Suzanne (and whomever else might be tuning in!) --

I just wanted to post a follow-up to this since Shauna has not weighed in
(is that something I could have specifically requested since she's an
acknowledged expert on this forum?) so I went ahead and set up some trials
from which I learned quite a bit so thought I'd share.

I was a bit boggled about the "based on" properties when setting up
variations on styles which were part of an outline-numbered scheme, but it
turned out to be quite straightforward. Using simple names just to
illustrate, I set up a 3-level scheme with associated styles: Style A, Style
B, and Style C (setting up the outline-numbering scheme within Style A which
was my level 1 style).

Then I needed to set up variations for those paragraphs (specifically, the
addition of a red paragraph border) so I set up three new styles -- Style A
Red, Style B Red, and Style C Red -- and based each on their more-basic
"sisters," (i.e. Style A Red on Style A; Style B Red on Style B; and Style C
Red on Style C). I added the border to each and made no adjustments to the
numbering schemes whatsoever.

The result was just what was hoped: I could then intertwine these paragraphs
as needed and never lost the numbering sequence. Perfect!

There was, however, a complication when I set up the numbered lists within
these outline-numbered paragraphs.

Since I wanted each of these lists to start numbering from 1 in all
instances, I tried setting up my three levels with "normal" (non-outline)
numbering, and I also tried setting them up with a single outline-numbered
scheme.

The numbering created with the outlined-numbered list was stable, however,
level 1 could not be restarted automatically as there's no "restart numbering
after level X" box to activate. So in order to get the numbering in level 1
paragraphs as I needed it, once the text was in place I had to right-click
within the level 1 numbered paragraphs and choose "restart numbering"
manually.

The numbering created with the "normal" numbering would not re-start
automatically on any level so ALL required the "restart numbering" manual
push. I also started to get some rather bizarre responses with the "restart
numbering" command within the level 1 numbered paragraphs, namely, even
though my cursor was in a level 1 paragraph when "restart numbering" was
pressed, the numbering restarted in the NEXT paragraph (a level 2 paragraph).
As if that wasn't bad enough, it also reverted the style of the next
paragraph from a variation on a numbered style to the "plain" version of the
same style!

The conclusion is that your advice to set up three outline-numbered schemes
(for the 3-level headings, for the 3-level bulleted paragraphs, and for the
3-level numbered lists) was spot on: once these were set up (including once
several sets of variations to the paragraph styles were made as well) the
numbering was flawless with the relatively minor irritation of having to
re-start the level one numbered lists manually. I've taken these styles back
and forth from my office computer to my home computer several times and
everything's still intact and functioning as hoped, so just maybe, FINALLY
I've mastered complex numbering?!

Sorry for the verbal diarrhea. Thanks again for listening and for your help
Suzanne.