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# How do I use the Outline panel to organize my book?

# How do I use the Outline panel to organize my book?
The **Outline** panel is where you manage the overall structure of your book — front matter, chapters, and back matter — without leaving the editor. You can open it from the left sidebar of the editor.

## What's in the Outline panel?
The Outline panel is split into three sections:
* **Front matter** — content that appears before your main chapters, such as a table of contents
* **Body** — your chapters
* **Back matter** — content that appears after your main chapters, such as an appendix or acknowledgements

## Front matter
Under **Front matter**, you can add elements such as a table of contents. The table of contents is set to **Auto** by default, meaning it updates automatically as you add, remove, or reorder chapters. Click the **+** next to Front matter to add other front matter elements.

## Chapters (Body)
Under **Body**, each chapter in your book is listed in order, along with its live word count. This lets you see at a glance how long each chapter is and where the weight of your manuscript sits.
To add a new chapter, click the **+** next to Body.
### Managing a chapter
Click the **⋮** icon next to any chapter to open its options:
* **Edit** — rename the chapter
* **Set status** — mark the chapter's progress as **Draft**, **Revising**, or **Done**
* **Delete** — remove the chapter
Setting a status for each chapter is a quick way to track what's left to do across your whole manuscript, especially useful if you're working with collaborators.

## Back matter
Under **Back matter**, you can add content such as an appendix or acknowledgements. Click the **+** next to Back matter, or use the prompt in the panel, to add a new back matter section.

## Why use the Outline panel?
The Outline panel gives you a full view of your book's structure in one place. You can use it to:
* Check how long each chapter is
* Track which chapters still need work
* Reorganize chapters without scrolling through the whole manuscript
* Make sure front and back matter are in place before publishing
For more on organizing front matter, parts, and back matter as part of your book's overall formatting, see: [How do I format my book for publication?](https://helpdesk.publiwrite.com/en/article/how-do-i-format-my-book-for-publication-1o986t/)

## Related articles
* [__How do I edit, comment, and collaborate in real time?__](https://helpdesk.publiwrite.com/en/article/how-do-i-edit-comment-and-collaborate-in-real-time-1xv9z8c/)
* [__How does PubliWrite's collaborative editor work?__](https://helpdesk.publiwrite.com/en/article/how-does-publiwrites-collaborative-editor-work-1fqfe2g/)
* [__What permissions do collaborators have in the editor?__](https://helpdesk.publiwrite.com/en/article/what-permissions-do-collaborators-have-in-the-editor-rz4ut3/)
* [__What should I check before submitting my book?__](https://helpdesk.publiwrite.com/en/article/what-should-i-check-before-submitting-my-book-1lmgcmq/)
* [__What are the manuscript and interior file requirements?__](https://helpdesk.publiwrite.com/en/article/what-are-the-manuscript-and-interior-file-requirements-xuyhec/)
* [__How long does the book review process take?__](https://helpdesk.publiwrite.com/en/article/how-long-does-the-book-review-process-take-1pi8k7t/)