You can outline a document in three ways:

Organize a new document. As you rearrange the headings and subheadings in outline view, Word 2000 automatically applies the built-in heading styles to them. To make it easier to view and reorganize the document's structure, you can collapse the document to show just the headings you want. When you finish, you can number the headings.

Assign outline levels. Assign outline levels to your paragraphs if you aren't using the built-in heading styles. This lets you impose a hierarchical structure on your document without having to format your text with the built-in heading styles. Then you can work in Outline view or with the Document Map.

Create an outline-style numbered list. By typing topics and subtopics in an outline-style numbered list, you can create a hierarchical structure for your document. The text is not formatted with the built-in heading styles.

TO ORGANIZE A NEW DOCUMENT BY USING OUTLINE VIEW

1. In a new document, switch to Outline view. On the View menu, click Outline.

2. Type each heading and press ENTER. Word 2000 formats the headings with the built-in heading style, Heading 1.

3. To assign a heading to a different level and apply the corresponding heading style, drag the heading's outline symbol ( or ):

**To demote a heading to a lower level, drag the symbol to the right.

**To promote a heading to a higher level, drag the symbol to the left.

4. To move a heading to a different location, drag the symbol up or down. (The subordinate text under the heading moves with it.)

5. When you're satisfied with the organization, switch to Normal view or Print Layout view to add detailed body text and graphics.

TO ASSIGN AN OUTLINE LEVEL TO A PARAGRAPH

Use outline levels when you don't want to change the appearance of your text. The built-in heading styles apply specific formatting, while the outline levels apply an “invisible” format.

1. Switch to Print Layout view.

2. Select a paragraph you want to assign an outline level to.

3. On the Format menu, click Paragraph and then click the Indents and Spacing tab.

4. In the Outline level box, click the level you want.

To use the functionality of heading styles without modifying the built-in heading styles, create a new set of custom heading styles that include the outline-level paragraph format. After you create your own heading styles, you can work with them as usual. For example, apply the custom heading styles to text that you want to include in a table of contents.