Business Document Formatting Checklist: Before You Send
Business Document Formatting
A business document that looks correct to its author often looks noticeably inconsistent to the person receiving it. You have been working on the document for days — you stop seeing the font that shifted in section 4, the table of contents entry that does not match the heading, the page number that restarted after the appendix. A client, board member or procurement panel has none of that familiarity. They notice immediately. This checklist covers every formatting element a professional reader checks within the first 30 seconds of opening a business document. Run through it before you send anything important. If your document fails several of these checks, our business document formatting service will fix it from £1.95 per page — or our free document formatting audit will tell you what needs fixing first.
How to use this checklist
Work through each section in order. Structure checks come first because structural problems affect everything else — there is no point checking visual appearance if the heading Styles are wrong. Mark each item as you go. If you fail more than three checks in any section, consider submitting to our free formatting audit before sending.
These are the most important checks. Structural problems affect navigation, table of contents accuracy and the document’s ability to be edited without breaking. Check these first.
Heading Styles are applied throughout
Click in each heading and check the Styles panel shows Heading 1, Heading 2 or Heading 3 — not Normal. Headings that are visually correct but not using Styles will not appear in the TOC. See our guide to fixing heading styles in Word.
Table of contents is accurate
Right-click the TOC → Update Field → Update Entire Table. Verify every entry matches its heading exactly and page numbers are correct. A TOC with wrong page numbers or missing sections is immediately visible to any careful reader. See our guide to fixing a table of contents in Word.
Navigation Pane shows all headings
Open View → Navigation Pane. If any headings are missing from this view, they do not have a Heading Style applied and will not appear in the TOC.
Heading hierarchy is logical
Heading 2 only appears under Heading 1. Heading 3 only appears under Heading 2. No heading levels are skipped. A logical hierarchy means the document structure is sound and the TOC will display correctly.
No text boxes disguised as paragraphs
Click in what appears to be a body paragraph. If a box border appears around it, it is a text box — not a paragraph. Text boxes prevent flowing text, break editing and cause PDF export problems. This is especially common in documents converted from PDF.
2. Page Numbering
Page numbers are continuous throughout
Check the last page number — it should equal the total page count. Numbers should not restart after section breaks, appendices or landscape pages.
Page numbers appear on landscape pages
Scroll to any landscape pages — page numbers often disappear on landscape pages due to section break problems. Check the number appears in the correct position.
Cover page has no page number
The cover page should not display a page number. Check that Different First Page is enabled in the Header & Footer settings.
Page numbers in the TOC match the document
Navigate to a heading listed in the TOC and check the page number in the TOC matches where you land. If not, update the TOC via right-click → Update Field. For detailed fixes see our guide to fixing page numbering in Word.
3. Font and Spacing
Single consistent font throughout
Select all text (Ctrl+A) and check the font name field in the Home tab. If it is blank, multiple fonts are in use. This is the most visible sign of multi-contributor formatting problems. Our guide to fixing mixed Word formatting from multiple authors covers how to resolve this.
Line spacing is consistent throughout
Scroll through the document and check that line spacing looks the same in every section. Tighter or looser sections indicate pasted content with different spacing settings.
Paragraph spacing is consistent
The gap between paragraphs should be the same throughout. Unusually large gaps between some paragraphs — but not others — indicate inconsistent paragraph spacing settings from pasted content.
Heading sizes are consistent at each level
All Heading 1s should look identical. All Heading 2s should look identical. If headings at the same level look subtly different, they have direct formatting applied on top of the Style — or are using different Styles entirely.
4. Tables and Figures
All tables formatted identically
Scroll through every table in the document. Borders, cell padding, header row background and font size should be identical in every table. Inconsistent tables are an immediate sign of a multi-contributor document that has not been standardised.
No table content overflowing cell boundaries
Check that all table content is visible and within cell boundaries. Text that has been cut off, or numbers that appear as ##### symbols, need column width adjustment.
