List of Tables
A list of tables is a navigation aid for captioned tables. Generate it from the same stable table labels used in the document rather than maintaining a second manual numbering list.
Build a list of tables from consistently labelled table captions, and update it whenever tables, numbering or pagination changes.
Key details
Important caveats
Automation
Where supported, generate and refresh the list from caption fields to reduce stale page numbers or identifiers after editing.
Style Boundary
Whether a document requires a separate list of tables, and where it appears, is a template or house-style decision.
Further guidance
Practical Application
Generate the list of tables from structured table captions or labels so numbering and page references stay synchronized with the document. Keep entry wording aligned with the actual table caption and refresh the list after edits.
Reader Check
If a table moves or its number changes, can the list be regenerated without manually reconciling a second copy of the title?
Source Of Entries
Use the document’s table captions as the source for list entries so the identifiers match what readers see at each table.
Worked Example
“Table 5. Quarterly response rates” should generate the corresponding list entry; after pagination changes, update the generated list rather than typing a new page number.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Add, format, or delete captions in Word — Microsoft Support (opens in a new tab)Microsoft Support · Numbered caption labels for figures, tables and equations and sequence updating