How to Build a Table of Authorities

How to Build a Table of Authorities

Building the Table of Authorities (TOA)

 

Overview

The Build Table function in Benchly creates a fully formatted Table of Authorities (TOA) based on the citations identified during the Find operation. This guide explains how to build, customize, and finalize the TOA in your document.

How to Build a Table of Authorities

  1. Prepare Your Document:
    • Ensure all citations have been reviewed and confirmed using the Found Authority Panel and Confirm Citations functions.
  2. Click  Table of Authorities button:
    • On the Benchly ribbon, click the Table of Authorities button. 

    • You will then be prompted to choose a location for the TOA in the document, by putting your cursor where you want it to be built: 


  1. Customize the Table:
    • After building the TOA, you can customize its appearance and formatting in the Table of Authorities Settings tab. Options include:
      • Font and Text Size: Modify the look of the title, sections, and entries.
      • Justification and Indentation: Adjust alignment for better readability.
      • Entry Order: Choose alphabetical order or sequence as found in the document.
      • Line Breaks: Add or remove line breaks after specific elements (e.g., title, petition history).
  2. Regenerate the Table (if needed):
    • If you update citations or make formatting changes, click Table of Authorities to regenerate the TOA with the latest updates.

Key TOA Customization Options

Positioning:

  • Choose to start the TOA:
    • At the Beginning of the Document
    • At the Current Cursor Position
  • Best Practice: Ensure the cursor is in the desired location before clicking Build Table if using the cursor option.

Include or Exclude Elements:

  • Toggle options like:
    • Pin Cites: Include or omit page-specific references for streamlined readability.
    • Subgroup Statutes and Rules: Group entries by name for better organization.

Format Profiles:

  • Use a saved Format Profile for consistent TOA styling across multiple documents. Profiles can be created, applied, or updated in the Settings panel.

Best Practices

  1. Review Before Building:
    • Confirm all citations in the Found Authority Panel to avoid omissions or errors in the TOA.
  2. Build as a Placeholder:
    • Create a draft TOA as a placeholder, then fine-tune the formatting and content in the Settings panel.
  3. Save Time with Format Profiles:
    • Use a Format Profile to quickly apply your preferred TOA formatting.

Troubleshooting

  • TOA Not Appearing:
    • Ensure the cursor is positioned where the TOA should start or verify the positioning settings in the Table of Authorities Settings tab.
  • Formatting Issues:
    • Adjust settings in the Table of Authorities Settings tab and rebuild the TOA.
  • Citation Errors:
    • Resolve unconfirmed citations in the Found Authority Panel before building the TOA.