How to use the documentation

IMPORTANT: This documentation has a "responsive" feature that automatically adjusts for your display type (computer monitor, tablet, or phone). If the documentation does not display the table of contents on the left side, your display device may have a small display area (like a phone or table) or your monitor may be set at a low resolution. On these devices, a table of contents icon is displayed in the upper‑left corner of page. Click on the icon to access the table of contents.

How to open the documentation

Depending on your browser’s settings, the Simplifile documentation opens in a separate browser window or in tab in your browser. Because it opens in a separate window or tab, that is separate from the Simplifile application browser tab, you can reposition the documentation on your screen in a location that makes it easy to use with the open Simplifile application. You can resize the documentation browser window and make it quite small.

  • Do one of the following:
    • From the Simplifile application
      1. Open the page in the Simplifile application for which you want to open the documentation topic.

      2. Either press F1 or go to the upper‑right corner and press the Help button (Help button).

        The documentation topic that relates to the page from which the Help button (Help button) was clicked opens in a web browser.

    • From a document link or URL

      1. Click the link or enter the URL

        The documentation opens in a web browser.

      2. Use the Contents or the Search feature to find the topic you want.

How to use the top‑level navigation menus

  1. Open the document. See How to open the documentation.
  2. At the top of the page, place your cursor over a light blue menu headings. A list of the items displays. If the item displays a >> at the end, when you place your cursor on that item, another list displays. Click the menu item you want to view.

How to change the tab’s font size

Use you browser’s features to set the tab’s font size.

QUICK TIP: With your cursor in the wanted tab in the browser, hold down the Ctrl key and roll your mouse wheel up or down to resize (zoom in or zoom out) the fonts. This only affects the tab that is open when you perform the resize. It does not resize the fonts in other tabs in the browser.

How to resize the window

Use you browser’s features to resize the window.

QUICK TIP: With your cursor in the browser window, move your mouse to an edge or corner so the arrow cursor displays, then click and hold the left mouse button and move the mouse to resize the browser window as wanted.

How to reposition the window

Use you browser’s features to reposition the window.

QUICK TIP: With your cursor in the browser window top bar, click and hold the left mouse button and move the mouse to reposition the window where you want it.

Documentation conventions

NOTEs, QUICK TIPs, IMPORTANT notes, CAUTION notes, and WARNING notes

NOTE: A note indicates neutral or positive information that emphasizes or supplements points in the main text. Users may disregard the information in a note and still complete the task. A note may also supply information that may apply only in special cases. For example, memory limitations, equipment configurations, or details that apply to specific versions of a program.

QUICK TIP: A type of note that may identify another way to do something.

IMPORTANT: A type of note that indicates the information is essential to complete the task. Users should not disregard an important note.

CAUTION: A type of note that advises the users that failure to take or avoid a specific action could result in the loss of data. Users should not disregard an caution.

WARNING: A type of note that advises the user that failure to take or avoid a specific action could result in physical harm to the user or hardware. Users should not disregard a warning.

Bold

Commands; new terms; terms to be emphasized; names of interface elements; names of forms, tables, and column headings; and browse paths are displayed in Bold font.

Example of a new term or term to be emphasized: A cache is a copy that is stored locally.

Example of an interface element: The Username field is empty.

Example of a column heading: The information is in the Date column.

Example of a browse path: click Start > Control Panel.

Italics

Book titles, placeholders, and variables which are to be replaced with a real name or value are displayed in italic font

Example of a document or book title: Read Chapter 6 in the Simplifile User's Guide.

Example of a variable text string entered into a form: In the Date field, enter the current date.

Example of a variable: https://server_name.domain_name.com:8443

Links and Cross‑references

Links to online content and cross‑references within the document are usually blue with an underline. The link color may changes when the link has been accessed.

Example of a link: See https://simplifle.com for additional information.

Example of a cross reference: See the Navigate the Simplifile application topic.

Monospace

Text strings you enter into fields are displayed in monospace font. On screen computer output is displayed in monospace font.

Example of an exact text string entered into a form: In the Date field, enter 12/15/2020.

Example of a text messages generated by the program: The computer displays, "Item not found."

Code sample

Code sample text is a monospace font with a shaded background.

<cid:createCIDefinitionFromQuery>

<cid:in0>?</cid:in0>

<cid:in1>?</cid:in1>

<cid:in2>?</cid:in2>

<cid:in3>?</cid:in3>

</cid:createCIDefinitionFromQuery>

Typographic conventions

The following table documents the typographical conventions used in Simplifile documentation online help, books, and release notes.

Convention Description Example
Italics Indicate the title of a document See the Simplifile Submission Guide.
Identifies words or phrases to be emphasized.  File names are not case sensitive.
Identifies variables which are to be replaced with a real name or value. ListElement

https://server_name.domain_name.com:8443
Bold Identifies names of interface elements including window and panel names, commands, and buttons. In the Models window.

Click Next.

The command to remove a file is rm.
Identifies names of forms, tables, column headings, and fields. The information is in the Date column.

