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Basic terminology

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5 min readUpdated

The application uses distinct terms for project settings, document records, queues, threads, and replies.

What these terms mean

The three application surfaces are Project, Document, and Desk. A Project surface contains the identity, repository, and documentation-generation settings for a project. A Document record is the reader-facing page for a document's content, metadata, and available viewer actions. Desk is the workspace for sorting support threads into queues, opening a thread, and composing a reply or internal note.

If you need to…Go to
Understand project identity, repository, and documentation-generation settingsUnderstand project terms
Read or act on a document recordUnderstand document terms
Work with queues, threads, and repliesUnderstand Desk terms
Move between the application's main destinationsNavigation basics
Understand the project workspaceProjects overview
Manage project settingsManage project settings
Organize and open documentsDocuments overview
Create or edit a documentCreate and edit a document
Understand the Desk surfaceDesk overview
Work from DeskWork from Desk
Review Desk states and actionsDesk states and actions

Before you look up a term

Use the surface name as your first clue when you look up a term. Identify whether your work concerns project settings, a document record, or a support thread before choosing a terminology group.

Find the relevant surface

Use this procedure when you know the work you need to do but are unsure which terminology group applies.

Prerequisites

  • Know whether you are working with project settings, a document record, or a support thread.

Steps

  1. Choose the matching destination from the table below.

    If you are working with…Continue to…
    Project identity, repository, or documentation-generation settingsUnderstand project terms
    A document's content or viewer actionsUnderstand document terms
    Queues, threads, replies, or Desk statusesUnderstand Desk terms
  2. Open the matching destination from the application's navigation.

    If you chose…Open…
    Project or DocumentThe record from its application destination
    Deskthe Desk workspace

Result: You are using the terminology group for the surface you need to understand.

Understand project terms

The Project Name, Description, and Slug identify the project. Repository URL and Default Branch identify the source location and branch used for documentation work.

LabelWhat it identifies
Project NameThe project's displayed name
DescriptionThe project's descriptive text
SlugThe URL-friendly identifier for the project
Repository URLThe project repository
Default BranchThe branch used for documentation generation
Let documentation create records in this applicationWhether documentation may create records in the application

The Manual Style choice has four options:

If you want the documentation style named…Select
EnterpriseEnterprise
Mid-marketMid-market
CorporateCorporate
SaaSSaaS

Project settings appear when the Settings tab is active. The project surface can also show the following status messages:

SituationMessage
The project is loadingLoading project…
The project cannot be loadedProject failed to load.
The project record is absentProject not found
The latest project change is savedSaved
A project change is being savedSaving…
Changes are waiting to be savedUnsaved changes

Understand document terms

The Document record page presents the document viewer rather than input fields. Use the document editing page when you need to change the document.

ActionWhat it does
Copy linkCopies the current document URL
PrintOpens the browser print flow
EditOpens the document editing route

When the document contains headings, the viewer includes a table of contents. The viewer can show these loading and error messages:

SituationMessage
The document is loadingLoading document…
The document cannot be loadedDocument failed to load.
The document record is absentDocument not found

Continue with Documents overview to learn how documents are organized, or use Create and edit a document when your task is to change a document.

Understand Desk terms

The queue labels are Needs first response, Needs next response, Investigating, Waiting for customer, Paused for later, and Done today. The view labels are Triage, Your threads, and Unassigned.

If you need to…Use
Find threads waiting for an initial replyNeeds first response
Find threads waiting for another replyNeeds next response
Review active investigation workInvestigating
Review threads waiting for the customerWaiting for customer
Review threads paused for laterPaused for later
Review threads completed todayDone today
Review the triage viewTriage
Review your threadsYour threads
Review threads without an assigneeUnassigned

Within a thread, Draft with AI creates a draft from a knowledge-gap card. The composer uses Internal note for team-only notes, Attach for attachments, Preview for a customer-view preview, Send for a reply, and Send & done for a reply that also completes the thread.

SituationWhat appears
A knowledge gap is available in the applicable queueDraft with AI
The composer is in team-only modeInternal note
Attachments are unavailableAttach is disabled
A reply has text to previewPreview
A reply is ready to sendSend and Send & done
The selected queue has no threads or knowledge gapsNothing here and This queue is clear.
A queue has no threads but new work can arriveNew threads land in Triage and Needs first response.
No thread is openNo thread open
The open thread has no reporter email outside internal-note modeNo email on file — the customer can only see this on their tracking page.

The knowledge-gap cards appear in Triage or Needs first response when gap data exists. The no-email warning appears when the open thread has no reporter email and the composer is not in internal-note mode.

Continue with Desk overview for the Desk surface, Work from Desk for the working procedure, or Desk states and actions for status transitions.

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