Interactive/Clickable Table of Contents..NOT the Bookmarks Bar

[Rosstarino]

Hello Adobe Users,

I have a challenge...I have a 100+ page technical user manual that is created in microsoft word.  It has a TOC; that in word is clickable so in that it takes you to that section in the document.  No matter what I've tried when converting it to a PDF it will NOT retain that behavior.  Instead what I get is a side bar with bookmarks.  What I want, and swear I've seen before, is the ability of the reader to click the actually table of content section and have adobe reader advance them to that section.  Is this even possible anymore in Adobe Acrobat?  Or do I need some third party plugin or solution?  Thanks

[Tanvi Rastogi]

Hi Rosstarino

This issue exists with latest version of Office 2019 as well. Please refer to this article for reverting to older version of Office 2019.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-to-revert-to-an-earlier-version-of-office-2bd5c457-a91...

Thanks

Tanvi

[Rosstarino]

Got a support ticket it to IT; we'll see if they'll roll me back or not.  Thanks.

[Rosstarino]

I CAN CONFIRM; this workaround did work. rolling back to Version 2108 now allows me to save as PDF or use the Adobe Plugin and it retains the links in the ToC.  

[Teri5C91]

Literally laughing as I am fighting that battle right now!

[Tanvi Rastogi]

Thanks for your patience. We have investigated this issue and found that this has broken with a recent Office update and would require a fix from Microsoft. 

This has also been raised on Microsoft fourms in several threads and acknowledged and it seems they are investigating this issue. Please follow these threads for updates.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/cross-references-and-toc-in-word-do-not-work-...

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/when-i-export-a-word-to-pdf-the-table-of-cont...

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/exporting-hyperlinks-to-pdf-from-word/4b792dc...

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/cross-reference-links-eg-table-of-content-tab...

As a workaround, please revert to older version of Office to make links work.

Thanks

Tanvi

[defaultni72g5zcuxyk]

We have varioiur versions or office/word and all of them have this problem.  I have tried all of the work arounds suggested and none fixes the problem for us.  It is totally unacceptable and is causing us serious problems with huge reports.  Please get this fixed ASAP!

[Tanvi Rastogi]

Hi 

Please check if this issue happens with Microsoft's Save As -> PDF workflow as well.

If yes, then it is a Microsoft issue and would require a fix from Microsoft. Please raise concerns in the Microsoft forum threads shared above.

If not, then please share a sample Word file exhibiting this issue and the workflow that you are using to create PDF.

Thanks

Tanvi

[Donna32629163htne]

What is the solution to this problem now in 2023? I have no clickable table of contents in Adobe.

Thanks,

Donna

[Donna32629163htne]

Here's how this problem of the non-clickable table of contents and non-clickable hyperlinks throughout the document was resolved:

(1) In Word, click File>Export>double click Create PDF/XPS Document

(2) The Publish dialog box appears. Press Options.

(3) Select Create bookmarks using:.  Select Headings. Press OK to close the dialog box.

(4) Press Publish.

[Timothy F.22932070ifv0]

Hi Donna,

I followed these instructions -- however when I get into the options dialogue it does not allow me to select "Headings" rather than "Word bookmarks."  Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Tim Perry