Importing a Word Document (DOCX or DOC) Specification Section

Overview

Specification section Word documents in DOCX or DOC format can be imported into SpecLink Cloud.  This article will cover the following:

• Steps to Import a Word Document (DOCX or DOC) Specification Section
• Automation Settings
• Convert to Enhanced Text
• Bulk Import Settings
• Save Settings
• Import Type
• Select Files for Import
• Notifications

With proper setup, Word documents can be imported with enhanced text utilizing coded fields from the Word Document. Please review Preparing a Word Document for Import into SpecLink Cloud before moving forward with importing.

See the video located at the bottom of the article.

Steps to Import a Word Document (DOCX or DOC) Specification Section

Follow the steps below to import a Word Document (DOCX or DOC):

1. Access the Import Sections Menu:
   From the Sections list of a SpecLink Cloud project, click the red New button, select Import From Word, then Specification Section.
   
   
   
   The Import Section menu will open.
   
   
    
2. Choose Settings:
   The Import Section menu will provide the settings to be selected for the import. Automation Settings, Convert to Enhanced Text, Bulk Import Settings, and Import Type (Express or Review) options are presented in this window. Each of these areas of the Import Section menu is described in detail below.
    
3. Upload:
   The area at the bottom of the Import Section menu allows for up to 50 Word DOC or DOCX files to be selected for importing. Expect this number to grow in time. Files can be dragged and dropped or click the area to select files for importing. See Select Files for Import below for details.
   
   
    
4. Review:
   This is an optional step that will occur when the "Review Files (Optional)" import type is selected.
   
   
   
   When the Review Files option is selected, a window will appear allowing for review of each document being imported.
   
   
    
5. Import:
   After completing the review of the documents, click Import.  (If the Express Import option is selected, the system will skip this step.)
   
   

Automation Settings

The first area of the Import Section menu is the Automation Settings.

Auto-select all paragraphs in this section will activate every paragraph in the newly imported section, as well as automatically activate the section into the project. 

Add View Tags to all paragraphs will give the user the option to apply either the Short Form view or Outline view tag to all paragraphs in the imported section.

Add Report Tags will ensure SpecLink Cloud scans for Report Tags in the document to be added to paragraphs. For more on how importing with Report Tags works, please see this related guide article. 

Convert to Enhanced Text

The Convert to Enhanced Text options allow for the coded fields of Choices, Global Terms, and Project Notes to intelligently convert into Enhanced Text in the SpecLink Cloud section. There are no coded fields for Reference Standards or Units of Measure, but by selecting these options the system will convert these items into enhanced text in the section. 

Learn more about each Convert to Enhanced Text option below:

• Choices
• Global Terms
• Project Notes
• Reference Standards
• Units of Measurement

For more information on Enhanced Text, please see the related article on Preparing a Word Document for Import into SpecLink Cloud.

Choices

When the Choices option is selected, the coded Choice Fields from imported Word document(s) will be converted to Choices in the SpecLink Cloud section(s).

Square brackets "[ ]" are used to code choice fields within Word Documents. 

In Word Document:	Appears in SpecLink Cloud:
[blue][green][orange][red]
[Red][Yellow][Green][and][___]

See more details in the Choice Fields topic of the Preparing a Word Document for Importing article. 

Global Terms

When the Global Terms option is selected, the coded Global Terms from imported Word document(s) will be converted to Global Terms in the SpecLink Cloud section(s).

Hashtags "#" are used to code global terms within Word Documents.

In Word Document:	Appears in SpecLink Cloud:

See more details in the Global Terms topic of the Preparing a Word Document for Importing article. 

Project Notes

When the Project Notes option is selected, Note specific styles and coded Project Notes from the Word document(s) will be converted to Project Notes in the SpecLink Cloud section(s).

Specific Word styles can be used to differentiate Project Notes within the Word document(s). By having the Notes as one of these styles, they will import and be converted to Project Notes in the SpecLink Cloud section(s) automatically. 

Additionally, lines of 10 asterisks "*" are used to code project notes within Word Documents.

In Word Document:	Appears in SpecLink Cloud

See more details in the Project Notes topic of the Preparing a Word Document for Importing article. 

Reference Standards

When the Reference Standards option is selected, the Reference Standards from the Word document(s) will be converted to Reference Standards in the SpecLink Cloud section(s).

There is no Word Document setup needed for Reference Standards to be recognized during the import process, however, a selection needs to be made when a master (RIB) and user reference standard have the same designation. 



See more details in the Reference Standards topic of the Preparing a Word Document for Importing article. 

Items to note about the Reference Standard Import Automation

The Reference Standards must exist in the SpecLink Cloud Reference Standards library in order to be recognized and tagged appropriately. This would include both master and user-added reference standards. If the standard does not exist in the library pre-import, it will import as plain text.

