Column Breaks cause problems if the first line is a title

[theconfax]

In a document with multiple columns, if I insert a column break just before a title, text is correctly moved to the next column but an empty line is added.

If I remove that empty line, the symbol for the collapsible heading (that should stay to the left of the title) is suddenly moved to the previous column, see images:

This is not only cosmetic, it breaks navigation when the document is exported as a PDF. By clicking a title in the summary, the PDF reader scrolls to that collapsible heading and not to the title, confusing the reader.

What should I do? I tried using various combinations of page breaks, and removing space before/after paragraphs, I searched online too and did not find a solution.

[#2]

@theconfax If you insert a Style Separator (STRL+ALT+ENTER) before the Title (or other Collapsible Style), the Column Break will then no longer be in the Collapsible style.

Otherwise, the Column Breaks acquires the Style used for the Collapsible Heading

If you want to try and have this behaviour changed, use the Feedback facility under the Help tab of the ribbon.

[#3]

@Doug_Robbins_Word_MVP Unfortunately, using the style separator somehow breaks the shading applied on the style of the titles. Font size, color, etc. is staying. Have you got any workaround?

[#4]

@theconfax Can you upload a document without the Style Separator and one with it so that we can see the issue.

[#5]

@Doug_Robbins_Word_MVP says docx file not supported, I put the document here: https://we.tl/t-DRHXLOBAid , the first page is a simple column break, with the heading and shading on the first column, the second page is your method, which deletes the shading. 

[#6]

@theconfax 

See Space Before Heading at beginning of page or column - Using Frames 

You can use a Frame in your paragraph formatting and it will utilize the space-before formatting.

By the way, your document has been deleted.

[#7]

@Doug_Robbins_Word_MVP @Charles_Kenyon I put a new one if it can be helpful, I'll try the Frame but i dont really understand the page you sent me, a bit confusing

[#8]

@theconfax If you apply the shading to the Style Separator you get the same appearance as with the simple column break and you have the Collapsible Heading toggle where you want it.

instead of before the column break

[#9]

@Doug_Robbins_Word_MVP I think you misunderstood, I would like the shading not to be present on the column break, not the opposite.

[#10]

@theconfax See the following

[#11]

@Doug_Robbins_Word_MVP Thank you Doug, I will try this. But since is probably faster to just press enter a lot of times and align the columns manually, this seems more a bug than a feature to me... what do you think about it? Should I report it somehow?

[#12]

@theconfax As I said in my initial response, if you want to try and have this behaviour changed, use the Feedback facility under the Help tab of the ribbon.