Usage and Style

Overview

This section contains usage and style guidance that is commonly referred to when creating Autodesk content. For general usage and style resources, see References.

Abbreviations

Avoid shortcuts, symbols, and abbreviations that can be spelled out. Do not use Latin abbreviations such as etc., i.e., e.g., and vs. Do not use an ampersand to stand in for the word and.

Exceptions: You may use vs. in product center comparison tables and browser titles. You may also use abbreviations in tables and charts, if space is tight (for example: avg., hrs./wk., etc., months such as Jan., Feb., and so on). Always use terminal punctuation on an abbreviation (for example, max. for maximum, rather than max).

Academic degrees

Capitalize the name of a degree when it’s treated as a title or it’s abbreviated. There are no periods when abbreviating degrees: MBA, BA, BS, PhD. Use lowercase spelling when a degree and field of study are used generically. Examples:

Note: When spelled out, note the possessive form of bachelor’s degree and master’s degree, but there is no possessive in Bachelor of Arts or Master of Science.

Acronyms

In body copy

• In general, spell out a term on the first reference and give its acronym in parentheses. Example: Virtual reality (VR) is changing how we design, create, and experience everything from factories, buildings, and cars to training, learning, and entertainment.

• If an acronym is better known than its spelled-out form, use the acronym first. Example: When RFIs (requests for information) are captured digitally, significant information is amassed and grows significantly with each new project.

• If a term is used only once on a page, do not provide the acronym unless you want readers to become familiar with it for branding or other purposes.

• Not sure which goes first, the acronym or the full spelling? The Word list displays acronyms based on how they should be used on the first reference in body copy when they differ from standard usage.

• An entry like virtual reality (VR) means spell out the term first, and then give the acronym.

In headings and banners

Use either a spelled-out term or an acronym in a heading or a banner (including the introductory copy in a web banner), but not both. Treat the first reference in the body copy as the first reference on the page.

Should I spell it out?

Consider your audience. For example, it may not be necessary to spell out API (application programming interface) in copy aimed at developers, or CG (computer graphics) for media and entertainment professionals. But if the copy is being localized, it’s better to spell it out on the first reference.

General style

When spelling out an acronym, use title case only for proper nouns. Examples: National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) and integrated development environment (IDE).

To form the plural for most acronyms, use a lowercase s and no apostrophe. Examples: URLs and RFIs.

If an acronym is possessive on the first reference, spell out the term as possessive but do not make the acronym possessive. Example: The Open Geospatial Consortium’s (OGC) specification can be downloaded at this website.

If an acronym is plural on the first reference, spell out the term as plural and make the acronym plural. Example: Nonplayer characters (NPCs) are characters controlled by the server or computer.

For acronyms that are Autodesk trademarks, always use them in their adjectival form. Do not use trademarked terms as plurals or possessives.

To find the definitions and usage of common abbreviations, acronyms, and initialisms, see www.acronymfinder.com.

Active vs. passive voice

The Autodesk voice is active. Active voice is more direct and personable than passive voice, which can sound remote and clunky. Recast sentences in active voice whenever possible.

Alt text

Alt text helps visually impaired visitors understand an image’s subject matter. It also helps images show up in image searches. Finally, alt text is necessary for compliance with WCAG 2.0 standards, which is required by law.

Any image on a page that adds value to the content should have alt text.

Make alt text informative and keyword-rich, but don’t keyword-stuff. Include a keyword from the SEO-prescribed list for at least 4–6 images on each page.

If an image is functional, such as when used as a link, the alt text should describe the link’s function.

General guidelines

Alt text for feature images

Write a sentence that describes the image or screenshot. Do not make the alt text identical to the feature description. Screen readers automatically announce an image as an image, so don’t start the alt text with Image:, picture of, or image of.

See more examples

Alt text for videos

Begin with “Video:” and briefly describe the video content.

If a video caption or feature description already communicates the video content, leave the alt text empty:

Alt text for decorative images

For illustrations, icons, and images that are strictly decorative or non-informational (such as those that separate sections of content), leave the alt text empty:

Awards

Cite awards as the award-giver does, without quotation marks, and with title case. Examples:

Browser titles

A browser title is the text that’s displayed in your browser tab. It’s also displayed as the link text on a search results page (Google, Bing, internal search, etc.). It’s similar to a paid search ad’s heading.

