Preparing a Word Document (DOC or DOCX) for Import into SpecLink Cloud

Overview

SpecLink Cloud provides the ability to import Word DOC or DOCX files as specification sections (with or without coded fields for enhanced text conversion). Before importing DOC or DOCX files, we recommend preparing these documents for smooth importing. This article provides the following information on preparing Word DOC or DOCX files for importing:

• Essential Document Setup
• Best Practices and Tips
• Adding Coded Fields for Enhanced Text
• Using Formatting/Paragraph Marks
• Common Issues
• Format Painter Word Document Tool
• Using the Format Painter Video

Once the Word file(s) have been reviewed and prepared for import, follow the steps outlined in the Importing a Word Document Specification Section article.

Please note, the import changes from Coded Fields to Enhanced Text with v2024.3.0 change the way text is recognized in Word documents to convert. The older style of Coded Fields will still remain functional for any Word documents already prepared using those methods.

Essential Document Setup

These are the essential rules for preparing a Word Document for importing.

• The word document file size must be 1MB or less. 
• The word “Section” must be in the first non-blank line in the document.
• This word must be followed by one or more spaces followed by the Section ID number. Up to 15 characters are allowed.
• The number may be followed without space by a suffix (If no suffix is discovered the suffix will default to “USER”).
• The Section Title is expected to be the second non-blank line in the document.
• The document filename is irrelevant; it is not used to determine the number, the suffix, or the title.
• Any or all of the above information can be edited in the dialog box following file selection.

Example of first two lines of a DOCX file:

Line 1: Section 075200

Line 2: Modified Bituminous Membrane Roofing

• Paragraphs beginning with the word “Part” and one of the words “General”, “Products”, or “Execution” will import at Level 1.
   
• The phrase “End of Section” is assigned to Level 1. If there is no “End of Section” at the end of the imported text, it will be added by SpecLink Cloud.

The following topics should also be considered when importing.

• Paragraphs
• Paragraph Numbering
• Levels
• Tables
• Images
• Other Characters

Paragraphs 

Each paragraph in the original text will be pasted consecutively into a separate new paragraph in the section. A hard return or a paragraph mark is used to determine the end of a paragraph. If there are too many "end of paragraph" marks or codes, the text may be broken up into many individual paragraphs. If uncertain about where paragraphs end, turn on the function that is used to display the paragraph marks or codes and view them. 

When using line breaks in the word processing document in order to keep paragraphs from being numbered, after importing the text, use Toggle Auto Number from the Toolbar to keep those paragraphs from being numbered in SpecLink Cloud.

Paragraph Numbering 

If the imported text contains paragraph numbers made using either text characters or word processor codes, those must be deleted as SpecLink Cloud does not remove them during the import.

Levels

Paragraphs beginning with the word “Part” and one of the words “General,” “Products,” or “Execution” will import at Level 1. The text is not case-sensitive.

Other paragraph levels are determined by the amount of space between the left margin and the first printable character on the line, whether tabs, left indents, or indented by style. If spaces create the space, the paragraph may come in to SpecLink Cloud at the wrong level.

Tables

Tables can be imported into SpecLink Cloud when included in an imported Word file.

• A table should be imported as its own paragraph. Anything outside the table's borders should be separated by a hard return.
• It is recommended to import tables as level 3 paragraphs.
• A table will be imported as a level 2 paragraph if its immediate parent paragraph is at level 1 or level 2.
• It will likely be undesirable for a table to be imported as a level 2 paragraph because they often pick up template formatting that is inappropriate for a table.

After a table has been imported, the user with have access to all of the tools in Working with Tables including adding a header row and inserting columns and rows. 

Images

Images will import into SpecLink Cloud when importing a Word document. Images set into the documents Project Notes will also import into SpecLink Cloud as part of the Project Note. The import process does have guidelines for the image files as follows:

• Minimum image size: 50x50 pixels
• Maximum image size: 600x600 pixels
• Maximum image file size: 1 MB
• File image file types: JPG, PNG, GIF

If issues arise importing an image, please review this Working with Images article for more information on uploading specific images.

Other Characters 

Imported text from the Clipboard is ASCII text. Besides letters and numbers, and tabs and carriage returns, the only characters that are imported are those in the standard ASCII character set, which correspond to a standard keyboard.

Best Practices and Tips

• Ensure that the Word Document is saved as a Doc or Docx file and not a TXT file. This can be easily overlooked.
   
• Make sure the first two lines of the Word Document are set up consistently every time. They should be the Section Number followed by the Section Name. This is the first thing checked in an import, and if they are incorrect it could create further issues. 
  
  
  
  Note: Headers and Footers do not import, and are also not considered when referring to the first two lines in the Word Document.
   
