Use of 'populate'

[Al Geist]

-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+al.geist=geistassociates.com at lists.techwr-l.com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+al.geist=geistassociates.com at lists.techwr-l.com] On
Michelle Vina-Baltsas wrote:
 
"How do you all feel about using the word 'populate' in technical 
documents? For example, 

1) Click the Actions button, then select Modify from the menu.
2) Populate the Approval Date:.
3) Populate the CR Number:. "


Populate is usually an automated action. If, for example, the "Approval
Date:" is automatically filled in when you click Modify, then you would say
something like "Clicking Modify populates the Approval Date:" Otherwise, I
would just say "Enter the Approval Date (mm/dd/yyyy):"

Al Geist
Technical Writing, Help, Web Design, Video, Photography
Office/Msg: 802-872-9091
Cell: 802-578-3964
Website: www.geistassociates.com
See Also:
Fine Art Photography
Website: www.geistimages.com
 
"...I walked to work, quit my job, and kept walking. Better to be a pilgrim
without a destination, I figured, than to cross the wrong threshold each
day." (Anon.)