Then set up your multilevel numbering definition: Instead of Heading 1, you could use another custom style that you create. Most importantly, in the Style definition dialog, click the Format button then choose Font, then check the Hidden check box.
From the style gallery on the Home ribbon, right-click and modify the Heading 1 style.
At the beginning of a new section, enter some dummy text or even just leave the line blank and apply the Heading1 style.Click the Show/hide hidden fomatting icon (Home ribbon, looks like a backward P) to SHOW hidden formatting.Click the Format button (in the bottom left corner) and choose Font.Right-click the Heading1 style in the styles gallery and choose Modify.The trick is to modify the Heading1 style to make the text hidden. You still need to keep the conventional structure of 1 (level 1, Heading1 style) and 1.1 (level 2, Heading2 style) so that 1.1 progresses to 2.1, 3.1, 4.1 etc. Yes, it’s certainly do-able and it’s a question that’s come up before in various forms.