add page numbers starting from specific number

A document split into multiple files, like separate chapters of a report or sections of a larger submission, often needs each part to continue the page count from where the previous part left off. Starting every section over at page 1 would make combined page references meaningless once the pieces are put back together or referenced as one whole.

Setting a custom start number solves this directly: if your previous section ended on page 24, set this document's starting number to 25, and the numbering will continue seamlessly as if it were one continuous document, even though it's technically a separate file.

This is also useful for a document with an unnumbered cover page or table of contents before the numbered content begins. Rather than numbering everything starting at 1 (which would put a '1' on your cover page), you can number just the content pages you want counted, starting from wherever makes sense for your document's actual structure.

Before finalizing, double-check your intended starting number against the actual previous section's last page number, since a small miscalculation here creates a numbering gap or overlap that's often only noticed after the document has already been shared or combined with the rest.