A 50-page report without a contents page is a document that doesn't respect its reader's time. Even worse: a contents page where the listings don't click through.
A proper TOC is two things at once — a printed index for paper readers, and a clickable map for the 95% who'll view it on screen.
Design the contents page
Build the TOC layout however you'd build any page. Word, Pages, or directly in the PDF editor with text boxes. Keep it to one page if you can. Section name on the left, page number on the right, dotted leader between them — that's the convention.
Don't bury sub-sections more than one level deep. Readers want to scan the contents in three seconds, not study them.
Add the TOC as page 2 or 3
If you've got a cover, the TOC normally goes on page 2 or 3. Merge the TOC into the document at the right position, then reorder pages if it landed in the wrong place.
Make sure the contents page itself isn't listed in the contents page. That's a small thing that immediately looks unprofessional.
Make every entry clickable
This is the bit most TOCs get wrong. Each entry should be a hyperlink pointing to the page it references. Open the file in the editor, select each entry, and add an internal link to the target page.
Test by clicking each entry in a real PDF reader. Make sure the link lands on the section heading, not a few lines above or below.
Pair the TOC with bookmarks
Bookmarks live in the reader's sidebar. The TOC lives inside the document. Power users use bookmarks, casual readers use the TOC. Build both.
The titles in the bookmark tree should match the TOC entries exactly. Mismatched naming makes the document feel hand-assembled in a bad way.
FAQ
Can a TOC be generated automatically from headings?
When converted from Word with proper Heading 1/2 styles, you can get a starter TOC for free. For PDFs without that history, you build it manually in the editor — five minutes for a typical report.
How many pages should a TOC be?
One, ideally. Two if you've got a long technical document. If your TOC is three pages, your readers won't read it — they'll scroll for what they need.
Should sub-sections be in the TOC?
One level of sub-section, yes. Beyond that, no — they belong in section dividers within the document, not the headline contents page.
Do clickable TOC links work in every reader?
Yes. Internal PDF links are part of the spec and work in Preview, Adobe Reader, Chrome, Edge, and every mobile reader.
A clickable contents page is a small investment with outsized impact on how usable your document feels. Build it in Flint's editor and merge it into the front of your file.