How to Create a Table of Contents in Google Docs

Hi folks, we all know what it’s like after you’ve written a lengthy document, filled with wonderful, life changing info (ok, that might be a stretch), only to realise that navigating through it is a real struggle. If you or your readers are getting lost in the sea of paragraphs, it’s probably time to add a Table of Contents (TOC). Not only does it make your document more polished and professional, but it also helps your readers navigate with ease.

The challenge here is that creating a TOC can feel like an overwhelming task, especially if you’re not familiar with the steps. I remember demonstrating how to create a TOC in one of my courses and seeing one participant do the “face palm” thing! It turns out that he had been up until the wee hours painstakingly building a manual TOC to finish off his thesis. Then I showed him how it could be done in a few moments! Yep, it was one of those “I wish I had done this course sooner” moments!

Anyway, here’s the good news, learning how to create a table of contents in Google Docs is easier than ever. With just a few simple steps, you can create a clickable Table of Contents and provide your document with a neat structure that will make it look much more professional and easier to use. The best part is that it’s mostly automatic. No more messing around with formatting or losing your place in your document.

Setting up your Headings

Before jumping into building the TOC, you’ll need to format your headings using styles. This bit is important! In fact, if you don’t use styles, your TOC won’t work. Think of the headings like chapters in a book. To do this, highlight the text you want to designate as a heading, and then choose a heading style from the “Styles” dropdown in the toolbar (Heading 1 is for main sections, Heading 2 for sub-headings, and so on). These will become the foundation of your Table of Contents.

Creating the Table of Contents

Now comes the easy bit! Place your cursor where you want the TOC to appear, usually somewhere near the top of your document. Then, select Insert > Table of contents. Choose from either a plain text, dotted, or links format.

Personally, I prefer the dotted format. It looks good and shows the page numbers clearly without being intrusive. Each item in the TOC clickable, so you can jump right to the content you want. That’s a big time saver for both you and your readers.

Updating a Table of Contents

As you add or delete content from your document, or move the content around, you can easily update the TOC by clicking on it and selecting the “Update Table of Contents” icon at the top left. This ensures everything stays in sync and your document remains organised.

Now, your document is going to be a streamlined, professional, navigable resource that makes it easy to read. Your readers can find the information they need quickly, saving them time and frustration. And you’ve just saved yourself heaps of time and frustration.

Conclusion

Creating a Table of Contents in Google Docs is always a good idea for longer documents. Regardless of whether you’re drafting a report, a project proposal, or an eBook, learning this simple skill can make a big difference.

At Keystroke Learning, we understand the power of time-saving tips like this, and we’re here to help you master more of them. When you’re ready to improve your document and productivity skills, check out our courses, and let’s help to make your work simpler, faster, and more impactful.