You can search and browse the specification content sets that are included in your subscription. The content sets contain either articles or clauses arranged within divisions, groups, sections or contracts (as appropriate for the content set and region).


Topics covered


Searching the content set

You can search by keyword or 'code'. To refine your results you can:

  • Filter by library
  • Sort by 'Relevance', 'Code' and 'Title'.


To clear your search results and return to the 'Browse content' click the 'Clear search X' icon.
Screenshot showing the 'Clear search X' icon, which will clear your search results and show the 'Browse content'.

Screenshot showing the 'Clear search X' icon, which will clear your search results and show the 'Browse content'.


Please note: If you clear a previous search term from the search field using the backspace or delete key, you will not be returned to the 'Browse content' view and the 'Clear search X' icon will no longer be displayed at the right-hand side of the Search field. In this scenario, you can type any single character into the search field to redisplay the 'Clear search X' icon.


Browse content set

Content is presented as a tree. Branches represent the contracts for preliminaries content and divisions, groups, or workgroups for work sections, depending on the content set. 


Branches can be expanded/ collapsed by clicking on the ‘triangle’ button to the left of the branch item to show additional details within the branch. Where a ‘plus’ button is displayed to the left of the branch item, that represents an item of content that can be added to your specification. 


To help with your selection we recommend clicking on branch items to review the associated guidance for authored content. You can also expand down to article and clause level to see what they include.


With the 'Browse content' you can:

  • See the whole content set as an expandable list.
  • See authored versus template content.
    The screenshot shows a template section for '03 01 23 Maintenance of stressing tendons' and an authored section for '03 01 30 Maintenance of cast-in-place concrete'. Taken from the 'USA - USMS' content set.The screenshot shows a template section for '03 01 23 Maintenance of stressing tendons' and an authored section for '03 01 30 Maintenance of cast-in-place concrete'. Taken from the 'USA - USMS' content set.

  • See the library allocation for authored content.
    • The library(s) authored content is included within is displayed beneath the branch item description, for example, 'Architecture, Civil, Landscape, Structure'.
    • You can filter by the library.
  • Clicking on item titles will show further information in the 'Guidance' panel for authored content.
  • See where you have 'Org notes'.
    • The 'Org note' icon is shown against whole sections, systems, articles and clauses.
    • Clicking the yellow org note icon will open the 'Org note' panel and display the corresponding note(s).
  • Add items to your specification using the '+' icon. 
  • See a count of how many of an item are already added to the specification. 'X in spec' is a count of the number of items in the spec.




Switching between 'Search' and 'Browse content'

Search results are displayed over the 'Browse content'. 


To clear your search results and return to the 'Browse content' view click the clear search ‘X' icon located at the right hand side of the search field.

Screenshot showing the 'Clear search X' icon, which will clear your search results and show the 'Browse content'.

Screenshot showing the 'Clear search X' icon, which will clear your search results and show the 'Browse content'.


Please note: If you clear a previous search term from the search field using the backspace or delete key, you will not be returned to the 'Browse content' view and the 'Clear search X' icon will no longer be displayed at the right-hand side of the Search field. In this scenario, you can type any single character into the search field to redisplay the 'Clear search X' icon.





Resetting your search filters using 'Clear filters'

To reset the search filters you have set click the 'Clear filters' button below the Search field. This will reset the 'Contract', 'Clause type', 'Library' and 'Show template sections' controls.


Screenshot showing the 'Clear filters' button, which will clear the filters you have set for 'Show template sections', 'Contract' and 'Libraries'.

Screenshot showing the 'Clear filters' button, which will clear the filters you have set for 'Show template sections', 'Contract', ' Clause type' and 'Libraries'.


You can scroll up and down the 'Browse content' using the up and down arrows on your keyboard.

You can expand branches using the 'Right arrow' key.

You can collapse branches using the 'Left arrow' key.

Pressing Enter or Return on highlighted sections, systems, articles and clauses will show guidance in the 'Guidance' panel.