cross-reference – How to format an audit report – Part V

While we prepare the audit working papers/files, we include references in audit points to link the supporting details that refer the reader from one part to another part of the document. Example: See page number 23, point no: 5, See Annexure A or Refer the table A etc.,

But if a change is made in a file, assume if we insert few pages, this leads us to correct all the references made in whole audit file manually. Many a times we miss to correct the references.

Cross References

A cross-reference is just creating a link between two parts of the same document. 

If we want to insert cross-references in our document, we need to find the parts that are to be cross linked and do format (Text Formatting) those parts. Example if it is a heading, we need to format the text with heading styles or outline levels one, and then we insert the cross-reference.

Let’s understand this with an example, assume, we have following items in a Systems Audit Report (Refer Picture A)

Picture A

In this example, we have two Reference Types. One is Heading (marked in yellow) and the other one is Numbered Item (marked in green). If we call the Cross-reference dialog box (shortcut: Alt + S + RF) and select Numbered Item as Reference type, we can see ‘For which Number item:’ details as given in below image (Refer Picture B).

Picture B

Like Heading and Numbered Item, we have few other Reference types. The list of those reference types are given below (Refer Table A)

Reference Type	How to format the text
Bookmark	Bookmark is just a name of reference point or selection in the document. Step 1: Select the text or reference point Step 2: On the Insert tab, in the Links group, select Bookmark (Shortcut: Alt + N + X) Step 3: Give a Name (without space) and click Add
Footnote	A footnote is an explanatory comment or that appears at the bottom of a page. Step 1: Select the place where you want to insert Footnote Step 2: Press Ctrl + Alt + F
Endnote	Endnotes are similar to Footnote, except that the text of an endnote appears at the end of a section. If only one section is available in the whole document, it appears at the last page of the document. Step 1: Select the place where you want to insert Endnote Step 2: Press Ctrl + Alt + D
Equation, Figure, Picture and Table	These are the types of caption for your graphics and tables. Step 1: Select the graphic or table to insert caption Step 2: On the References tab, in the Captions group, click Insert Caption Step 3: Select the label type and give Caption text Step 4: Click OK

Insert a Cross Reference

Step 1: click the place where the cross reference should appear

Step 2: On References tab, in the Captions group, click Cross Reference (Shortcut: Alt + S + RF) to display the cross reference dialog box

Step 3: Select the References type (Explained in Table A)

Step 4: Select the Insert reference to. (Explained Table B)

Step 5: Select the For which numbered item.

Step 6: Click Insert

Word by default inserts cross-reference fields as hyperlinks, hence, just a Ctrl + Click leads us to reach the reference part.

Insert reference to

Insert reference to	Explanation
Heading Text	To display the heading, we have to use this. Actual text of the Heading will be inserted as Cross-Reference text (for example, Executive Summary)
Page Number	To display the page number of the reference item, we have to use this.
Heading Number	Heading number will be inserted as Cross-reference. For example, if the cross-reference to 1(c)(5) is inserted within 2(a)(i), the number used is (5).
Heading Number (No Context)	No context will be inserted. 1(c)(5) will always be inserted as (5)
Heading Number (Full Context)	To display full heading number, use this. (i.e. 1(c)(5)
Above/Below	The word above or below is inserted.  For example: See the Executive Summary, above.