Browser titles are one of the most critical elements for search optimization, both for ranking and for drawing traffic. Every web page should have a unique browser title that accurately describes the page’s content, and is optimized for search.

Guidelines for writing effective browser titles

• Use the primary search keyword in the first three words. (If a page is already ranking for a particular search term, the browser title may be used to help the rank of a secondary or closely related search phrase.)
• Maximum length: 70 characters, including spaces.
• Use title case.
• Use an ampersand if you’re short on space.
• Use pipes (“|” — a vertical slash) to separate items.
• Put Autodesk at the end if the page needs to be branded.
• Lead with the target keyword: Augmented Reality | Manufacturing AR | Autodesk
• Use this default format for pages without a target keyword: Page Name | Autodesk
• In product centers, use a version year only on the following pages: Subscribe, Free trial.

Bulleted lists

Bulleted lists are the preferred list form. Use a numbered list when the items follow sequentially, like steps for help instructions.

Follow these tips for writing lists:

• Always introduce a list. Use a colon after the introductory text.
  Note: If, instead, you use a short heading to introduce a list, do not end the heading with a colon.
• Use sentence case.
• Capitalize only the first word after the bullet.
• Use parallel construction when possible.
• Use end punctuation if an item is a complete sentence.
• If all items in a list are fragments, do not use end punctuation.
• Use end punctuation for all items if you are mixing fragments and complete sentences. In other words: If one item needs a period, then all items should end with periods.
• Do not end a bulleted item with a semicolon or a comma.
• Use bold for lead-in text followed by a colon. The colon should also be bolded.
• Use no more than two levels of indentation.

Examples:

All listings display the following information:

• Object type
• X, Y, Z position relative to the current UCS
• Layer

• View your plan in List, Gannt, or Swimlane view.
• Use filters to focus on locations, trades, and scopes of work.
• Customize layouts to clarify commitments.

Support options

• Phone: Schedule a call with a specialist.
• Web: Communicate with technical support experts using email or chat.
• Remote desktop assistance: Work with a specialist who can see what’s happening on your device.

Buzzwords

Buzzwords are words or phrases that were once effective but have been rendered meaningless through long-term repetition. They can erode our brand by making copy sound generic and cliché. Buzzwords may also annoy customers and prospects who are looking for information, not marketing language. Pay special attention to the Legal alert column; these words make claims that we can’t support, and should be avoided.

Don’t use	Handle with care	Legal alert
Cutting edge	Award-winning	100%/All/None
De facto standard	Ecosystem	Accurate
Impactful	End-to-end	Best
Industrial-strength	Innovative	Best-in-class
Leverage	Intuitive	Best-of-breed
Pain point	Leading-edge	Eliminate
Painless	Learning curve	Ensure
Paradigm	Robust	Error-free
Purpose-built	Transform	Fastest
Revolutionary		Free
Solution		Guarantee
State-of-the-art		Industry-leading
Synergy/synergistic		Industry-standard
Value-added		Open source
Vertical		Perfect
		Precise
		Seamless
		Secure
		Standard
		Streamline
		Unparalleled

Calls to action (CTAs)

To write effective calls to action, follow these guidelines:

Links to media

For calls to action for various media, follow these formats. Note that we do not use articles. Examples:

• Video: Watch video
• Story: Read story
• Webcast: Watch webcast
• Podcast: Listen to podcast

Give readers the media type and length in a parenthetical note: (video: 3:20 min.) or, if less than one minute: (video: 35 sec.).

See Video times for more information.

Capitalization

We use three styles of capitalization: full capitals, sentence case, and title case.

Note: See the Word list for questions about individual words.

Full capitals

Avoid using all capital letters except for acronyms. Examples: BIM and MEP.

Sentence case

With sentence case, only the first word and all proper nouns are capitalized. In other words, capitalize the text as if it were a sentence.

