Yes, there is a way to insert the sequential number of tables and figures within the text in Microsoft Word. This is done by using captions and cross-references.
Here are the steps to do this:
- Insert your table or figure in the document.
- Click on the table or figure to select it.
- Go to the References tab in the ribbon.
- Click on the "Insert Caption" button in the Captions group.
- In the Caption dialog box, select the label for the table or figure (e.g. Table or Figure).
- Enter a brief description of the table or figure in the "Caption" field.
- Check the "Exclude label from caption" box if you don't want the label (e.g. Table or Figure) to appear in the caption.
- Click OK to insert the caption.
Now that you have inserted the caption, you can insert a cross-reference to it in the text. Here's how:
- Place your cursor where you want to insert the cross-reference.
- Go to the References tab in the ribbon.
- Click on the "Cross-reference" button in the Captions group.
- In the Cross-reference dialog box, select "Figure" or "Table" in the "Reference type" drop-down list, depending on what you want to reference.
- Select "Numbered item" in the "Insert reference to" drop-down list.
- Select the table or figure you want to reference in the "For which caption" list.
- Click OK to insert the cross-reference.
Now, if you insert or delete tables or figures in the document, the cross-references will update automatically to reflect the new numbering. This saves you the trouble of manually changing the table reference in the text.