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I know, that it is easy to "reuse" a footnote number in Word:

  1. Insert the footnote
  2. At another place, insert a cross-reference to the footnote number and format it in superscript.

However, if I have the following scenario:

++Page 1++++++++++++    ++Page 2++++++++++++
+ ...              +    + Top line ²       +
+                  +    +                  +
+                  +    + ...              +
+                  +    +                  +
+ Bottom Line²     +    +                  +
+                  +    +                  +
+ ² Footnote text  +    +                  +
++++++++++++++++++++    ++++++++++++++++++++

Here, I refer to the footnote, but it is not clear yet, if both references are on the same page -- any minor change could move the original footnote "anchor" to the second page. If they aren't on the same page, it would be better to repeat the footnote in order to prevent the reader form asking "where is that footnote?", if they are, repeating it would lead to the identical footnote twice on the same page.

Is there a way to let Word do that decision automatically? Refer to footnote if it is on the current page, repeat it if it isn't.

Bowi
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1 Answers1

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I don't think such an automatic option exists. In my opinion cross-referencing a footnote causes more problems than it solves.

For example, if you have on the same page footnote1 and footnote2, where footnote2 is cross-referenced, and then you add another footnote between the two, you will find that the number of footnote2 has not been updated, with all the confusion that this will cause to future readers. This is because footnote references are automatically updated, but cross-reference fields are not.

The easiest way to update the cross-reference fields is to press Ctrl+A to select the entire document, and then press F9 to update all the fields in the document. You would have to remember to repeat this anytime that you insert a new footnote, if you use cross-references.

harrymc
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