Abstract: An automatic numbering apparatus for use with a text processing system has first storage element for storing a starting position specified on a display screen of a display and the kind or type of a corresponding outline number, an outline number generator for sequentially generating, when the starting position of the specified item is specified on the display screen and a predetermined key is operated, outline numbers corresponding to the starting positions of the specified items, second storage element for storing the outline number generated by the outline number generator, the starting position thereof, and a corresponding page and text inputted by a data input device (keyboard), and an outline searching device for searching for the outline number, the corresponding position and the corresponding page of the stored contents in the second storage means, whereby the text containing the items can be printed out and a table of contents comprising a list of the items and the corresponding pages as searched by t