In general, do not use ending punctuation, unless the text is in the form of a question. Examples:

Use sentence case for:

• Headings and subheads
• Captions
• Navigational labels and text links
• Titles of figures and tables
• Items in a list

When working in a copydeck, submit headings in sentence case, even if a page design specifies a different textual treatment.

See also Headings and subheads and Titles.

Title case

With title case, you capitalize the first word, the last word, and all major words in between. Follow these basic rules:

• Capitalize nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and subordinate conjunctions (if, because, as, that).
  Note: Be sure to capitalize is. It’s a verb. Example: Autodesk products have been used in movies such as The Mouse That Roared.

• For hyphenated words, always capitalize the first word and capitalize other words as if they stood alone. Example: He spoke at the seminar Out-of-the-Box Thinking for Successful Employees.

• Do not capitalize articles (a, the, an), prepositions of four letters or fewer (in, with, for, by), coordinate conjunctions of four letters or fewer (and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet), and to in an infinitive unless it’s the first word in the title or the first word after a colon or a dash. Examples:

See also Titles.

Use title case for:

Captions

In general, provide a caption of up to 25 words for image and video thumbnails, but follow the copydeck for your project. Captions should help users and not be something generic like “product image.” For videos, include the video playing time (video: x:xx min.). If the time is in seconds, use (video: xx sec.).

Collective nouns

Collective nouns are words that imply more than one person but are considered singular and take a singular pronoun. Common collective nouns include company, team, group, committee, firm, and class.

Command, menu, and UI names

Capitalize the names of commands, menus, and user interface elements. Examples:

Do not use these names as verbs or possessives.

Company names

When referring to another company, do not include the articles of organization (Inc., LLC, Ltd.) as part of the company name.

Use the pronoun it when referring to a company, not they or their:

Note: Autodesk uses commas with Inc.: Autodesk, Inc., is based in San Francisco, CA.

Department names

Capitalize department, division, or group names depending on how they are referenced.

• Official name: Capitalize department, division, or group names using title case when they are proper nouns.
• Colloquial name: The colloquial name by which we refer to a department may not match the official or formal name. In this case, capitalize the colloquial name as a proper noun.
• General reference: When referring to a department as a concept or general reference (not a proper noun), do not capitalize.
• CTA: Capitalize if referencing an official or colloquial name; lowercase if referencing a concept.

Examples:

Email addresses

Spell out an email address in a link: “Email John Smith at john.smith@autodesk.com,” rather than “Email John Smith.” Some browsers in some countries, particularly in government organizations, will block the user’s ability to follow an email link.

Email subject lines

Emails to customers and prospects should be consistent with the Autodesk voice. Use sentence case, with only the first word and proper nouns capitalized. Do not use the following in an email subject line:

• All caps
• Emojis

Feature names

When software capabilities are used in a generic or descriptive sense, do not capitalize them like proper nouns. Capitalize features only if they’re branded names within the software UI.

File names and extensions

The names of PDFs and other downloadable files should be lowercase, using hyphens to separate the main words (autocad-2017-brochure-en.pdf). Make sure that the PDF link name and file name follow standard PDF file naming conventions.

First and second person

Use first-person plural and the second person to speak directly to your audience and maintain a conversational tone.

First-person plural (we). Example: We don’t believe in waiting for progress, we believe in making it.

Second person (you). Example: AutoCAD includes predefined materials that you can edit using the Materials browser.

Sometimes you may need to initially use the third person to identify a specific audience (for example, to identify the main users of a new product as game designers). Afterward, switch to the second person and address the audience as you. Example: Maya LT software is built for professional indie game makers. Bring your creations to life with game development tools.

When Autodesk is the subject of a sentence, use Autodesk on the first reference, then use the first-person plural (we), instead of third-person forms such as the company, the firm, etc.

Footnotes

Use footnotes sparingly. When possible, merge footnote material into body copy so users don’t have to search for information. Also, consider linking directly to more information instead of using a footnote.

When footnotes are necessary, follow these guidelines:

Forms

Use sentence case in form field labels.

