Create and apply headings

I need a short report with a clear hierarchy for the board meeting. Apply Heading 1 to the title, Heading 2 to each section header, and Heading 3 to the subpoints. Ensure the table of contents updates to reflect these headings and return the file to me by Friday so I can circulate it.

Before I send the report to the board, make the structure obvious: collapse anything that belongs under the same heading, put key findings under a single Heading 2 titled Executive Findings, and make subsection headings scannable by starting them with the outcome. Show me any headings that are redundant or too vague.

The table of contents just included footnote text as headings and now the page numbering is off. I’m not sure whether the footnotes were assigned a heading style or the heading levels were applied inconsistently. Explain the most likely cause and give me the precise steps to fix the TOC so it only shows legitimate Heading 1–3 entries and correct page numbers.

Reports I receive have inconsistent heading levels and unclear structure, forcing me to rebuild the outline each time. Where are we losing discipline — no shared style guide, writers skipping heading levels, or copying from other documents — and what single team rule or template change will stop this and make reports instantly navigable?