Formatting
Highly recommended: Following the guidelines for formatting is encouraged as it will improve the user experience.
Action that require further decisions Use ellipses at the end of the name of an action that requires further decisions to be made before completing the action. This can refer to the name found in a menu, button, or tooltip.
For example, “Print...” is an action, but it opens a dialog to confirm settings before the printing action takes place.
Label truncations Avoid this as much as possible by using more concise text.
If a text is too long for its space, an ellipses can be used to imply that there is additional text hidden. This text should then be revealed through a tool tip.
Common misuses
- Any old dialog: Do not add ellipses to the text to open every dialog, just to actions that require more decisions to be made with a dialog to complete. If the dialog is a “space” where many actions and decisions can be made, it does not require the ellipses. Managers, labs, and dialogs that apply styles do not need ellipses
- Lingering thoughts: Don’t end a sentence with an ellipses. It is not clear or friendly. It makes us look uncertain about what we’re saying, which does not build trust.
- Between sentences: Same as above. Using ellipses between sentences gives a sense of uncertainty and that there is information missing. Not the vibe we want our users to pick up on!
- Button label: An ellipses should never be the only content on a button. A label can include an ellipses in the case that it is an action requiring further decisions, but it should never be present without an actual text label. (Please note - this does not refer to the vertical 3-dot icon, only to using the string “...” as a label to a button.)
In cases where a noun could be plural or singular, use plural. The user will be able to interpret which one applies. Do not use “(s)” to denote that it could be plural or singular. This causes too much grammatical mixing and makes reading more work than it should be.
Do: You have other drawings open. Would you like to close them?
Don’t: You have other drawing(s) open. Would you like to close them?
For cardinal numbers (quantity), spell out numbers one through nine. For 10 and higher, use digits. For ordinal numbers (order of things), spell first, second, & third. From 4th on, use digits.
The punctuation marks rules only applies to the English language.
Ampersands Use "&" instead of "and" for button labels, titles, and short sentences. This improves text scanning and helps users read truncated text more easily. You may use "and" in longer texts such as paragraphs.
- Import & export
- Measure & scale
- The Reconfiguration Tool can be used to manage product inventories & reconfigurations of complex facilities.
- You can narrow down the available beam profile selection by setting a minimum and maximum beam depth. Profiles that fall outside the specified values will be excluded from the selection list. To view all available beam profiles again, simply click the Reset button.
Hyphens & Dashes Hyphens are used to combine two words into one idea. It is a short line with no space between the two words it is connecting. For example:
- User-centered
- Up-to-date
- One-of-a-kind
Dashes are longer than a hyphen and are used to denote a break in thought – like this – and has a space on either side. You may need these in longer paragraph text in pop-up dialogs or help text.
Quotation marks Quotation marks should only be used when quoting another source. They should not be used to denote tool names, call out other text, or otherwise suggest something about the text in quotes.
Do: One user said, “I love using CET because it saves a lot of time.” Do: To apply finishes, go to the Scheme dialog.
Don’t: To apply finishes, go to the “Scheme” dialog.
End marks In most cases, use a period to end a complete sentence. In some rare cases, you can use an exclamation point in a celebratory tone! When should you use a question mark? Only when you’re asking a question? Yes.
Do not use an end mark when writing an incomplete sentence. A complete sentence has a subject and verb, and usually an object. If you’re not sure your copy is a complete sentence or not, use online resources or AI chat tools to check - or a grammar text book!
Colons & Semi-colons Use colons at the end of texts that are leading into a list.
Semi-colons are hard to master, and are usually unnecessary in technical writing. Avoid them unless absolutely necessary, and if you are certain you are using it correctly.
Commas Use the Oxford Comma – use a comma before "and" at the end of a list of three or more items. This makes lists much clearer when the last item in a list has an "and". Do not use a comma before "&".
Do: Sara, Curtis & Audrey Do: The Utility Extensions most used by designers are Home Accessories, Symbols Library, and Plants and Flowers.
Don’t: Sara, Curtis, & Audrey Don't: The Utility Extensions most used by designers are Home Accessories, Symbols Library and Plants and Flowers.
Use bold in paragraph text when referring to other UI elements, such as tool names, settings, or text. Basically, whatever text a user might see when they are looking for something else in CET.
Do: Use the Scheme Painter to copy materials and properties from one product to another. Do: Uncheck Enable realtime lights to improve performance in the 3D view.
Use italics rarely, but you can sometimes use it to emphasize a word or phrase that is particularly essential. Do not use it to imply personal inflection or to signify tool names.
Different components have standards for what should be in title case or sentence case. To find which case to use, find the component in the design system. Follow the AP Style Guide standards for capitalization. This includes two types of cases:
Sentence case is where only the first letter and any proper nouns are capitalized. Proper nouns include:
- Names (like Audrey)
- Specific places (like Arches National Park)
- Companies, brands, and products (like Configura).
Sentence case applies to section header title, subsection title, product and tool button labels. Go to Content Layout of a Component Tab to view where they are located within the toolbox.
Title Case Capitalizes the First Letter, as Well as All Major Words but Not Any Unimportant Words. Title case applies to extension title. Go to Extension Header to view where it is located within the toolbox.
Check out the resource section in Best practices for writing for help with checking capitalization.