When a form is submitted, it’s always followed up with a Success/Thank You page, which confirms that the form has been sent. The Thank You page of a live form can only be viewed by filling out the form.

Free and discounted software

Do not put an asterisk after the word “free” in any heading, promo, or link text. On the final destination page of a “free” reference, add a link to the general legal disclaimer (also known as “See legal disclosures”).

See also Promos.

Headings and subheads

• In general, use sentence case. However, some panels let you use either sentence case or all caps for headings. See the HIG pattern library for content guidelines by pattern.
• Do not use ending punctuation unless there is:
  • More than one sentence in a heading (avoid multiple sentences in subheads).
  • A series of words separated by periods.
  • A question. (But think twice about writing a heading or subhead as a question. It’s not always the most straightforward choice.)

• Do not use an ampersand (&).
  Exceptions: Autodesk collections (Media & Entertainment Collection, etc.) use an ampersand.

• Avoid trademark symbols. For more guidance, see Trademarks.

• Capitalize Autodesk product names and branded terms.

• When working in a copydeck, apply bold to headings and subheads.

• Try to use primary keywords in H1 headings, since they’re heavily weighted for search.
• Do not spell out numerals. Example: 3 top trends show green-building technology on the rise.

• Capitalize the first word after a colon. Example: Generative design: Shaping the future of air travel.

• Avoid abbreviations.
• It’s okay to use acronyms such as BIM, AEC, and VR, but spell them out on the first reference in the body copy.

Headings

A heading should use plain language to communicate a specific benefit to users or highlight a customer’s accomplishments. Follow these guidelines:

Subheads

Follow these guidelines:

• Keep subheads short.

• Don’t repeat the words of the subhead in the body copy that immediately follows it.

• Avoid having just one subhead under a given heading, or stacking a head and subhead together without any text between them.
• Make sure the subhead is independent of the text beneath it. In other words, the body copy should make sense on its own.

• Do not end a subhead with a colon

Image and photo credits

If we don’t own the copyright to an image, the image must be used with the permission of the copyright holder and credited to the source. Use words specified by the copyright holder, edited to our style. Use sentence case with no ending punctuation. Examples:

Industry names

The industries served by Autodesk include:

• architecture, engineering, and construction (may be abbreviated as AEC after first reference)
• product design and manufacturing
• media and entertainment

Industry names used as part of an Autodesk collection use title case and an ampersand. If an industry name includes a list of three or more nouns, do not add a comma before the ampersand. Our collections are:

For generic references to industry names, use lowercase. If an industry name includes a list of three or more nouns, use a serial comma and spell out and. Examples:

Insensitive language

Words have power—so we should choose them wisely. There is growing awareness that many colloquial, commonly used words or phrases have their origins in racist, sexist, gendered, or ableist language, or may be culturally offensive.

For instance, using the adjective dwarfed to describe a comparative size can be considered belittling to little people; a better choice might be overshadowed or eclipsed. Similarly, the phrase going off the reservation uncomfortably references efforts to forcibly keep Native Americans on reservations; instead, you can use alternatives such as going rogue or going off-script.

Consider your words carefully when employing idiomatic speech, even in casual usage. For more guidance, we encourage you to review our entry on racially inclusive terminology as well as these references:

• Becoming aware of insensitive language (source: ACES: The Society for Editing)
• The Diversity Style Guide (source: San Francisco State Department of Journalism and the Society of Professional Journalists)
• AP Stylebook: race-related coverage (source: Associated Press Stylebook – subscription required)
• NABJ Style Guide (source: National Association of Black Journalists)
• GLAAD Media Reference Guide, 11th edition (source: GLAAD)
• Disability Language Style Guide (source: National Center on Disability and Journalism)
• Conscious Style Guide (source: Karen Yin, member of the Chicago Manual of Style Advisory Board)
• Culturally offensive phrases for Indigenous people (source: Indigenous Corporate Training, Inc.)

Legal alerts

Avoid the use of words such as accurate, ensure, guarantee, eliminate, and secure. Soften such claims with modifiers (for example, helps ensure or more accurate) or choose another word, such as reduce or minimize instead of eliminate. Avoid any claim that an Autodesk product or technology is the industry standard. For more information, see the Legal Marketing Toolkit (access required).

