Why should you use cross-references in a document in MS-Word 2016?

by Maria Williams Technical Supporter

Cross-references are a tool like any other tools in MS-Word and very useful in projects or assignments as it tells the readers, where to go in terms of finding more information about a particular topic.

It automatically updates if the content is moved to the next location and by default, cross-references are put as hyperlinks. It helps the readers with the headings, page numbers, footnotes, endnotes, and simple paragraphs.

To create captions for your cross-references, you can go to the ‘Insert Caption’ button on the ‘References’ tab. You can put it in the equations can be put in figures, graphs, listings, program, and tables.

In the Office setup - Word 2016, let you know the flaws in cross-references. Suppose, you remove the point from where the cross-references are referring or making it invalid then MS-Word will inform you the next time you update it. Any changes in the page number, numbered item, or text in which it is referred gets changed, eventually.

Here, in this article learn about the cross-references use and how to create in a document while using MS-Word 2016.

Follow the steps as listed below to create cross-references in a document in MS-Word 2016-

1. You need to write the first paragraph or part of the text in cross-references.

Suppose, you have written ‘To get more information in MS-Office, see page **’ and then typed a blank space. This blank space will separate the MS-Word page from the page number in the cross-references.

So, in case you’re referring to a heading then write – “For more information, see”. This time don’t type any blank space because the cross-reference heading text will appear after the double quotation mark.

2. Click on the ‘Cross-Reference’ button on the ‘Reference’ tab.

3. Select what type of item you’re referring in the ‘Reference Type’ drop-down list.

Choose ‘Bookmark’ in case you’re referring to the simple paragraph. Click outside the dialog box and scroll down to the particular paragraph, you’re referring and place a bookmark over there.

4. Choose in the ‘Insert Reference To box’ to refer to text, page number or a numbered item.

The options in the box will be different depending on the choice you made in the above step-

Text- Select this option to insert text in the cross-references.
Number- Select this option to insert a page number or table number, in the cross-references.
Include Above or Below- Select this option to include the word above or below to tell the readers, where to look for certain information in the document.

5. To leave the check-mark in the ‘Insert as Hyperlink’ checkbox, you need to create a hyperlink and cross-references.

6. In the ‘For which’ box, tell MS-Word where the things are located, you referred.

Select a heading, bookmark, footnote, endnote, equation, figure, and graph. Unlike in the other documents, you need to hit the scroll-down to look for what you need.

7. Select the ‘Insert’ button and then ‘Close’ button.

8. After you’re done with the creation of your document in MS-Word, you need to update all the cross-references.

You need to press (Ctrl +A) from the keyboard to select the whole document in the Word. Press (F9) to choose ‘Update field’.

If you wish to download MS-Word 2016, you need to visit Office.com/setup