Figure and table captions are consistent
If the document uses captions (Figure 1, Table 1 etc), check they are formatted consistently throughout — same font, same position (above or below), same numbering format.
No tables split across pages incorrectly
If a table splits across a page break, check the header row repeats on the second page. Select the header row → Table Properties → Row → tick “Repeat as header row at the top of each page”.
5. Cover Page and Front Matter
Document title is correct and specific
The title on the cover page should match the document title in the TOC and in the footer. A generic title (“Report”) rather than the specific document name signals insufficient attention to detail.
Date is current
Check the date on the cover page reflects when the document is being sent — not when it was first drafted. An outdated date on the cover of a document being sent today is a simple but visible error.
Logo is correct and high resolution
Check the logo is not pixelated or stretched. A blurry or distorted logo on the cover page of a client document undermines the professional impression before the first page of content is reached.
Version number updated if applicable
For policy documents and compliance frameworks, check the version number on the cover page, in the version history table and in the footer all match and are current.
6. Final Checks Before Sending
Print preview looks correct on all pages
Go to File → Print and check every page in print preview. Margins should be correct on all pages. Nothing should be cut off at the edges. Landscape pages should display correctly.
PDF renders correctly if converting
If converting to PDF before sending, open the PDF and check it looks correct — particularly page numbers, fonts and any graphics. A Word document can look correct but produce an incorrectly rendered PDF due to font embedding issues.
Document looks the same on a different computer
If possible, send to a colleague on a different computer and check it looks the same. Font substitution and layout shifts on different machines are one of the most common document formatting problems. See our guide on why Word documents look different on every computer.
Track changes are accepted and comments removed
Go to Review → Accept All Changes and Delete All Comments before sending. Sending a document with tracked changes or comments visible to a client is a common and embarrassing oversight.
If You Have Failed Several Checks
If your document has failed more than three checks — particularly in the structure or font sections — attempting to fix each issue manually takes time and the risk of missing something is significant. A document going to a client, board or procurement panel cannot go out with known formatting problems.
Two options:
Free document formatting audit: Submit your document to our free formatting audit and we will return a detailed report of every formatting issue in the document within 24 hours at no cost. This gives you a complete picture of what needs fixing before you decide whether to fix it yourself or use the professional service.
Not sure what your document needs? Get a free audit.
Our free document formatting audit identifies every issue within 24 hours at no cost — with no obligation to proceed. Or submit directly to our business document formatting service for a fixed quote before work begins. From £1.95 per page, turnaround from 12 hours, available 24/7.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I check before sending a business document?
Check that the TOC matches headings and page numbers, page numbering is continuous, a single font is used throughout, all tables are formatted identically, heading Styles are applied correctly, margins are correct on all pages and the document renders correctly as a PDF if converting. The checklist above covers every element in order of importance.
How do I check if my Word document has formatting problems?
Click in each heading — the Styles panel should show Heading 1, 2 or 3. Select all (Ctrl+A) and check a single font appears in the font field. Update the TOC and check entries match. Check page numbers on the last page and on landscape pages. These four checks catch the most common problems. Our guide to word document formatting problems covers the full list.
Should I convert my business document to PDF before sending?
For client-facing documents yes — PDF preserves formatting regardless of the recipient’s software. For tender submissions, check whether the buying organisation specifies PDF or .docx. For documents the recipient needs to edit, send the Word file. Always open the PDF and verify it renders correctly before sending.
Can you check my document formatting before I send it?
Yes — our free document formatting audit reviews your document and returns a detailed report of every issue within 24 hours at no cost. No obligation to proceed with the full service. Contact us if you have questions before submitting.
References
Microsoft (2025). Apply styles to text in Word. Microsoft Support.
Microsoft (2025). Create a table of contents in Word. Microsoft Support.
Microsoft (2025). Add page numbers to a header or footer in Word. Microsoft Support.
Nielsen Norman Group (2024). First impressions and document scanning behaviour.
Document Formatting Services (2026). Business document formatting service — scope and pricing.
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