manage business document design and development

Style Guide for company documentation

Table of Contents

Introduction

Alphabetical listing

Templates

Letter template

Fax template

Memo template

Report template

Invoice template

Quote template

Order template

Landscape template

Introduction

The ValleyView Style Guide is a guide for individuals and departments preparing documentation for internal and external purposes consistent with the ValleyView corporate style.

Note: This Style Guide does not apply to ValleyView’s specialised publishing function.

Topics are listed in alphabetical order.

For more detailed guidance, refer to the Macquarie Dictionary and the Style Manual for Authors, Editors and Printers, 6th edn, 2002, John Wiley and Sons, Australia Ltd.

ALPHABETICAL LISTING

Acronyms and abbreviations

Use acronyms and abbreviations only where they will be likely to be understood by the reader. Otherwise, use the full term for the first reference, followed by the initials in brackets. Use full stops after abbreviations to indicate missing letters, for example, no. 56, but not after contractions, acronyms or initialisms, for example, Mr, dept, ISBN, TAFE.

Ampersand

Use the word and in general written material. Do not use an ampersand in the names of departments or committees.

Apostrophes

Use an apostrophe to indicate possession, for example, the General Manager’s office, the company’s mission.

An apostrophe is also used in a contraction, for example, it’s (it is), don’t (do not), they’re (they are).

An apostrophe is not used to indicate a plural.

Borders, lines and outlines

Use black lines in diagrams only (see Figure 1). For all other borders, shadows, outlines and lines, use grey (no less than 25%) as in Figure 2.

Bullets

Use the following bullets:

· first level, not indented, text indented at 0.63 cm.

· second level, indented at 1.9 cm, text indented at 2.54 cm

· third level, indented at 3.1 cm, text indented at 3.73 cm.

Capitalisation

Capitalise position titles, for example, General Manager, Administrative Officer.

Chairperson

Use the gender-neutral terms chair or chairperson, rather than the gender-specific term chairman.

Citation

Use the author–date (Harvard) system. Refer to the Style Manual.

Dash

Use a spaced en rule ( – ) for a dash.

Dates

Use the following style: date month year, for example, 29 June 2003.

Department names

Use capitals for the official names of ValleyView departments, for example, Human Resources and Finance Department.

Document production

Documentation should be produced using MS Word 95 or higher. This will ensure portability of files and consistency of operation. Documents should be based on the attached ValleyView templates based on MS Word, which incorporate the ValleyView Publishing logos.

File names

directory path	\department name\project name (for example, \accounts\budgets)
file name	\as above\document record number\8 character filename (for example, \accounts\budgets\1001\dec_2001)
extension	Do not include any extension (.doc, .dot, .xls). Allow the type of package used to determine this.

Footers

Footers are used for all documents of more than one page and must contain the logo. Page numbers are right-aligned.

Footnotes

Use footnotes in accordance with the Style Guide.

Gender

Use gender-neutral language, for example, chair rather than chairman, sales representative rather than salesman. (See also Inclusive language.) It is acceptable to use they, them or their as singular pronouns if necessary.

Headings

Follow a logical sequence and format that reflects relative importance. Use a capital for the first letter only and do not underline or use a full stop.

Hyperlinks

Use two types of hyperlinks:

· MS Word hyperlinks link to cross-referenced items within a document.

· Internet hyperlinks to link to a website. Begin with http://. Ensure that Internet hyperlinks are accurate.

Inclusive language

Use language which does not draw unnecessary attention to gender, disability or ethnicity. (See also Gender.)

Indenting

Use full block style using the Normal style. Indent text that follows Heading 2 and Heading 3 styles (see Figure 2 - Table of Style Attributes for more information).

Its and it’s

Use it’s only when you mean it is, for example, it’s arriving on Monday.

Logo

The ValleyView Publishing logo is a registered trademark. Neither the company name nor logo may be varied in any aspect, such as ratio, typeface or colour.

Measurements

See the Style Manual or the Macquarie Dictionary for correct abbreviations.

Page layout

Use A4 paper. Figure 1 shows the margin settings to use.

Figure 1: Diagram of page margins

Publications

Use italics for titles of books, journals, newspapers, films, videos and films.

Record numbers

ValleyView uses a paper-based filing system, supported generally by an electronic database filing system. Both the paper-based and electronic system use a numerical classification system based on the ISBN numbers allocated for all publications.

ValleyView uses a subject filing system for its general organisational information.