• Check for any Tracked Changes marks in the Word Document. Ensure any changes have been properly accepted/rejected and Track Changes is off before saving and attempting to import.
   
• Check for any Comments in the Word Document. These will not import and could cause issues with the import. It is recommended to turn comments into Coded Project Notes to retain any needed information after import. Otherwise, all comments should be deleted before attempting to import.
   
• Check to see if Line Numbering is on, shown by a series of numbers running down the left side of the Word Document. If it is, it should be turned off in the Page Setup section of the Layout Tab before import. 
  
  
   
• If the user is still running into issues, try importing the section without any "Enhanced Text" options selected. It will make it easier to view any inconsistencies and act as a road map for any changes to be made to the Word Document itself before importing again with the desired "Enhanced Text" selections.

Adding Coded Fields for Enhanced Text

During the import process, coded fields built into Word (DOC / DOCX) documents can become enhanced text within the SpecLink Cloud section.

The image below displays an example of a document with coded fields.


 

This section of "Preparing a Word Document" details the advanced codes required to accurately create Enhanced Text during the import to SpecLink Cloud.

(Please note, the import changes from Coded Fields to Enhanced Text with v2024.3.0 change the way text is recognized in Word documents to convert. The older style of Coded Fields will still remain functional for any Word documents already prepared using those methods.)
 

The following can be imported through the use of Enhanced Text options selected in the Import Menu, as seen above:

• Choice Fields
• Global Terms
• Project Notes
• Reference Standards
• Units of Measure
• Report Tags
• Hyperlinks

Choice Fields

The table below displays the codes for importing Choice Fields within a Word Doc file. Be aware that Custom Text, Global Terms, Reference Standards, and Units of Measurement that exist within a choice field will convert to the choice field and retain the functionality of the additional style (for example, a Unit of Measurement in the middle of a text choice field will still function as a Unit of Measurement).
 

Note: There is a 250 character limit (including spaces) for each individual choice field option. 

Global Terms

Global Terms must be properly pre-coded for importing into SpecLink Cloud according to the unique associated Import Marker in the Global Terms menu in SpecLink Cloud. 

In the Word Document, locate the word or phrase that will be a Global Term in SpecLink Cloud and replace it with #Import Marker#Term Name#. 

For example, if you want the term Owner in the Word document to convert to the Global Term “Owner's Spec Term” in SpecLink Cloud, you would make this edit in Word:

• Previously: Change the text for “Owner” to #O#
• Now: Change the text for “Owner” to #O#Owner's Spec Term#

When a pre-coded Global Term in Word is also part of a multiple-choice option, both the choice and the Global Term functions will be maintained after import into SpecLink Cloud.

To learn more about Global Terms, please see this related guide article.

Project Notes

A note within a Word document intended to be a project note in SpecLink Cloud can be set up to be imported in two ways. The first is to have the Project Note be preceded by a line of at least 10 asterisks, and followed by a line of at least 10 asterisks. See the example below.

**********

Project note text.

May be multiple paragraphs.

**********

You must have a full line return, by pressing the ENTER key only, between the lines of asterisks and any following information. The notes contained within the 10 asterisk lines will be applied to whichever paragraph immediately follows it.

The second method is to utilize Styles in Microsoft Word. If the Project Notes in the Spec Section being prepared for import have consistent styles, they will import automatically without any precoding required. In order for a style to be recognized and converted to a Project Note, it must be a style name from this supported list:

• SpecNote
• CMT
• TIP
• OMN
• Engineer Notes
• NTS
• Notes to Specifier
• Note
• Any non-paragraph style (or Normal style) with paragraph beginning with the words "SPEC NOTE"

If a style is routinely used for project notes, and it is not on the list above or does not convert to Project Notes on import, then please contact RIB Customer Support to begin the process to have the style added to our import process.

Reference Standards

When importing a section to SpecLink Cloud from Word, Reference Standards are an option to be automated during the import process. There is no Word Document setup needed for Reference Standards to be recognized during the import process.
 

When importing Reference Standards, if the Word Document does not already have a Reference Standards article heading in Part 1 General, one will be automatically created to properly organize and automate the imported Reference Standards. 

When SpecLink Cloud automatically creates this article heading in Part 1, it will be placed following related headings in the following order:

1. DEFINITIONS
2. ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
3. PRICE AND PAYMENT PROCEDURES
4. RELATED REQUIREMENTS

If none of the above articles exist in the imported document, the Reference Standards article will be placed immediately following Part 1 General. 

