Microsoft 365 Word: Part 3

Captions and Cross-References Referencing tools in Microsoft Word help readers navigate complex documents and understand the sources and context of information. This section covers two foundational tools: **captions** and **cross-references**. Captions A **caption** is a text descriptor added to a visual element such as a picture, chart, or SmartArt diagram. Captions also serve as reference points for cross-reference links and as entries for **tables of figures**. To insert a caption, click the object you want to caption, then click **References → Insert Caption**. The **Caption dialog box** opens, where you can: Choose a **label** (Figure, Table, Equation, or a custom label) Set the **position** (above or below the object) Check **Exclude label from caption** to omit the label Click **Numbering** to customize the number format Use **AutoCaption** to automatically caption certain object types Click **OK** to insert the caption. Caption numbers update automatically as new captions are added. If they don't update, right-click the caption and select **Update Field**. Cross-References A **cross-reference** is a link to another element within the same document, such as a heading, bookmark, or captioned figure. To insert one, place your cursor where the link should appear, then click **References → Cross-reference**. In the **Cross-reference dialog box**, choose the **Reference type** (e.g., Heading, Figure, Bookmark) and select the specific item from the list. Click **Insert** to