Merge Docs into PDF with a Table of Contents
A table of contents at the start of a merged PDF helps readers understand the document structure and navigate to the sections they care about. There are two approaches: a manually created TOC Doc placed first in the merge, or PDF bookmarks generated automatically from headings.
Creating a TOC document
Create a Google Doc listing each source document and its major sections. After a test merge, note which page each section starts on and add page numbers to the TOC Doc. Place the TOC Doc first in the merge order so it appears as the opening pages.
Using automatic bookmarks as navigation
Enable the bookmarks option in the extension. Heading-based bookmarks in the merged PDF serve the same navigation purpose as a table of contents, but they appear in the PDF viewer's outline panel rather than as a page in the document. This approach requires no additional Doc and updates automatically when document content changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better: a TOC page or PDF bookmarks?
A TOC page is visible when printing and works in environments where the bookmark panel is hidden. Bookmarks are faster for digital navigation. For important documents, include both.
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