Numbering and bullets in Word docs keep disappearing

[AndrewB_33334]

When working as a team on Word files within SharePoint, I constantly have problems with things like heading numbering disappearing (or changing from numbers to bullets), bullets going missing or bullets turning into numbers. From what I can see, the custom list styles in the documents go missing. Other formatting things happen, like table column widths messing up. I can fix it all, PDF it, save and close, and when I open the Word doc again it's all gone haywire once more.

I was always approaching this from a Word bug perspective, but maybe it's something I'm doing wrong in regard to SharePoint. Essentially, this is my workflow:
1. Create Word template.
2. Create documents from Word template (bid response schedules, one for each).
3. Upload all files to SharePoint.

At this point, the template resides on my computer, in my OneDrive folder. As I understand it, this shouldn't be an issue because unless people play around with what template the document is linked to, it shouldn't change. However, often I found that the template had reverted back to "Normal". So, I started saving the template in a location on SharePoint (along with the documents) and making sure it was linked to it.

When the document styles go haywire, to fix it all I need to do is link back to the template and update the styles. I have a macro that has the location of the template hard coded, and it links the document to the template, updates the styles, then turns off the checkbox again. (Note: I always make sure the "update styles from template" is kept off). Whether the template is on my computer or on SharePoint, once the styles start messing up they will continue to keep messing up, so putting the template on SharePoint doesn't seem to have fixed it.

I'm outlining this process because all the forum posts I've found seem to treat SharePoint more as a space where templates are uploaded and people use the "New" button to create and then save documents straight into SharePoint from Templates that are uploaded into the site library. This is obviously not how we are using it: these Teams sites are created per project, we do our submission and then move on. I'm the only one creating documents and other people contribute to them.

Is there something I'm doing fundamentally wrong and that's why these issues happen? If not, has anyone seen this issue and worked out what causes it?

[#2]

We are experiencing the same problem on macOS. None of the hints in this threads has resolved the issue for us. The main issue is that the numbering template disconnects from the headings – again and again. Unbelievable that Microsoft does not fix the problem in several years.

[#3]

Having the same issue here. I'm on version 2308.

I tried saving my .dotx locally before creating the .docx from it, and it still happens. The "Automatically update document styles" option is unchecked.

My workaround is to re-attach the dotx, enable the "Automatically update document styles", then disable the option again. Pretty annoying.

I've had it happen to a file that only I ever opened. I always open it from my synced SharePoint folder; I never open through Teams or through the web app.

[#4]

@aleblancnuv Thanks for keeping the issue alive. Our only hope now is that Microsoft sees how prevalent and catastrophic this issue is. 

Your solution is workable, but it's only really effective when there are no other users in the document. Otherwise, in my experience, the template attachment loads asynchronously for the different users and the document is unstable. You can always get things set back to normal at the end; but in the meantime, the document is an unworkable mess for everyone actively participating in it. Of course, this discourages users from applying the styles and pre-loaded content (like tables, callout boxes, etc.) that you so painstakingly generated in your template!  Simultaneous, multi-user collaboration is the lynchpin of SharePoint. If you can't keep a document stable, while also using a template, a major function of SharePoint collapses. This is especially dismaying and embarrassing when you're part of a large organization (hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of users) and you'd like to create organization-wide standards (which I have!), but you have to tell alllll of your users, "Now, bear in mind, this will look like total chaos while you're actually using the document..."

[#5]

Same issue here. This does not seem to be fixed.

I am currently working in a project environment with 2 other companies. Hence this topic can get political...
Documents are shared over a Teams group. I am editing the document in the Word desktop app. I don't have any access to the template.

@Pernille-Eskebo : please have a closer look on this issue. Collaboration across multiple companies supposed to be one of the core functionalities. 

[#6]

@jg_ch_ad sorry to hear you've also been having this issue. FYI, this is a community forum, so you won't find anyone that actually works for Microsoft here. Recommend submitting something to the official feedback forum. If you have some sort of shared file space among you and your partners' firms that is accessible to everyone involved, I would try saving a copy of your template file in that shared space and then opening the developer tab in your document(s), opening document template, and inserting the path to that shared location as the document template. Check the path and make sure it's a common location that is visible to everyone using it (you can still put restrictive permissions on the template itself to prevent others from editing, so long as it is at least readable to everyone). That has worked well for me, but still have to avoid doing large scale formatting changes while track changes is on and lots of people are in the file. It also allows anyone to quick open up the developer tab/document template window and toggle on the "automatically update document styles" box, click ok, wait a second, open it back up and uncheck the box (for some reason that I don't understand, you want to leave it unchecked) - that should make everything go back to normal in one click (technically like 8 clicks). Another thing you can try is completely redoing any of your custom multi-level lists and bulleted list styles from scratch in your template, just in case there is something a little buggy in there. Probably the biggest thing I've found though is that there is no point in doing any formatting while track changes is enabled and/or while coauthoring. So generally toward the end of a deliverable, once track changes are cleaned up, I ask everyone to kindly bug off out of the file, reapply the template styles, and send. Not ideal, but a means to an end.

Best of luck!

[#7]

@Trang_Le , thank you, that worked!!

[#8]

@AndrewB_33334 When you use a shared document, it does happen that the doc updates the styles when the user signs in because his Normal template is different, the doc template is unknown to the user’s word, or the document proofing options allow for autoformatting. I tried turning off the autoformat feature in proofing, saving a new normal template or saving the doc theme.

But it seems that the only protection to style swapping is to turn on document protect in File > Info > Protect the doc > Restrict editing > Limit formatting then the two checkboxes at the bottom to restrict style swapping and restrict quick style changes. Don’t enable the 3rd checkbox for autoformatting. Then the next dropdown, no need to restrict more editing. Then enforce protection with a password.

[#9]

I'm experiencing the same problem.

When I share a document using Sharepoint and only give other authors "review" rights the formatting drops from the document. 

This has been a problem for years (as evidenced by this thread).  Is it really so hard for Microsoft to fix their bugs?

[#10]

Experiencing the same issue on macOS. None of the suggestions in this thread have solved it. Frustrating that Microsoft hasn't fixed this problem despite its persistence for years.

[#11]

It's inconceivable to me that such a basic feature can remain broken for this long when using Microsoft's own software with its own collaboration system, however if you look for the issue the only references you'll find to it are on forums like this which are only user to user. My guess is that they simply lack the institutional knowledge to fix something as old as Word when it doesn't play well with a newer system. I'm guessing it will never be fixed as they're pushing their web version which will suit the requirements of 80% of people.

[#12]

@AndrewB_33335 To solve the issue, we removed all the styles that were dissappearing, when some users entered the doc and their normal template conflicted with the word doc styles, in the Managing Styles. Easiest way we found was to switch autoupdate style and edit the style directly in the document text.

Removing access to users was not possible, so we flushed the doc cache and some users cache (in File > options). Turning autosave did help, but doc sync would still breakdown at times. The only solution would be to make one person the lead editor, and other users commentators. Guess google doc is better at sync than Microsoft/Azure...

[#13]

I encourage everyone to submit feedback to MS Word to get this issue on their radar. From some MS Word installations, you can submit feedback directly in the application by going to Help > Feedback. For me, I had to use the online version of the software and click the smiley face in the upper-right-hand corner of the interface. (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/how-do-i-give-feedback-on-microsoft-365-2b102d44-b43f-4dd....).