Aspects to note about the Reference Standard Import Automation are: 

• The Reference Standards must exist in the SpecLink Cloud Reference Standards list in order to be recognized and tagged appropriately. This includes both master and user-added reference standards. The choice option in the Import Window will determine which Reference Standard will be selected if a Master and User-added version of the same standard both exist.
• The Reference Standard in the Word Document does not need to be an exact match to the Reference Standard List as ASTM E 51 or ASTM E-51, for example, will both be recognized as ASTM E51. If a Reference Standard in the Word Document is not in already in SpecLink Cloud, it will not be recognized and import as plain text.
• The Import from Word process will identify Reference Standards as long as they meet one of three conditions. 
  1. There is an article such as “1.02 REFERENCE STANDARDS” (or other similarly worded heading) followed by subparagraphs of full reference standard citations.
  2. There is full reference standard citations such as:  “A. ASTM C1036 - Standard Specification for Flattened Glass 2021.”
  3. There are Reference segments in paragraph such as:  “2. Plain Glass:  ASTM C1036 annealed float glass, clear, 6 mm thick minimum.”
• After import, all recognized reference standards will appear the same as reference standards already automated in SpecLink Cloud, including tags, hyperlinks, and citations.

Units of Measure

Units of Measure no longer require special coding for importing into SpecLink Cloud. The table below displays the formatting rules for importing Units of Measure within a DOCX or DOC file.

Note: During import, there is the option to have the Metric value auto-calculate based on the U.S. Customary value found in the Word Document, or to retain whichever value is shown in the Word Document already. 

Report Tags

Users in SpecLink Cloud can add different types of tags to paragraphs for reporting purposes. During the import process, with the correct Word document setup, these tags can be automatically added to paragraphs. 

Please review the Report Tag article prior to setting up any report tags in the word document; there is a full list of all RIB Master Tags for reference.

There are two ways to add Report Tags as part of the Import process: Express Tagging and Precoded Tagging.

Express Tagging

Express Tagging will scan the Word document on import looking for direct matches with the Report Tag list in SpecLink Cloud. Whenever a paragraph begins with text that exactly matches an Report Tag name followed by a colon, then the paragraph will have that Report Tag added to it during import.

• Example Paragraph: "Shop Drawings: Indicate pertinent dimensions, materials, anchorage, size and type." This paragraph would receive the "SD - Shop Drawings" report tag.

Only one tag can be added to a paragraph on import with Express Tagging

Precoded Tagging

In a Word document, not every paragraph that requires a tag will be able to start with "Tag Name:". When this happens, using Precoded Tagging will be useful. When using Precoded Tagging, SpecLink Cloud will scan the Word document on import looking for paragraphs that contain percentage symbols on each end of text that matches a Report Tag label in SpecLink Cloud, then that tag is added to the paragraph on import. 

• Example: The "SD - Shop Drawings" report tag will be added to a paragraph that contains %SD%.

Multiple Report tags can be inserted into a paragraph and they will all be recognized with Precoded Tagging.

It is also important to note, that when a %SD% type precoding is found and tag added, the precoded text will be removed from the paragraph. If no match is found on import, the precoded text remains in the paragraph allowing the user to resolve.

Hyperlinks

Hyperlinks in a Word document are recognized automatically as hyperlinks when imported into SpecLink Cloud.  No Enhanced Text options need to be selected to import hyperlinks, and hyperlinks cannot be selected or deselected from the Import Menu.

For hyperlinks within Projects Notes to be recognized properly, the Enhanced Text Option "Project Notes" must be selected.
 

Utilizing "Show Paragraph Marks" View for Troubleshooting

After reviewing the document before import, sometimes there are hidden characters or symbols that are causing further issues. This would be the time to utilize the "Show Paragraph Marks" view in Word to identify other potential problems in the document.

To show or hide Paragraph Marks, also referred to as Formatting Marks, locate the paragraph symbol in the Word Toolbar and click on it. The keyboard shortcut to toggle this mode is CTRL+SHIFT+8. 



One clicking on the symbol, the Document will be annotated will all the hidden non-printing characters that appear during normal use of Microsoft Word.

Please view the table below for a summary of the different formatting marks.
 

Name	Formatting Mark	Description
Paragraph Mark	¶	Follows any new paragraph in a document. Appears when hitting ENTER.
Line Break		Shows a break in the current line not creating a new paragraph. Appears when hitting SHIFT+ENTER.
Tab	➝	Appears whenever TAB is pressed. Will also automatically populate in some formatting, like numbering.
Conditional Hyphen	¬	This appears for any Hyphen that was not manually input.
Space Character	A∙B	The most common format mark, a small raised single dot whenever SPACE is used in a document.
Hard Space	Division°01	Shown as a superscript circle, a hard space is entered with CTRL+SHIFT+SPACE. Used to ensure that a phrase will not be broken by a new line, page, etc.
Cell Marker	¤	This is used to indicate end of a cell in a  table.
Hidden Text		A dotted underline indicates Hidden Non-Printing Text in a document.
Unknown Character	□ or �	A white square/rectangle or a black diamond with a '?' in it represent an unknown, missing, or unsupported character.