Links

Well-written link text helps users find what they’re looking for. Be brief, but specific. A link that says only “learn more” is not very helpful.

Follow these general guidelines:

• Use sentence case unless the link includes a proper noun, such as a product name.
• If an Autodesk product name is linked, use the short product name without Autodesk. Exceptions: Autodesk CFD and Autodesk Rendering should always begin with Autodesk.
• Avoid using Click here.

• In body copy, do not include verb phrases in link text. For example, in the sentence, Check out our article to learn more about the Maya Masters, put the link on Maya Masters. This guidance does not apply to standalone CTAs, which should be hyperlinked in their entirety. Examples: Learn more about product usage reporting, Read the white paper, Download now, View release notes.
• Skip the mechanics.

• If you’re linking to a page that requires a password, tell users by putting “(access required)” after the link. Example: Visit the Brand Hub (access required) for more information on Artifakt.

Localization considerations

English copy must be easily understood by international customers whose first language is not English. It must also be easy to localize into different languages. For these reasons, we use a style of plain English called global English.

Note: For more examples and details, see Global writing and refer to our localization guides.

• Write short sentences. It’s easier to scan and understand in English, and it’s better for localization.
• Avoid colloquial words and phrases. They may not translate and might be offensive in certain cultures.
• Avoid noun strings. They’re confusing, difficult to scan, and even more difficult to localize.
• Spell out acronyms on first use. Acronyms will not be the same in other languages, especially in non-Western alphabet languages.
• Avoid American-centric references, such as US holidays, or assuming nation and country mean the United States for everyone (as in, XYZ is the largest engineering firm in the nation).

Meta descriptions

A meta description is a general description of a web page that appears in search engine results (Google, Bing, internal search, etc.). This may be your only chance to get users to click through to a page from their search.

• Write a clear, concise sentence that describes the page and uses your primary keywords.
• Do not waste space with phrases like “This page is about.”
• Maximum length: 170 characters, including spaces.
• Use complete sentences.
• Do not use trademark symbols.
• Include Autodesk if the word is not in the browser title.

Names of people

After the first reference, refer to a person by his or her last name, not the first name. Example: Andrew Anagnost is President and CEO of Autodesk, Inc. Anagnost began his career at Autodesk in 1997 and has held a wide range of roles in marketing, new business development, product management, and product development.

See also Professional titles.

Notes and tips

Put the words note or tip in boldface and follow it with a colon. Example: Note: You must register your product within 30 days.

Noun strings

Avoid using phrases with many consecutive nouns. Stacking nouns in a long string turns all but the last noun into adjectives, creating a phrase that can be ambiguous or awkward. Noun strings are difficult to scan, and even more difficult to localize.

Inserting prepositions and articles into the phrase can help clarify the meaning:

Numerals

Note: See Numbers for more information.

In product center body copy, use figures for all numbers except the number 1, which should be spelled out.

Exception: Use the numeral 1 in 1-on-1, as in 1-on-1 web support.

Product names

See Product names and branded terms.

Program names

See Program names

Project names

Use title case for project and building names. Use figures for building addresses, as in 9 Park Avenue, but when a building’s name is its address, the number is often spelled out, as in One Thousand Lake Shore Drive or One Market. Examples:

Promotions

Promotions highlight new products, time-bound offers, or opportunities for customers to engage with us further. They’re not limited to price promotions. Promo copy appears in the promo bar pattern, which can be used on a product center’s Overview page.

For Autodesk Digital HIG guidance, see Promotions system.

Follow these guidelines:

• Make the text descriptive, clear, and compelling. Avoid clever language or puns, which are not effective for a global audience.
• Do not use trademark symbols, exclamation points, or asterisks.
• Weave in any material limitations, such as “current customers,” “up to X off,” “when you trade in a license,” etc.

Promo writing tips:

• What is the destination page? Be sure it delivers what the promo promises.
• Test your copy: Does it make sense when read on its own, out of context?

See also the Legal Marketing Guidelines (access required).

