Admin copy style

Use this guide for admin shell, settings, dialogs, tables, empty states, and system feedback.

Voice and tone

• Write in sentence case.
• Stay direct, specific, and calm.
• Tell the operator what happened and what to do next.
• Prefer practical language over product-marketing language.

Buttons

• Start with a verb and name the object when possible.
• Prefer Save changes, Create site, Send invitation, Request email change.
• Avoid Submit, OK, Confirm, and Do it.
• Use Cancel for the non-destructive escape action.

Errors

• Follow the pattern: [What happened]. [What to try next.]
• Good: This site could not be saved. Check the required fields and try again.
• Good: Postcode lookup failed. Check connectivity and try again.
• Avoid raw server errors unless the exact message is already operator-friendly.

Empty states

• Name the thing that is empty.
• Explain why the area matters.
• Offer one clear next action.

Example:

• Title: No webhook destinations yet
• Body: Add a webhook when another system needs delivery events from this workspace.
• Action: Create webhook

Labels and headings

• Use sentence case for section titles, dialog titles, field labels, and helper text.
• Keep field labels short and plain.
• Put optional guidance in hint text, not in the label itself.

Settings rows

• Use the pattern: label, short description, then control/value.
• Make scope explicit when a setting is workspace-level or personal.
• Put destructive changes in a collapsed danger zone with a confirmation step.