Specpoint Help for A/E Users

Using the Help Search
Using the Help Search
  • Phrase:Returns all topics that contain the exact phrase in the search criteria. Use quotation marks around the phrase.
    Ex."system administration"
  • And:Returns all topics that contain all the words in the search criteria, in any combination. Insert a plus sign between all words in the search criteria.
    Ex.system + administration
  • Or:Returns all topics with any combination of words in the search criteria. This is the default.
    Ex.system administration
For more information:Searching Online Help

Types of Best Practices

Use the available types of best practices on various content levels to drive information sharing and set standards within your firm.

Project Parameter Best Practice

Two types of best practices are available:
  • Project Parameter Best Practice
  • Global Best Practice

A project parameter best practice displays only in the tagged contents of projects that share matching project parameters, such as the project location, building type, or sustainability requirements. Use this type to share insight between similar projects and drive automation for future projects that have matching project parameters.

For example, for your projects of building type Hospitals or Healthcare, your firm has an established standard for the Cement Plastering family in your External Wall assembly. You can set the External Wall assembly and Cement Plastering family elements as best practices for the Hospitals or Healthcare building type.

In your firm's projects with matching project parameters, which are of building type Hospitals or Healthcare, the External Wall assembly and Cement Plastering family will display a project parameter best practice icon (). This icon is a checkmark inside a shield. In new projects with matching project parameters, Specpoint automatically adds both the given assembly and family.

A project parameter best practice applies only to projects that share all selected parameters. For example, a best practice applies to three parameters: City, State, and Building Type. The best practice tag will display only in projects that have the same three parameters. For projects that share only one or two matching parameters, the best practice tag will not display. In addition, an item can have multiple project parameter best practices from different projects.

The project parameters for a best practice item of this type are based on the parameters of the project where you set up the best practice.

Global Best Practice

A global best practice displays only in the tagged content of all projects in your firm and enables you to establish firm-wide solutions or standards.

For example, your design firm has a recommended product or supplier for the Expanded Metal Lath product type. You can tag a product listing card as a global best practice and this product listing card will include the global best practice icon () in all of your firm's projects. In a given new project, Specpoint automatically adds the product listing card.

As global best practices apply to all your firm's projects, you can set this type of best practice from any of your firm's projects. In addition, a global best practice for a given project content item overrides any existing project parameter best practice.