Task Topic Type

Article
09/24/2014

Contains procedural information.

Coverage

Include topics based on the following types of tasks:

Key business processes.
Complex processes.
Critical processes (for example, changes in data that can result in data loss).
Infrequent processes.
Long processes where an end-user might need a customized or printed checklist.

You typically do not need to write task topics for the following tasks:

Simple daily processes.
Self-explanatory or intuitive processes.

Elements

This type of topic includes the following elements in the following order. Bold sections are mandatory components.

Section	Description
Topic title and heading 1	The title of the topic. The title of the task. Use the form “How to: Imperative verb + a plural noun” that is styled as Heading 1, such as "How to: Set Up and Approve Documents." The title must be specific enough to be understood out of context. For example, "Sales" or "Purchase" may need to be included.
Conceptual element	A short description of the purpose of the task and why you perform it. The explanation must be context-independent.
Warning	Optional.
Prerequisites	Optional. You may insert an intertextual link here.
Subheading	A phrase using the infinitive form of the verb followed by a colon and styled as Heading 2, such as "To create customers from prospects".
Numbered steps	The imperative form of the verb in each step. Use numbering even if there are only two steps. Use a bulleted sentence is the procedure is one step.
Shortcut link	A shortcut that opens a window in the program, which is typically in the first step.
What to do next or result of the process	Optional. You can include an intertextual link here.
Note	Optional.
Tip	Optional. For example, include ways to optimize the procedure or shortcuts.
Example	Optional. Include short examples in the topic and link to longer examples in a separate example topic.
Standard hyperlink paragraph	Automatically inserted paragraph with hyperlinks to general functions Help.
Related topics	A Related Topics heading that is styled as Heading 4. Link to relevant topics.

Characteristics

The following suggestions can help you write content for task topics.

Character Styles

Style names of buttons, menu items, and objects in the program with Emphasize-Name.
Style keys on the keyboard with Emphasize-Caps. In task topics, they should also be styled as bold.
Use the Emphasize-Input style for text that the user enters in a field and for program output, such as "The XYZ field now contains 0.00".
Style options that you can select by clicking as Emphasize-Input, such as "In the Type field, enter Item."

Title

The task title should be specific and reflect as much of the user's work goal as possible.

The title should use the gerund verb form and plural nouns, such as "Assigning Business Relations to Contacts," unless:

The procedure is something you can only do once, such as "Setting up the General Ledger."
The noun is uncountable in this context, such as "Canceling and Recalculating Depreciation."

Introduction

The introduction serves the following purposes:

It gives a definition of the task. This should allow user to see whether this task topic is the one that they need. The introduction must relate the task to user goals in terms that the user can understand. Avoid technical terms.
It states the result of the task so that users can decide whether to continue.
It states prerequisites or warnings that users should know before proceeding to the steps.

Steps

The first step in the procedure must be a basic step and should include a shortcut link to the first window in the task, such as "Open the Customer window." However, if there is a prerequisite to the task, the task can start where the prerequisite left off. Ensure that there is a link to the prerequisite task topic.

The last step must be the last action that is part of the task. You do not need to say "Close the window."

Examples

You do not need to include examples in task topics. However, in some cases, a procedure can benefit from a short example. Most examples should be included in the topic, but extended examples can be in a separate topic. For examples in the task topic, the example is included after the steps and before the Related Topics header. The example is included as expandable text/drop-down text and can be activated when the user clicks the hotspot. Only users who want to see the example will have the text. For more information about writing examples in a separate topic, see Example Topic Type.