Spelling

Use Australian spelling, for example, colour, organisation, grey, coordinator, program. Refer to the Macquarie Dictionary. Check that MS Word is set to English (Australian).

Styles (See Templates)

Tables and graphics

Templates

Word styles used for ValleyView Publishing documentation are shown in Figure 2 (page 4).

These styles are available in all ValleyView templates and can be copied to other MS Word documents by selecting the Format menu, Style option and Organise button.

Figure 2: Table of Style Attributes

Style Name	Typeface	Size (pt)	Attributes	Used for:
Title 1	Arial	18	Bold, all caps, centred, 18 pt after paragraph	Cover pages, main headings
Heading 1	Arial	14	Bold, all caps, hanging indent 0.76 cm, 14 pt before and after paragraph, numbering	First level headings
Heading 2	Arial	11	Bold, 12 pt before and 6 pt after paragraph	Second level headings
Heading 3	Arial	11	Italics, 6 pt before and after paragraph	Third level headings
Footer	Arial	8	2 pt after paragraph, tab 15 cm	Footers
ParaText	Arial	11	Full block style, 9 pt after paragraph	Normal body text for most wordprocessing tasks, long bodies of text in reports, and submissions
RecordNo	Arial	8	24 pt before and 8 pt after paragraph	Records management number
Bullet1	Arial	11	Outline bulleted to three levels	Bulleted lists
Numbering1	Arial	11	Outline numbered to three levels	Numbered lists
Table Text	Arial	10	3 pt above and below paragraph	Tables
Figure	Arial	9	Bold, hanging indent 2.5 cm, 24 pt before and 18 pt after paragraph	Graphic, diagram and table captions
Diagram	Arial	8	Centred	Text boxes

Text and layout (See Indenting, Bullets, Templates, Footnotes, Page layout)

Time

Use the following styles: 11 am, 12.30 pm.

Writing style

Use a friendly, clear style. Use language that is unambiguous, inclusive and non-discriminatory.

[Records reference]

[Insert 2 empty lines]

24 August 2000

[Insert 4 empty lines]

Individual’s Name

Company’s Name

Company’s Address 1

Address Line 2

[Insert 3 empty lines]

Dear

Text in ‘Normal’ Style.

Last line of text

Yours sincerely

[leave 4 empty lines for signature]

Author’s name

Author’s title

Fax
To
Copy
From
Date
Subject
Number of pages (including cover sheet)

[Insert report title]

[Author's Name]

[Author's Title]

[Date]

Table of Contents

[Insert the automatic table of contents generated by word - here]

Introduction [Heading 1 style]

The style 'ParaText' should be used for most word processing tasks, long bodies of text in reports, submissions and so on. This style incorporates a serif typeface which is easier to read over long passages.

Second level heading [Heading 2 style]

Text under second level headings will be fully blocked. Bulleted and numbered lists will be indented as in the style guide.

Third level heading [Heading 3 Style]

Text under second level headings will be fully blocked. Bulleted and numbered lists will be indented as in the style guide.

Tax invoice

Invoice to: Attention:

Deliver to:

Invoice #	Customer code	Customer order	ABN #	Date

Product code	Product description	Quantity ordered	Quantity supplied	Unit price	Net price
			Sub Total
			GST
			Net Total

Quotation

Quote to: Attention:

Deliver to:

Quote #	Customer code	ABN #	Date

Product code	Product description	Quantity requested	Unit price	Net price
		Sub Total
		GST
		Net Total

Order form ** All prices include 10% GST

Product code	Product description	Quantity	Unit price	Net price
Delivery: (Please tick)			Sub total
· Courier $9.90 (inc. GST) for parcels under 5 kg to anywhere in Australia	Delivery cost
· Courier $16.50 (inc. GST) for parcels over 5 kg to anywhere in Australia	Net total
· Other (International or same-day service prices available on request)

Company:

Customer no: Date:

Name: Mobile:

Address:

Postcode:

Telephone: Fax:

Email:

Payment method

· Bankcard

· Mastercard

· Visa

· Amex

Cardholder’s name:

Card no:

Expiry date: Signature:

· Cheque/money order (Please post your payment with your Order Form)

· 30-day account

· My Credit Application has been approved and my order on letterhead is attached/faxed herewith.

· Please fax me a Credit Application form.

· I attach my order on my company's official purchase order form. I understand that if there is a problem with my order form, I will be contacted.

Right margin 2.54 cm

Left margin 2.54 cm

Header and Footer 1.27 cm from the edge

Top and bottom margins 2.54 cm

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