Formatting Issues

How to Display Word Page Numbers as Words in Farsi

Maira Mehtab Sep 21, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to format page numbers as spelled-out Farsi words (e.g., One, Two, Three) in an 80+ page document without experiencing the layout editing slowdowns caused by large nested IF fields.

Product: Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Formatting long document page numbers into spelled-out Farsi words.
Observed behavior: Using large nested IF fields to convert page numbers into Farsi words causes significant performance issues and slows down document layout editing.

Before you start

Before modifying complex field codes, save a backup of your document and verify the exact field code formatting currently applied to your headers or footers.

Solution 1Recommended

Optimize Field Codes with Switches and Macros

Use Word's built-in field switches to change formatting and replace slow nested IF fields with optimized VBA macros.

While Word includes the \* CARDTEXT switch to convert numerals to spelled-out words in English and some other languages, it often lacks built-in support for generating Farsi equivalents natively. Relying on an 80-condition nested IF field for this translation is highly inefficient and causes layout lag.

To fix performance issues, you should optimize your field codes by removing unstable formatting switches and relying on external VBA macros or add-ins (such as those by Graham Mayor) to handle the translation to Farsi text.

Reveal Document Field Codes

Press Alt + F9 on your keyboard to reveal all field codes in the document. Navigate to the header or footer where your page number is located.

Remove the MERGEFORMAT Switch

Locate the page number field (usually looking like { PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT }). Delete the \* MERGEFORMAT switch entirely, as it is known to cause unpredictable formatting issues and slow down document updates.

Apply the CHARFORMAT Switch

Replace the deleted text with the \* CHARFORMAT switch (e.g., { PAGE \* CHARFORMAT }). This switch applies the formatting of the first character of the field code to the entire result, making it much more stable.

Implement a VBA Macro Alternative

Since \* CARDTEXT may not support Farsi, remove your nested IF fields and instead use a dedicated Word macro or add-in designed for Arabic/Farsi numeral-to-text conversion. Run the macro to automatically convert the { PAGE } numeral outputs into Farsi words.

Update the Fields

Press Alt + F9 again to hide the field codes. Select your page number, or press Ctrl + A to select everything, and press F9 to update the fields.

About MERGEFORMAT: When inserting fields via the Insert Field dialog, the 'Preserve formatting during updates' option adds the MERGEFORMAT switch. It is generally recommended to uncheck this box to avoid future layout editing slowdowns.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do nested IF fields slow down my Word document?

Nested IF fields force the word processor to evaluate complex logical conditions every time the document layout changes, pagination updates, or fields refresh. In an 80+ page document, an 80-condition IF statement creates an exponential processing load, resulting in severe typing and scrolling lag.

What is the difference between MERGEFORMAT and CHARFORMAT?

MERGEFORMAT attempts to retain the previous formatting when a field updates, which can be unstable and cause performance issues. CHARFORMAT dictates that the entire field result takes on the exact font formatting of the very first character inside the field code itself, making it much more reliable and faster to process.

Does the CARDTEXT switch work for all languages?

No. The \* CARDTEXT switch converts numbers into spelled-out words (e.g., 1 becomes One), but its language support is tied to Word's built-in proofing tools. It often lacks native support for translating numbers into Farsi words, requiring users to rely on custom macros or add-ins.

Document & File Issues