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Training module (SI): Renumbering

In this module, you will learn how to use Lawmaker’s renumbering functions to renumber your document as you draft and reorganise it.

Tutorial

As you work on your document, adding new provisions and moving them around, it’s likely that the numbering of your document will become disordered or alphanumeric.

For example, if you add a new regulation between regulations 5. and 6., it will be numbered 5A. by default, but you may want it to become regulation 6. and for 6. to become 7., and so on.

Renumbering

Renumbering your document is simple in Lawmaker. Just do the following:

  1. Place your cursor in the provision you want to renumber (or anywhere in the body of the document, if you want to renumber the whole document);

  2. Do one of the following:

    • Click on the Renumber icon in the toolbar,

    • Right-click in the Editor or Structure View and select Renumber,

    • Press keyboard short-cut Alt+n;

  3. In the pop-up window, select to renumber either the Current provision or the Whole document as desired.

    • You can also select to Update x-refs, which will update all references in the document after the renumber. See Training module (SI): References for training on this.

Note that content within quoted structures (i.e., long textual amendments - see Training module (SI): Drafting long textual amendments with Quoted Structure ) will not be included in a renumbering of the whole document.

To renumber content in a quoted structure, place your cursor within it, and then follow the steps above.

Automatic renumbering

Lawmaker has an ‘auto-renumber’ function that you can toggle on and off using Tools > Turn on / off Automatic renumbering.

In short, if auto-renumbering is on, then lower-level provisions will be automatically renumbered if you add a new provision or move them around.

If it is off, then new provisions will be given letters to distinguish them, whilst maintaining the same numbering for the remaining sequence. E.g., if you move paragraph (c) up so it is between paragraphs (a) and (b), it will obtain the number (aa), whilst (a) and (b) will be unchanged.

See Further information below if you want more detail on this.

Locking provisions

Sometimes you may not want provisions to be renumbered when you run a renumbering operation. For example, if, for whatever reason, you have edited a number to change the content, you don’t want this to revert to its previous form when you renumber the document.

To avoid this, you can ‘lock’ numbers. to do this, place your cursor in the number that you want to lock (or unlock) and either:

  • Use keyboard short-cut Alt + l,

  • Right-click and select Lock/Unlock Number from the context menu, or

  • From the upper tool bar, select Tools > Lock/Unlock Number.

The locked number will have a dotted-lined box around it.

Note that all subsequent numbers will be renumbered sequentially following the ‘locked’ number. So if you have locked the number of regulation 5., then renumber the document, the next regulation will be numbered 6., then 7., and so on.

The first number in a quoted structure will be locked by default (so that it doesn’t reset to, e.g., 1. or (a) when you renumber the content of the quoted structure).

Video

Please watch the following sections of the video linked below:

  • Automatic renumbering (0:00)

  • Renumbering (1:47)

  • Editing and locking numbers (3:05)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pApXcIArhGk

Further information


Exercises

Getting started

Before you start the exercises, you will need a document ready and open in the Editor.

If you already have a document ready, you can move on to the exercises below.

If you don’t have a document ready, follow the steps below.

How to create a new project
  1. Log in to the Lawmaker Training environment (link here).

  2. From the Dashboard, create a new project. (See Creating a new project for details.)
    Select the document type that you are most likely to work with. For Sub-type, select Regulations (for convenience).
    Give it a memorable title such as[Your name] - Training project.

  3. From the Project tab for your new document, select Document Actions > Import from legislation.gov.uk. (See Import legislation from www.legislation.gov.uk for details.)
    Give the document a clear Version Description, e.g., the name of this Training module.
    Import one of the following documents, depending on your document type:

  4. Open the new document in the Editor.

Exercise 1 - Reorder provisions and renumber them

In your document, swap the positions of Regulations 2 and 3. Then, renumber them.

Instructions to reorder and renumber provisions
  1. To swap the regulations, go to the Structure view. Click and hold Regulation 2 and drag it below Regulation 3, then let go.
    Depending on whether auto-renumber is on or off, the swapped provisions will either appear as 3. and 2., or as 3. and 3A.

  2. To renumber the provisions, press Alt + N and choose to renumber the whole document.

    1. Alternatively, Click on the Renumber icon in the toolbar, or Right-click in the Editor or Structure View and select Renumber.

Exercise 2 - Using locks whilst renumbering

Insert a new Regulation after numbered 3A. Then renumber the document without losing the 3A or changing the subsequent numbering (4., 5. etc.).

Instructions to use locks whilst renumbering
  1. To insert the new Regulation, place your cursor in Regulation 3, press Enter > Regulation.
    The new Regulation should be numbered 3A automatically, regardless of whether you have auto-renumber on or off.
    (You don’t need to add content to this new Regulation though you might choose to in order to make this exercise authentic.)

  2. Right-click on the number 3A. and select Lock/unlock number.
    A dotted square should appear around the number.

  3. Go to Regulation 4., and Right-click on the number 4., and select Lock/unlock number. (To ensure that when you renumber, subsequent numbers don’t follow on from the previous 3A., as 3B., 3C. etc.)
    Again a dotted square should appear around the number.

  4. Press Alt + N and choose to renumber the whole document.

    1. Alternatively, Click on the Renumber icon in the toolbar, or Right-click in the Editor or Structure View and select Renumber.

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