The choice option in the Import Section menu will determine which Reference Standard will be selected if a Master and User-added version both exist.

The import from Word 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. 

If no “Reference Standard” paragraph exists in the Word document, one will be added during import and the reference standards article will appear within Part 1 following standard article order placement detailed here.

Units of Measurement

When the Units of Measurement (UOM) option is selected, the Units of Measurement from the Word documents will be converted to UOMs in the SpecLink Cloud Section. There is no Word Document setup needed for Reference Standards to be recognized during the import process.

Review the Metric Conversion options of "Auto-calculate value (U.S. to Metric)" or "Use static Metric values given in the source document.
 

See more details in the Unit of Measurement topic of the Preparing a Word Document for Importing article. 

Bulk Import Settings

The Bulk Import Settings allow for following settings to be selected:

• Designate Author for all imported documents
• Capitalization for section names

Designate Author for all imported documents

Previously labeled the section "Suffix" the relabeled "Author" let's the specifier know who wrote the sections.

The Author/Suffix for all sections written by the RIB Content Team is "RIB" as shown below.

Building Manufacturers who work with the RIB Content Team to author proprietary sections have an acronym in the Author/Suffix field as shown below ("SE").

In this field, manually enter an Author that is relevant for the section. The default Author for imported sections is "USER".

Capitalization for section names

The Capitalization for section names area allows for the following options:

• Title Case: each word within the section name is capitalized.
• UPPERCASE: all word appear in upper case.
• Use existing from word document: Capitalization will mimic how the Word Document appears.

Save Settings

The Save automation, enhanced text, and bulk import settings toggle option will maintain the selected settings for future import. 



The current settings will be saved upon completion of the import. 

Import Type (Express vs Review)

The Import Section menu provides two import types:

1. Express (Preferred)
2. Review Files (Optional)

Express (Preferred)

The Express Import allows the user to go directly to the import process after choosing the files for import.

When selected, the Express import will import the file(s) and provide a status message in the lower right corner of the SpecLink Cloud Sections list. The Express import will not provide a review of the files and will automatically add a sequential number to the Author / Suffix field if the import includes sections with duplicated Section ID's and Author information. 

The image below depicts sections that have been Express imported with duplicated Section ID's / Author info.

Review Files (Optional)

Review Files allows users the opportunity to review the Section ID, Folder, Author, and Section Title and make adjustments for each document before starting the import.

When selected, the Review import will run a test on the file(s) to be imported. A secondary screen will open and alert if any changes need to be made.

For example, if a section is to be duplicated, the message below will appear allowing for changes to be made before the import processes.

Select Files for Import

Once the desired options are selected, either Drag and Drop a file into the dotted box, or click on the box itself to open up the File Explorer to locate the section(s) to select for import. 

When the import process begins, a status message will appear in the lower right corner of the SpecLink Cloud Sections list.

Notice the icons in the top right corner of the importing status:

Click the arrow pointing down to minimize, then maximize the importing window.

Click the double arrow to open the detailed status window:



When the import is complete the Batch Import Complete message will appear in the top right corner of the Sections list, even if only 1 file is imported.

Click the arrow pointing down to expand the green window and review the full list of imported documents.
 

Upon import, the new section will be placed into the correct subdivision folder and will be activated automatically if you chose to auto-select all paragraphs. If not, you'll activate the section when you are ready. In the example below Section 015526 - Traffic Control section was imported in the proper location and activated.



The folder location is selected based on the Section ID. The option to edit the folder is available to those who've subscribed to the Flexible Content premium feature set. 
Learn more here: Flexible Content - Customizable Folders.

Notifications

Upon import, notification(s) will appear in the notification area of the Quick Access Toolbar.

Unread / Mark as Read

The blue circle next to the Project name indicates that the notification status is "unread".
 

The options menu (3 dots) located at the right end of the notification provides Mark as Read and Delete options.

Mark the notification as read by clicking the options menu (3 dots) at the right end of the notification and selecting Mark as Read.

The circle will turn grey.

Delete the notification by clicking the options menu (3 dots) on the right end of the notification and selecting Delete.

Review Import Results

The import results will appear with 3 categories:

• Successful: The import has processed with no issues
• Failed: The import has failed. Expand the import results to learn more.
• Duplicate: Sections being imported had duplicate Section ID / Author information. Expand the import results to learn more.

Expand / Collapse Import Results

Details regarding the import results can be viewed by expanding the results. Click the arrow located at the right end of the notification to the left of the options menu (3 dots).

Video

Watch the video below to see the steps for importing Word Document (DOCX or DOC) Specification Sections into SpecLink Cloud.

The SECTION015526.docx document imported in the video is attached at the bottom of this article for your use.

Learn More:

For an in-depth article about Preparing a Word Document (DOC or DOCX) for Import into SpecLink Cloud, click here.