7

I show the number of pages as 1 / 4, with 4 being the total number of pages. But I do not want to count the first page.

Important: I know how to do it for the current page number (Starting at ..), I mean the total number of pages.

So if the document has one cover page + 3 pages, I want to show it as 1/3, 2/3 ..., not as 1/4.

3
  • not really, it mainly explains how to start again with 1, but does not reflect the total number of pages May 31, 2012 at 21:06
  • Again referring to current number of page, not total number of pages. Answer below. Thanks anyway. Jun 2, 2012 at 11:18
  • This question has a superior answer to the linked "Word 2007 not counting first pages" which has a link-only answer. Apr 4, 2017 at 23:35

2 Answers 2

13

The solution is to use a formula:

{ = { NUMPAGES } - 1 }

Purists can even write (Examples) as below and use StartingNumber

Page { PAGE } of { = (StartingNumber - 1) + { NUMPAGES } } 

In order to avoid the syntax error:

I would say that you are typing litterally the "{NumPages}" part. You need to use CTRL+F9 to enter the both field brace pairs { { } } and then type in the text { = { NumPages } - 1 } Then you need to press F9 after you enter it to make it active.

3
  • 1
    That last part helped a lot. I was trying to figure out why mine wasn't working properly. Jun 2, 2016 at 20:43
  • 1
    When I used { = { NUMPAGES } - 1 } in above approach CTRL+F9, the code result returns !Invalid Character Setting.
    – mgae2m
    Jan 14, 2019 at 3:46
  • 2
    I finally understood that for these formulas - as Horst Walter is saying - NEVER type a curly bracket! Always push Cntr-F9, which adds the special brackets. For complete dum-heads like me: put cursor where you want the field, Cntr-F9, type "=", Cntr-F9, type "NUMPAGES", move outside inner bracket, type " - 1", press F9.
    – DrWhat
    May 24, 2022 at 8:14
2

I found a better way to do it, if you don't use sections in your document:

  • Put your content in a different section than the title page. That is, add a section break between them:

enter image description here

  • Add the number of pages in section (SectionPages field) to your footnote:

    enter image description here

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .