Note: This article is also available as a PDF download. To avoid surprises, follow these 10 steps to add a numbering scheme to a style. Unfortunately, that can get you into even more trouble, if you don't know what you're doing. Or you can opt for the more efficient solution and create and apply a numbered style.
You can enter the numbers manually and hope nothing changes - lots of luck with that one. You have two choices when faced with the task of numbering headings in a Word document.