Concepts of numbered list and multilevel list are quite different in LO.
Basically, a list is simply a paragraph with a special attribute. There are two ways to use lists: manually and styles.
Manually (note this is not the recommended way but you can experiment with it)
To transform a paragraph of text into a list, select the paragraph (having the cursor inside is sufficient) and click on one of the list buttons in the toolbar. You have the choice between numbered list and bulleted list.
When you hit return at the end of you list paragraph, the next paragraph is also automatically a member of the list.
To stop the list, click again on the button.
Note: if your document contains several lists, items are numbered sequentially by default. To restart numbering, right-click in the list paragraph which should be the first of the new list and choose Restart numbering…
Multi-level lists: The level of the list item is defined by the number of “tab” characters you insert before the first word of the paragraph.
Tuning the list appearance is done through Format → Bullets and Numbering. There are many possibilities: indent distance, single/multiple numbers, choice of numbering (numerals, alphabetic, …). Just experiment.
Styles (this is the most versatile way which allows you to have total control and guarantee a uniform look across the document)
This requires some knowledge about styles. Contrary to MS, style are present everywhere in LO: page, paragraph, character, “list” and, by extension, you can consider manual formatting as another anonymous layer of style.
LO offers built-in styles for lists: Numbering x and Bullet x where x is a number. This number IS NOT the indent level of the list, it just indicates a different “style” for the list. As mentioned above, levels are activated with “tab” characters.
If you prefer to design your own list styles, you can either customise an existing style or make a brand new one:
- First, you define a paragraph style with a custom name for your list item. Do whatever is fit for you.
- Transform this style into a list. Go to the Outline & Numbering tab of the definition dialog and assign a so-called “list” style (which is not a list but a numbering description) through the drop down menu Numbering Style. There you will choose one of the existing styles, i.e. the built-in styles if you have not created a customised one.
- Click
OK, you’re done.
To use your style, simply assign the style to the would-be-list paragraph.
If you want to design your own numbering, modify one of the existing “list” styles (once again, this is an unfortunate word for the styles you access with the fifth button from the left in the Format → Styles & Formatting or F11 side panel).
This is very short for a topic which deserves a full development. Read the User’s Manual which contains useful hints and tricks. My personal opinion is LO has done a nice job in cleanly separating numbering from other attributes, but as always you need practice before mastering the concepts. Anyway, this is really stable and reliable compared to M$ Word because the style paradigm is sound.
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