Capitalization
The application uses three different cases for content – sentence case, title case, and all-caps.
Use the following standards for usage and keep in mind a few key terms' capitalization rules.
Sentence case
Use as default content style, where a grammatically correct sentence starts with an initially capitalized word and ends with a punctuation mark. For exceptions, see Title-Case and All-Caps standards that follow.
Pay attention to common terms – some may be mistaken for proper nouns.
However, many terms use lowercase including: merchant, developer, home page, static blocks, invoice, order, and panel.
Title case
Use For ...
- Headings. See more Headings guidance.
- Button labels and links. ONLY use title case when a link are used as a call to action. See more Buttons and Links Usage guidance.
Capitalize ...
- The first letter of the first and last words.
- The second word of a compound, hyphenated word. Exception: When the first word in the hyphenation is not a prefix ... Prefix examples: anti-, pre-, post-
Examples:- No – "Best-rated Platform Software"
- Yes – "Best-Rated Platform Software"
- No – "Post-Launch Instructions"
- Yes – "Post-launch Instructions"
- All verbs.
- Capitalize even the little ones.
- Correct examples: Is, Am, Are, Was, Were, Be, Being, and Been.
- All parts of verbs. Includes prepositions, if they are part of phrasal verb ... Correct example: "Turn On"
- Tip: if you emphasize the word when reading it aloud, then capitalize it."
- Infinitives are not verbs: See infinitives guidance, jump to the ["Do Not capitalize ..."](capitalization.md#do-not-capitalize-) section.
- No – "Turning Blocks on and off"
- Yes – "Turning Blocks On and Off"
- Yes – "Setting Up a Catalog"
- Yes – "Turning On the Service"
Do not capitalize ...
- Words following prefixes. For guidance, jump to the ["Capitalize ... "](capitalization.md#capitalize-)section and find the prefixes and compound, hyphenated words guidance.
- Articles. ... Correct examples: a, an, the
- Conjunctions. ... Correct examples: and, but, for, or, nor
- Prepositions of fewer than four letters. Includes the "to" in infinitives. See example:
- No – "The Key To Customer Service In An Omnichannel World"
- Yes – "The Key to Customer Service in an Omnichannel World"
- Brand or company names that use a lowercase initial letter. ... Tip: Rephrase a heading or sentence to avoid starting with a lowercase letter. See example:
- No – "EBay, IPod, IPhone"
- Yes – "eBay, iPod, iPhone"
All caps
Use only in and acronyms and address formats. For more details, see:
Terms to remember
Use capitalization standards, as specified in the Glossary and Word Usage Bank, and focus on the following rules.
Capitalize ...
- Numbered items. Capitalize when referring to a numbered object. ... Correct examples: Slide 5, Exercise 3, Table 4.2, Figure 9
- Admin panel. Capitalize the word "Admin" in the term "Admin panel" — but panel remains lowercase.
- UI names. Use initial caps, where the Glossary and Word Usage Bank specify.
- Lists' first word, initial capped. See more "Lists" for guidance in Content Formats.
Do not capitalize ...
- Steps. Lowercase "page" or "step" when referring to pages in a document or steps in a procedure.
- Global internet terms. ... Correct examples: website, internet, online, email
