Cue Office · Word tutorial

How do I create an automatic table of contents for a Word thesis?

When you’re finishing a thesis, an old heading can easily slip through. If you rename “Observation schedule” to “Counting schedule” under Methods, the table of contents may still show the old name. Cue AI can identify the sections, set heading levels, and insert the table. If you want to set each level yourself, follow the manual steps below.

Practice with the sample paper on library seating. The table should have five top-level entries and one indented subsection. After renaming it, check that the entry matches the body.

Prepare a sample paper

Copy this fictional class paper into a blank Word document in Cue Office. The Copy sample button preserves heading levels. These steps were verified in Cue Office on macOS.

English sample paper

Expand sample paper

Library Seat Availability During Midterm Week

Abstract

This classroom study tested when students were most likely to find a free seat in the campus library. Two short observation periods per day showed that seats were easier to find in the morning than in the afternoon.

Contents

1. Introduction

Students often visit the library between classes. This study asks whether a simple occupancy count can help them choose a quieter time to visit.

2. Methods

We observed one 40-seat study room on two weekdays. We counted empty seats rather than recording information about individual visitors.

2.1 Observation schedule

Counts were taken at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on both days. Each count covered the same room and used the same definition of an empty seat.

3. Results

The morning counts were 14 and 12 empty seats. The afternoon counts were 5 and 3. Morning visits therefore had an average of 9 more empty seats.

4. Discussion

The difference was consistent on both days, but a two-day sample cannot represent the whole semester. A longer study should include Fridays and exam weeks.

References

Classroom observation log. (2026). Library seat counts, two weekdays [Unpublished class exercise].

If the copy button is unavailable, expand the sample, select the text, and copy it manually. Check the heading styles after pasting. If the text came through without styles, apply the levels in the next section before inserting the table.

Set heading levels for sections and subsections

Place the cursor in a heading paragraph. On the Home tab, check or apply a heading style in the styles area.

Use Heading 1 for top-level sections. In the sample, these are Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and References.
Use Heading 2 for subsections. In the sample, 2.1 Observation schedule belongs under Methods, so it appears indented in the table.

Font size and bold change how text looks. For a line to appear in the automatic table, check its heading style. The paper title, Abstract, and Contents have no heading level in this sample, so they are excluded. Follow your school’s formatting rules when submitting your thesis.

Insert the table of contents after the abstract

Place the cursor at the end of the Contents line and press Enter to create a blank line below it.
Open the References tab and select Table of Contents.
Check that the table has six entries. 2.1 Observation schedule should be indented under 2. Methods. Only the References heading should appear, without individual citations.

The References ribbon in Cue Office shows Table of Contents and Update Table. — Insert the table on the References ribbon. After changing a heading, return here to refresh it.

The generated table has six entries, with 2.1 Observation schedule indented under Methods. — The table runs from Introduction to References. Select the image to view it at full size.

Update the table after renaming a subsection

In the body, change 2.1 Observation schedule to 2.1 Counting schedule and keep the Heading 2 style. Then open References and select Update Table.

The updated table shows 2.1 Counting schedule indented under Methods. — After the refresh, Counting schedule is still indented under Methods. Select the image to see the entire table.

Before submitting, compare the table with the body and check the headings, indentation, and page numbers. If a section is missing, check its heading style and refresh the table.

Let Cue AI generate the table from the paper

To try this method, paste the sample as plain text into a fresh document with no table of contents. In this test, Cue AI identified the sections and subsection, applied heading levels, and inserted an updatable table after the abstract. This saves you from setting up each heading and inserting the table yourself.

Can you create a table of contents after the abstract? Use the main sections and the subsection under Methods.

Cue AI shows the tested prompt, one step, and the full reply. — The left image shows the tested prompt and full reply, with repetitive steps omitted. The right image shows the table inserted in the paper.

The inserted table shows the sections, the subsection under Methods, and an extra entry for the table title. — The left image shows the tested prompt and full reply, with repetitive steps omitted. The right image shows the table inserted in the paper.

Review the entries before submitting. In this test, Cue AI included an extra line for Table of Contents. If this happens, try applying the normal paragraph style to the table title while keeping its text. Then select Update Table and check that six entries remain.

Let Cue AI rename a subsection during final edits

You can ask Cue AI to rename a heading as well. Open it in the sample that still has the old heading and try this prompt.

Can you rename the subsection heading “2.1 Observation schedule” to “2.1 Counting schedule” in the paper?

In this test, Cue AI renamed the heading in the body and preserved Heading 2, but the table still showed the old name. After checking the new heading, select References → Update Table to sync the entry.

The English prompt asks Cue AI to rename the subsection to 2.1 Counting schedule. — The right image shows the edit Cue AI made in the body. Refresh the table manually to see the new heading there, as shown in the previous step.

Cue Office shows 2.1 Counting schedule in the body after Cue AI’s edit. — The right image shows the edit Cue AI made in the body. Refresh the table manually to see the new heading there, as shown in the previous step.

Before sending the paper to your adviser, you can also ask Cue AI which subsection titles don’t match their content. After deciding which headings to change, refresh the table again.