The Username field is empty.
Identified new term or terms to be emphasized. A cache is a copy that is stored locally.
Identifies browse paths. Click Start > Control Panel.
Monospace (or Fixed width font) Identifies messages returned from the system. The system responds “Input required”
Used for sample programs, sample code, XML documents, and XML schemas. <xsd:element name="UpdateOperatorProfile">
ALL CAPS Identifies key names. Press BACKSPACE.
Key names with the plus sign (+) between them Identifies simultaneous key sequences which require the keys to be pressed at the same time. Press CTRL+W.
Key names with a comma (,) between them Identifies sequential key sequences which require that the keys be pressed one at a time in order. Press ALT, F, W.
A right angle bracket (>) between the interface elements such as menu items, commands, and URLs Identifies the browse path (how to click through Menu options and commands or URLs). Click File > Work List.
The use of square brackets ([]) Enclose optional arguments in syntax statements. [C++]

Understanding the types of documentation topics

IMPORTANT:  

We are in the process of creating context‑sensitive documentation for the Simplifile application and each of its services. When a service [such as eRecording (Submit)] has implemented the context‑sensitive documentation feature, you will be able to press the F1 key or click a Help icon in the upper‑right corner of the page to open a browser window that contains information specific to the page help was requested.

You may still access the Simplifile user guides in PDF format from the Help & Support page.

NOTE: As you go through this documentation, you may see text and images that differ from the text and images you see when you prepare and submit documents and packages. This is because each county has its own document terminology and acceptance criteria. However, the basic steps should be the same.

This document includes the following types of topics:

  • Navigation / Grouping topics: These topics provide structure for the document (book) and are usually the top level represented in the table of contents. They help you navigate the information. They often don't include a lot of information, but provide a brief overview paragraph and navigational help by listing their subordinate topics.
  • Conceptual/Informational: These topics contain information often relevant to multiple Simplifile application pages. These conceptual and informational topics can be opened from the table of contents, from links within other related topics, and from the documentation search results.
  • Multi‑task topics: These topics document complex tasks that required the user to go to multiple Simplifile application page task to complete the task. Generally, these topics provide the sequence of the tasks that must be performed and have a link to each discreet task in the applicable page's topic for the task details. These multi‑task topics can be opened from the table of contents, from links within other related topics, and from the documentation search results.

    NOTE: Mufti‑task topics are not opened directly from the Simplifile application pages because multi‑task topics uses more than one Simplifile application page.

  • Context‑sensitive topics: When a page in the Simplifile application has implemented the context‑sensitive feature, a Help button is located in near the top‑right corner of the page. When that Help button is clicked, another browser window opens that contains information specific to the page from which the Help button was clicked. Not all topics in this document are associated directly to a Simplifile application page. These context‑sensitive topics can also be opened from the table of contents, from links within other related topics, and from the documentation search results.

    NOTE: Some Simplifile application page‑specific context‑sensitive topics are not linked to the Simplifile application page. The topics must be created before the Simplifile application pages can be linked to the topic. There may be a lag between when a topic is created and when the Help button in the Simplifile application page is added.

The topics often include:

  • An Overview section include text explanations and screen shots that give examples of what you might see as you use the Simplifile application. Text boxes around the screen shots describe areas that hold useful information or point to places where you perform actions.
  • A Tasks section that documents the tasks that can be done from the associated Simplifile page.

    You can go right to the task sections and follow the steps to complete a task. However, the overview sections give information that may make it easier to understand why you are doing the task.

One‑time or infrequent tasks (such as administration setup tasks) are near the back. This way, they are out of the way so you can find the daily tasks more easily.

How to search the documentation

   See Search the documentation.

How to use the breadcrumbs

The breadcrumb is the first line in the topic and is constructed from the “nested” topics in the Contents in the navigation bar. The breadcrumb tells you where the topic is located in the document structure (in the Contents). When the topic is not a top‑level topic in the Contents, the other topic or topics in the breadcrumb in which the topic is located are displayed as links.

If you are in a topic that is under another topic that is under yet another topic that is under yet another topic (like the Manage Payment Accounts page topic under the Payments topic under the Submitter component topic, the bread crumb contains links to the “parent” (topic) and the “grandparent” (COMPONENT: Submitter eRecording topic). The last topic in the bread crumb is where you are at (in our example, the Manage Payment Accounts page topic) is not a link because you wouldn’t go anywhere if it were a link. If you are in a top level topic in the Contents, the breadcrumb is not linked because you are already in the topic.

How to use the arrow buttons

Use the Go to previous heading (Previous heading button) and Go to next heading (Next heading button) buttons above the content panel to move your focus to the previous or next heading (not topic) in the document.

The heading (either previous or next) will be displayed at the top of the right panel.

Button Button Name Function
Previous heading button Go to previous heading Move to the previous heading in the document. This will move to the previous heading at any level in the current topic. If there are not more headings in the current document, it will move to the last heading in the topic that precede the topic in the Contents.
Next heading button Go to next heading Move to the next heading in the document. This will move to the next heading at any level in the current topic. If there are not more headings in the current document, it will move to the first heading in the topic that follows the topic in the Contents.

QUICK TIP: If you linked to the topic from another topic and want to return to original topic, click your browser’s Back button.

How to print a topic

It is easy to print a topic in the Simplifile documentation. The document is segmented into many small topics. Each topic may be printed separately.

  1. Open the document. See How to open the documentation.
  2. In the document toolbar, click the Print (Print button) button.
  3. Use your browser print feature to print the topic.