Use the following guidelines when creating and publishing BSU IT Knowledge Base articles. This article intentionally uses special formatting to differentiate the article content from Style guidelines. If you have any questions about creating and publishing Knowledge Base articles, please contact the Service Management Office at smo@bridgew.edu.
Subject (Article Title)
Article Subjects (titles) should be a succinct synopsis of the article, and not contain any repetitive text ('SMO:' at the beginning of every article in the Service Management category, for example). Subjects generally should be active and declarative. Do not repeat the Subject as the first line of the article.
Defining Font Color 
- Highlight the text for which you'd like to change the color
- Click the underlined 'A' in the middle formatting row
- Select 'More Colors...'
- In the box directly above the 'Clear' button, enter the color code as shown in the image (for consistency and keeping to the BSU theme, use #990000)
- Click 'OK' to save
Tables 
To add a Table into an article, use the built-in Table feature:
- Position your cursor where you want the table to appear
- Click the Table button in the top row of the formatting area
- Define table properties
- Rows: number of rows (you can add more rows after initial table definition)
- Columns: number of initial columns (you can add more columns after initial table definition)
- Headers: If your Table has a header row and/or column, choose appropriate option
- Check desired boxes for stripes, hover effect, borders, and compact style (these choices can be changed if desired)
- Caption: to add a short summary or descriptive text immediately above the table, enter desired text in the Caption field
- Click OK to save properties and insert table
- Add text and images to table cells. The table will re-size automatically depending on content.
- Right-click within the Table to add columns and rows as needed
- Right-click within the Table to access Table Properties to adjust settings as needed
Links
Links can be made to URLs, e-mail addresses, or anchors within your article. To create a link:
- Select the text or image that will host the link
- Click the Link button in the middle row of the formatting area
- Set your link Info, Target, and Advanced options
- Link Info
- Display Text will auto-fill based on your text or image selection
- Link Type allows you to choose between URL, E-Mail, or anchor
- Protocol / URL area will vary depending on link type. Enter or paste information to configure as needed (if you paste in a fully qualified URL, the Protocol will update automatically)
- Target
- The Target tab will not appear for all Link Type selections. For URLs, the most common Target is 'New Window (_blank)' which will open the link in a new browser tab
- Advanced
- Advanced link details are generally left blank, but if you do not want an underline to appear under text links (or behind images), enter 'no-underline' in the Stylesheet Classes field.
Images
Images are a great way to enhance content, illustrate instructions, and display prompts and error messages so readers can follow along more easily.
To insert and format an image: 
- Click the Image button in the middle row of the formatting area
- For most images, you will need to upload a copy
- Click the Upload tab
- Click 'Choose File' and find / open your image
- Click 'Send it to the Server'
- Click 'OK' when image has been uploaded
- Format the image
- Alternate Text: provide brief description of image, if desired
- Width: adjust the width of the image by entering the desired number of pixels (to have the Height adjust automatically to retain scale, make sure the lock is closed)
- Border: enter the number of pixels to represent line weight for image border; leave blank for no border
- HSpace: enter the desired number of pixels to provide a buffer between the image and any text / objects to the left or right
- VSpace: enter the desired number of pixels to provide a buffer between the image and text / objects above or below
- Alignment: choose Left or Right, if desired; leave as <not set> if you want the image centered (done outside image properties)
- Define Link if needed
- If the image will link to a URL, enter and choose Target details (you can add a link later using the instructions in the Link section above)
- Define Advanced options if needed
- Set advanced options as needed; in general, these options will remain as is, unless specifing 'no-underline' in the Stylesheet Classes field so that a line does not appear behind the image when defining the image as a link
- Click OK to insert image
If you need to re-size the image, adjust other properties, or replace with a different image, right-click the image and select 'Image Properties.'
Voice
The article voice is important and sets the tone for interactions with readers. Below are some voice guidelines / tips for various article types. If you are uncertain about an article's voice, contact the SMO for assistance.
Public articles
- Avoid jargon and colloquialisms
- Speak directly to the reader in a friendly, respectful, professionally conversational tone (as though you were with the reader in person or speaking over the phone)
- Do not use words like customer, client, user
- Do not use words like student, faculty, staff, etc. unless providing sections specific to BSU constituencies
- Refer to IT, BSU IT, or Information Technology instead of 'we'
- Keep instructions as simple as possible; have someone else follow step-by-step to catch missing prompts, etc.
Internal IT articles (not restricted to individual departments)
- Common tech jargon OK, but use language appropriate for all readers (including student employees working across the division)
- Keep tone professional and courteous
Restricted departmental articles
- Use language, jargon, and colloquialisms appropriate to the technical level of the article
- Keep tone professional and courteous
Informational Article Text
For standard informational articles, use the "Informational Public Article Template" from the Templates menu in the formatting area. The formatting is as follows:
Section Header (if needed)
Style = <default>; Normal; Font = <default>; 16pt; Text Color = #990000; Bold; Align Left
Sub-Header (if needed)
Style = <default>; Normal; Font = <default>; 14pt; Text Color = #990000; Align Left
Content
Style = <default>; Normal; Font = <default>; Size = <default>; Text Color = Automatic/Black; Align Left
Images as needed; aligned appropriately for content.
- numbered
- list
- as
- needed (use "Insert/Remove Numbered List" in the bottom row of the formatting area)
- bulleted
- list
- as
- needed (use "Insert/Remove Bulleted List" in the bottom row of the formatting area)
Issue / Resolution Article Text
For issue/resolution articles, use the "Issue / Resolution Template" from the Templates menu in the formatting area. The formatting is as follows:
Issue
Style = <default>; Normal; Font = <default>; 16pt; Text Color = #990000; Bold; Align Left
issue description
Style = <default>; Normal; Font = <default>; Size = <default>; Text Color = Automatic/Black; Align Left
images as needed, aligned appropriately for content
Environment
Style = <default>; Normal; Font = <default>; 16pt; Text Color = #990000; Bold; Align Left
environment under which issue exists (platform, version, on/off campus, wired/wireless, etc.)
Style = <default>; Normal; Font = <default>; Size = <default>; Text Color = Automatic/Black; Align Left
Resolution
Style = <default>; Normal; Font = <default>; 16pt; Text Color = #990000; Bold; Align Left
how to resolve
Style = <default>; Normal; Font = <default>; Size = <default>; Text Color = Automatic/Black; Align Left
images as needed, aligned appropriately for content
- numbered
- list
- as
- needed (use "Insert/Remove Numbered List" in the bottom row of the formatting area)
- bulleted
- list
- as
- needed (use "Insert/Remove Bulleted List" in the bottom row of the formatting area)
Save Article
When done creating or editing a knowledge base article, click the 'Save and Publish' button.
If you want to save your work without finalizing it, you can 'Save as Draft' - this option is useful if the draft will need to be approved before an article is updated, or to work on a published article without replacing live content right away.
Sample Articles
In this space you will find links to well-formatted and well-voiced articles. Selections will change periodically.