to see the instruction that reads “Ctrl_Click to follow link.”
  • Ctrl-click to jump to the figure or chart you cross-referenced.

Using the Cross-Reference Feature With Bookmarks

Using the cross-reference feature is particularly easy when you have already set up bookmarks for your document. As an example, you might have already set up bookmarks at the beginning of each chapter of a lengthy document.

Enter the text you want to use to direct the reader to a cross-referenced item. For example (See page )" or (See chart ) depending on the type of cross-reference.

Position the cursor in the text you just typed.

Click on “Insert” in the menu bar.

Click on “Cross Reference.”

Select “Figure” or “Image” from the drop-down menu in the box labeled “Reference Type” to reveal all the charts or images in the document that have captions.

Select the desired chart or image from the list.

Make a selection in the “Insert Reference to” field to display the entire caption in the cross reference text or only the page number or select one of the other choices.

Click “Insert” to apply the cross-reference.

Close the window and return to the (See page) area. It now includes the information for the cross reference.

Hover your mouse over the newly formed cross-reference to see the instruction that reads “Ctrl_Click to follow link.”

Ctrl-click to jump to the figure or chart you cross-referenced.

  • Position the cursor where you want to insert the cross-reference and enter the desired text, such as (See page ) or (See chapter ) and click in the link text with your cursor.
  • Open the “References” tab.
  • Click “Cross reference” in the Captions panel.
  • Select the type of item you want to reference from the Reference type field in the window that opens. In this case, select “Bookmark.” However, you can also select headings, footnotes, or numbered items in this section.
  • The options in the dialog box change automatically depending on your selection. In this case, a list of every bookmark in the document appears.
  • Click on the name of the bookmark you want. After you have made your selection, click “Insert.”
  • Close the dialog box.

The cross-reference has been applied and updates as you alter the document. If you want to delete a cross-reference, highlight the cross-reference and press the Delete key.

Position the cursor where you want to insert the cross-reference and enter the desired text, such as (See page ) or (See chapter ) and click in the link text with your cursor.

Open the “References” tab.

Click “Cross reference” in the Captions panel.

Select the type of item you want to reference from the Reference type field in the window that opens. In this case, select “Bookmark.” However, you can also select headings, footnotes, or numbered items in this section.

The options in the dialog box change automatically depending on your selection. In this case, a list of every bookmark in the document appears.

Click on the name of the bookmark you want. After you have made your selection, click “Insert.”

Close the dialog box.

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