Construction Clause Grammar

NOTE-- In 2000 we retired MacNail Spec Writer and the rest of the MacNail construction software package. Goldenseal replaced them-- it's a complete software package for Macintosh and Windows that handles contract writing, plus accounting, construction estimating, and project management, For contract clauses, Goldenseal uses a simpler text-substitution system that is much easier to set up.

Using Smart Grammar

The MacNail construction management software uses 'Smart Grammar' to change the way a clause will be worded, without re-typing the text.

Smart Grammar is also used to cope with plurals, irregular verbs, and other language peculiarities.

Phrase Types

The MacNail project management software can create several different types of sentences using the same basic phrase components.

The phrase number is used to decide which phrase type will be used for each clause.

NOTE: The different phrases are used to make contracts seem less stilted. By varying the sentence structure, they will look more professional, and be easier to read.

Applying a Phrase Type

To apply a phrase type to one or more rows in the Clauses file, follow these steps:

1. Select the row or rows you'd like to change. Hold down the Command ( ) key to select multiple blocks of rows.
2. Click on the Phrase column heading, or choose Phrase Type from the Options menu.
3. Click the phrase type you'd like to use, then click OK.