Style-Template conflicts
Where numbering is style-based, both the style and the numbering List Template store indents, margins, and tabs. As does the paragraph the combination is applied to. It is possible for the measurements in the style to conflict with the indents in the List Template. And for both to conflict with the measurements already applied as direct formatting to the paragraph.
Direct tabs and indents applied to the paragraph will always override any others. The formatting of the List Template will always override the style. If both of the above are absent, the indents and tabs come from the style.
Whenever you define the formatting of a List Template, it always overrides the settings of the underlying style. This is a bug.
A second bug is that when you define List Template formatting, it transposes some of the measurements. The paragraph has a left margin, an indent, and a first-line indent. The List Template has no left margin, it has a position and a hanging indent. Whenever you adjust the formatting of a List Template, it will transpose its hanging indent measurement into the style's left margin setting. You need to remember to go back and correct the formatting of the style each time you adjust a List Template.
Recall that the style does not contain the List Template formatting. This means that it is quite possible to have more than one style attached to the same List Template. In amateur documents, it is quite common to have several styles with different names used for the same type of paragraph. They may all point to the same List Template. Or they may each point to different List Templates that may or may not have the same formatting.
If multiple styles point to the same List Template, this gets exciting when someone redefines one of the styles. The measurements will no longer suit one of the List Templates, and things rapidly go down hill. It gets even more perplexing if you have multiple styles pointing to different List Templates. You may redefine the List Template: only some of the paragraphs come right. You may redefine a style: again, only some of the paragraphs will follow. You need to hunt down all the styles and all the List Templates and unify them all.
The converse cannot be true: You cannot have multiple List Templates in paragraphs formatted with the same style. This is why we recommend that you always apply list numbering with a style. If you always apply the same style name, you will always apply the same List Template.