Creating and Using Snippets

A snippet is a piece of text you can save to Arbor that you can use wherever you can add a comment to the system. They can be used to ensure comments are consistent across a department and they also save time inputting long responses. Using the merge fields can also prevent the misspelling of student names.

Snippets can be used in:

• summative assessment comment boxes
• report card subject comments

Creating a snippet

Can we manage snippet formatting in bulk?

You may find that the people who have set up snippets have applied different formatting, such as different text sizes. There isn't an area where you can view all snippets or edit them in bulk, so you may want to advise staff on your preferred formatting before any are set up.

If you'll be using snippets in report cards, you can standardise them before sending the report cards out following these instructions.

Adding snippets

To add a snippet linked to a summative assessment, go to where you would like to use it. For example, a summative assessment marksheet.

When on the marksheet, make sure you have chosen to display the comment box using the filters at the top of the page. This is the column that you can use snippets with.

To create a snippet, click on a comment box.

This will bring up the comment box. Click the 'Snippets' option.

Click the green New Snippet button.

Choose the name of the snippet, and add your text. You can also add merge fields so the comment will display the student's name.

Choose whether to link the snippet to the assessment you created it from or to the overarching subject. This means you will only be able to use the snippet in these assessments. You can also click the x to remove any links so you can use the snippet in all assessments.

Finally, choose whether to make the snippet available to all staff, or just for you. In my example, all staff who can input marks for the assessment can use the snippet.

Then click Create Snippet.

Using a snippet

To use a snippet, click where you want to add the snippet then select the Snippets option.

For example, in report cards teachers can select a student, then click the Edit/Review button.

They can then add a comment to summarise the student's attainment in the subject they teach for the report card.

To use a snippet in a summative assessment comment box, click on the box and the comment box will appear.

Select the snippet you would like to add, then click Insert Snippet. You can also edit the snippets available from here, but note that any changes to the snippet will not affect text already created with the snippet.

If you add a snippet to a field that already has a comment on it, it will add the snippet text to the previous comment rather than replacing it. You can add as many different snippets in a comment box as you like. 

Editing or deleting a snippet

You can edit or remove a snippet from the system so it can no longer be used.

I did not create the snippet

It is not possible for staff to edit another snippet someone else has created.

• If the staff member who created the snippet is still at your school, please ask them to follow the instructions below to remove or edit it.
• If the staff member is no longer at your school, you will need to set up a new snippet, and we will need to remove the old one. Please send an email to myteam@arbor-education.com outlining which snippets need to be deleted.

I created the snippet

Go to a place where snippets can be used (for example the comment box on a summative marksheet), and select Snippets.

Select the snippet, then click Delete snippet or Edit snippet. Please note that changes to the snippet will not affect text already created with the snippet.