Word -  Dot, Hyphen and Underscore Leaders

If you want to set dot leaders as shown below you will need to enter the options in the paragraph dialog box.  You can't see dot leaders on the ruler.

    Excel programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
    Java programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

   Python programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  65

You can access the paragraph dialog box from the Ribbon's Home tab by clicking on the dialog box launcher at the bottom right of the paragraph group or you can right click on the document then select Paragraph from the context menu.
Click on the Tabs button at the bottom of the Paragraph dialog box.  

Word - paragraph dialog box

The tab dialog box has options for setting the type of Alignment such as left justified, centered, etc. It also has options for 3 different types of leaders. You can easily create dotted, hypenated or underlined leaders

Word - Tab dialog box

Use the following steps to create the leaders.

  1. To create leaders like those illustrated above leave the left tab selected .
  2. Enter the location of where you want the tab to appear in the Tab Stop position.
  3. Click the Set button.
  4. Select the Right tab.
  5. Type over the number in the Tab stop position by entering where you want the Right tab to appear.
  6. Click the Set button.
  7. In the Leader area click on 2, 3, or 4 depending upon the type of leader you want to use.
  8. Click on the Set button.
  9. Click on the OK button.
If you make a mistake you can clear a tab stop by clicking the clear button.

You are now ready to start entering your text.  If your left tab isn't at the leftmost position in your document you will need to tab to it and then type "Excel programming". Press the tab key.  Your leaders should appear.  Now type 1.  The result is:

     Excel programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

If you would have selected the third option for leaders (hypens) it would appear as follows:

     Excel programming ------------------------------------------- 1

If you would have selected the fourth option for leaders (Underline) it would appear as follows:

     Excel programming _____________________________ 1