---
title: "Writing and formatting text | Trelice User Guide"
description: "Making text bold, adding lists and headings, and inserting abbreviations."
canonical_url: "https://www.trelice.com/docs/writing-and-formatting-text"
---

# Writing and formatting text

Some parts of a [protocol](/docs/glossary) are ordinary prose: the **References** and **Appendices** sections, and the **Additional Notes (optional)** panel at the bottom of every form section. These use Trelice's text editor, which works much like a very simple word processor. This guide covers its toolbar, and how to insert abbreviations so they are expanded correctly in the finished document.

If the section you opened looks like a form with labeled boxes rather than a blank page, see [Filling in structured sections](/docs/structured-sections) instead.

## The toolbar

The toolbar sits in a gray strip across the top of the text area. Its buttons are plain labels, not pictures. From left to right:

- **B**: makes the selected text **bold**. Select the words first, then click.
- **I**: makes the selected text *italic*.
- **U**: underlines the selected text.
- **H1**: turns the current line into a large heading.
- **H2**: turns the current line into a smaller heading.
- **• List**: starts a bulleted list, or turns the selected lines into one.
- **1. List**: starts a numbered list.
- **Abbr.**: inserts an abbreviation (explained below).
- **Undo**: takes back your last change. You can click it several times.
- **Redo**: restores what you just undid.

A button is highlighted while its formatting is active. To switch formatting off, for example to stop a list, click the same button again.

**What you'll see:** at the bottom left of the editor, a live word count such as "312 words" updates as you type. Your work saves automatically, see [saving in the editor overview](/docs/protocol-editor-overview).

> **Note:** the toolbar only appears while the section is editable. If the section is in review or approved, the toolbar is hidden and a gray bar explains why.

## Inserting an abbreviation

Protocols are full of abbreviations, AE, CBC, ECG. Regulators expect each one to be spelled out at its first mention and listed in the **Abbreviations and Definitions** section. Trelice does both for you, but only for abbreviations you *insert*, not ones you simply type.

1. Place your cursor where the abbreviation should go.
2. Click **Abbr.** in the toolbar.
3. A panel opens with a search box that says "Find or create an abbreviation...". Type a few letters.
4. Matches appear in up to three groups: **In this protocol** (already used here), **Organization library** (your organization's shared list, see [Abbreviations, redaction, and budget pricing](/docs/library-and-settings)), and **Standard (ICH/GCP)** (the built-in industry set).
5. Click the one you want. It is inserted at your cursor and attached to this protocol.

**What you'll see:** the inserted abbreviation appears as a small tinted chip in your text, slightly shaded, so you can tell it apart from ordinary typing. In the exported PDF or Word document it prints as normal text; the very first mention in the document is expanded automatically, for example "adverse event (AE)".

### Creating a new abbreviation

If nothing matches what you typed:

1. Click **Create "…"...** at the bottom of the list.
2. Type the definition, the panel prompts "Define" followed by your abbreviation, with an example such as "e.g. adverse event".
3. Leave the box "Also add to the organization library" ticked if colleagues should be able to reuse it in other protocols.
4. Click **Add and insert**.

> **Troubleshooting:** if the panel says "An abbreviation cannot contain spaces or braces.", shorten what you typed to a single unbroken term, such as "PK/PD".

### Abbreviations in form fields

Ordinary text boxes in form sections offer the same feature. Rest your mouse near a text box and click the small letter icon beside it (its tooltip says **Insert an abbreviation**). A marker is placed in the box, and a gray line underneath shows "Renders as:" followed by how it will read in the document.

## Keeping the abbreviation list honest

The **Abbreviations and Definitions** section of the protocol is not typed by hand. Open it and you will see two panels:

- **In the document**: abbreviations actually used in the protocol. These print in the exported list, and the note explains: "The first mention of each in the document is expanded automatically."
- **Defined but not used**: an amber panel listing abbreviations attached to the protocol but not mentioned anywhere. These will *not* appear in the exported list. Remove each one with the trash icon, or go and use it in a section.

You can change a definition with the pencil icon. If your organization's library has since updated a definition, an amber note reads "The organization library has a newer definition." with a **Use it** link to adopt it, every occurrence in the protocol updates at once.

> **Note:** typing an abbreviation as plain text, just pressing the letters A and E, does not link it. The document will not expand it, and it will not appear in the exported list. When in doubt, insert it with **Abbr.** or the letter icon.