Once all the symbols are showing in the Word Document, they can be used as a guide to find hidden issues within the Word Document.

Hidden Text

Any instances of Hidden Text should be either deleted or formatted into a note or paragraph in the document. Any hidden text in a document will not import and also can cause errors in the import itself.

Unknown Characters

Finding any □ or � in the Word Document is a red flag. These representing unsupported or unknown characters in Word is an immediate indication that they will also be unsupported in SpecLink Cloud. These characters should be deleted. 

Cell Markers

Any tables in a document that is being prepared for import should be showing cell markers at the end of all the text within each cell. Unformatted tables will not show cell markers and can cause headaches during importing. 

Below is a good example of cell markers showing proper table formatting



Compare that to an unformatted table, while in Word it appears clean and organized.



Once the formatting marks visible, it becomes apparent that this table is composed of tabs and paragraph marks, which will cause it to be imported into SpecLink Cloud under different sequence numbers and have no table formatting to go with it.


 

Paragraph Mark vs. Line Break

• There are many instances for a SpecLink Cloud import when users want to utilizing Paragraph Marks vs. Line Breaks. While troubleshooting, switching a Paragraph Mark to a Line Break or vice versa may make all the difference.
• Each Paragraph Mark will indicate starting a new sequence number in SpecLink Cloud, where a Line Break will remain as part of the previous paragraph. Any blank lines in specification text are ignored for the import.
• Coded Project Notes are the most particular about the the difference. To be properly recognized, they need to have paragraph marks before the first line of asterisks, at the end of each set of asterisks, as well as the final line of text. Line Breaks within the note itself are acceptable.
  
  

After attempting to import Word documents to SpecLink Cloud and reviewing them, often times certain paragraphs or portions of the specification section are not appearing as expected. In that case, try importing the section without any "Enhanced Text" selected. It will make it easier to view any inconsistencies in any automation or import aspects. Use the locations of these inconsistencies as a rough indicator when returning to the Word Document to narrow down the search for potential issues within the Formatting Marks.

Common Issues

Common issues that can come up with Enhanced Text when importing with Coded Fields.

Format Painter

Format Painter is a tool built into Microsoft Word in order to copy styles to different paragraphs. This is very useful when preparing a document for import, or to troubleshoot issues with an import. Often times if the Paragraph Levels of an imported section import incorrectly, inspecting the styles of the paragraphs in Word and ensuring they are consistent is the most effective way to set up for a successful import. 

Please follow these steps to utilize the Format Painter when preparing Word documents.

1. Have the document that is being prepared for import open. Then using an exported SpecLink Cloud section or using the Format Painter Styles Document (DOCX found at the bottom of the page), locate the styles menu.
   
   
    
2. This will open the Style Menu sidebar on the left side of the document. From there, try select different paragraphs in the Word Document and the Style Menu will indicate which style is applied to that paragraph. 
   
   
    
3. In order to "paint" the styles from one document to another, select the paragraph to copy the style from, then click on the Format Painter Paintbrush Icon. 
   
   
   
   A single click will allow painting the style one time, where a double click will allow painting the selected style continuously. Confirm the Format Painter is active, by looking for the paintbrush next to the mouse.
   
   
    
4. Next, move to the document being prepared for import (this is much easier having both documents open simultaneously on the screen). The mouse cursor should still be showing the paintbrush. Simply click on the paragraph to paint and the style will be copied. The painted style will now appear in the Styles Menu list on the left.
   
   
   
   When selecting paragraphs to paint, if there are multiple in a row that will be the same level, it is possible to highlight them all to apply the new style to a group of paragraphs at once.
    
5. After selecting all of the paragraphs, move back to the sample Document and select the next style to paint and repeat the steps above. If using the double click to do continuous painting, especially useful for larger sections, either clicking the Format Painter paintbrush icon again or pressing the ESC key will deactivate the Format Painter for selecting the next style to paint.

Repeating these steps until the Word Document has uniform styles before importing will often ensure that when the section is imported into SpecLink Cloud, the level hierarchy is correct.

Watch the video below to see the Format Painter in action:

Note: The level or style of Coded Project Notes do not need to match the paragraph the note is being applied too. If having issues with notes when importing, use the format painter to set notes to one style to clear any potential underlying style issues preventing a clean import.