Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
It’s a good idea to include a table of contents in your long documents. And better still, to format it to include tab leaders. So read on to find out how to insert tab leaders in a table of contents. I’ll show you how to add them to an automatic table of contents (always the better option). And also show you how to add them to a table of contents you’ve typed into your document.
What are tab leaders?
Microsoft Word’s tab leaders line up information.
That is, they provide a visual connection between information. And as such, help a reader to connect an item with its corresponding information.
While tab leaders are more commonly used in a table of contents, they can be used in lists. For example, to link a price to an item.
Word has three different tab leader options to choose from (apart from no tab leader).
How to insert tab leaders
Two reasons come to mind as to why your table of contents doesn’t already include tab leaders.
The first is the most likely one. And that is that you’ve added a table of contents by typing in each heading and its corresponding page number.
The second is that the document you’re working on has an automatic table of contents. But the table of contents has been formatted to not include tab leaders.
I’m going to show you how to add tab leaders for both these scenarios.
1. Insert leaders in a table of contents you’ve typed
Following is how to insert tab leaders in a table of contents you’ve typed into your document.
But I’d like to urge you to stop adding a table of contents to your documents in this way. And instead get into the practice of using automatic tables of contents. There are several benefits of working in this way, most of all is the time you’ll save.
Now this may mean you need to take some extra steps in ensuring your document is properly formatted. And I understand you don’t necessarily have the time to spare at the moment.
So here’s how to insert leaders in your table of contents, as a quick fix:
- Select the lines of text you want to add a tab leader to;
- Click the Paragraph dialogue box launcher (Home > Paragraph);
- Click the Tabs button;
- Add a value to the Tab stop position field, for example 12 cm. Or select the relevant tab stop from the list (if one already exists);
- Select the required alignment (left, center, right or decimal). My preference is always right aligned for a table of contents;
- Select one of the three leader options;
- Click the Set button, and then OK to accept the new tab setting.
2. Insert leaders in an automatic table of contents
To insert tab leaders in an automatic table of contents:
- Click the Table of Contents button (References > Table of Contents);
- Select Custom Table of Contents;
- Ensure the Show page numbers checkbox is selected;
- Choose an option from the Tab leader drowpdown menu, and click OK;
- Word will ask you if you want to replace the existing table of contents. Click Yes to confirm.