Pull quotes

Use quotation marks around pull quotes. Attribution begins with an em dash (add a space between the end quotation mark and the left side of the dash), followed by name, title, and company affiliation. Quoted text should be 20–40 words. Use title case for titles, even after a name. Example: “We knew we had a viable solution, but we had to come up with a viable way to manufacture it.” —Robert Simmons, Co-founder and CTO, ConXtech

Racially inclusive terminology

Our goal is to use racially inclusive language in our products and services. Do not use the following terms: blacklist, grandfathered, master and slave, redline, and whitelist. See the entries below for guidance on appropriate replacement terms.

In addition, please review our entry on insensitive language to learn more about problematic phrases and guidance on avoiding them.

Blacklist

Do not use blacklist to denote “block” or “prevent access.” Depending on the context of the sentence, use block (blocked, blocking), add … to a blocked list, or blocked list.

Grandfathered

Do not use grandfathered to denote “maintained.” Depending on the context of the sentence, use maintained, maintained at, or allowed to keep. In some cases, you may need to use additional words to promote readability (see brackets in the examples below).

Master and slave

Do not use master and slave or master/slave.

To denote:

• Hierarchy or dependency, use primary/secondary.
• Computing nodes, use head node/compute node.
• Controller, use driver/driven.
• Control, use main/driven or primary/replica.

Redline

Do not use redline to denote “to mark up.” Depending on the context of the sentence, use mark up (verb) or markup (noun, adjective).

Whitelist

Do not use the word, whitelist, to denote “allow access.” Depending on the context of the sentence, use allow (allowed, allowing), add … to an allowed list, or allowed list.

Spelling

Use American English spelling. See the Word list for questions about individual words.

State names

Use the two-letter postal code for the names of states, territories, and possessions of the United States. Example: Lake Bluff, IL, was incorporated in 1895.

Exception: Washington, D.C., is always abbreviated as Washington, DC.

Titles

Title of works (books, movies, videos, etc.)

Use title case and italics for the names of books, magazines, newspapers, blogs, plays, movies, videos, games, television shows, webcasts, podcasts, operas, paintings, drawings, statues, and ships. Examples:

See the Internet Movie Database for the correct names of movies.

Use title case, plain text (don’t italicize), and quotation marks for the names of stories, articles, blog posts, poems, songs, television show episodes, webcast episodes, and podcast episodes. Tip: these are subsets of a larger work. Examples:

Exception: Do not use quotation marks if the title is in a link or a heading.

Titles of presentations, white papers, and reports

Use title case. Examples:

Job roles

Do not capitalize job roles (or user roles), unless they are used as a professional title before a person’s name. Examples:

Exception: Legal content may require capitalization of job or user roles in boilerplate, terms and conditions, or contract language.

Professional titles

Use title case if the title appears before the name. Example: Autodesk Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Jeff Kowalski says …

Use lowercase and set the title off with commas if the title appears after the person’s name. Example: Jeff Kowalski, senior vice president and chief technology officer of Autodesk, says …

Exception: Use title case for titles of people in pull quotes, captions, and other attributions. Add an em dash before the person’s name. Add a space between the end quotation mark and the em dash, but close up the space between the em dash and the name. Example: “We work mostly in a 2D space, so AutoCAD LT works very well for us.” —John Doe, President, XWorks

Trademarks

See Trademarks.

Using (s) for optional plural

Do not use (s) to indicate singular or plural. The plural is generally sufficient.

Note that (s) does not localize. Some languages don’t use plurals.

Version and extension numbers

In product centers, use year designations on these pages only:

• Features and Compare Releases (in page content)
• Subscribe and Free Trial (in metadata and browser titles)

Exceptions: BIM 360, Fusion 360, and InfraWorks do not use year designations in content or metadata.

Do not use extension numbers (2018.1, 2018.2., etc.) with a product name.

Video times

Give readers the media type and length in a parenthetical note: (video: 3:20 min.) or, if less than one minute: (video: 35 sec.).

Note: Do not use a zero when a video is an even minute or is less than one minute:

Be sure to add the period after the abbreviation of minutes or seconds.