I'm sure it doesn't apply to MR peeps, but not many know how to use the outline view, or even that it exists. I think what you're describing is the document map which appears on the left of the window when you press the relevant icon.
NB, my version of Word is 2002; the way to get to items may have changed. Found this vid for the silly ribbon versions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjrVR...eature=related
Outline view is a way of outlining from scratch. In Word, there are four views (found as tiny icons at the bottom left): normal; web; print; outline. Click on the outline icon and it opens a blank screen with the outlining toolbar. At the top right of the document is a "hollow hyphen" and blinking cursor. This is level one.
Type "Fruit". Hit enter.
Type "Books" Hit enter.
Type "Vegetables". Hit enter.
Return to the "t" at the end of fruit. Place cursor after it. Hit enter. Then hit tab and write "oranges" (without quotes); hit enter and it'll take you to the same level as oranges. Type the name of another fruit. Hit enter. Then type "Apples" this time hit enter and tab. Make a list of different types of apple, one under the next: brambley (enter) Coxes (enter) etc.
When you've jotted down a few apple varieties, one under the other, hit enter, then click the arrow in the toolbar which points left. This takes you back to the general fruit level. Type "Bananas".
By this time, you're fed up with fruit and want to make a list of some books to look out during your trip to the shops.
Place your cursor after the "s" of "Books" hit enter and tab. Write down a few titles. Perhaps you want to move "Books" above or below fruit and veg. You can either drag and drop (tricky) or put your cursor in "Books" and click the up or down arrow until "Books" is where you prefer. Note it takes all the subdocuments with it.
That's basically how to use Word's outline feature. For chapters and scenes of a book, it's great. You just throw down a few ideas, then organise them, or delete them, being aware that you'll also be moving the subdocuments (avoid this by moving the subdocs to the left with the little arrow, then they're no longer subdocs).
I'm probably teaching my grandmother to suck eggs, but I read so many reviews of software in which it's evident that the person doesn't understand Word.