The Definition Issues category in Definely Proof helps you keep the defined terms in your document accurate and consistent. It surfaces undefined and unused terms, duplicates, capitalisation issues, formatting slips and definitions that are out of alphabetical order, for you to action, while leaving you fully in control of the changes.
Where to find Definition issues
Open the Proof tab in the Definely panel and select the Definitions category. You'll see a list of subcategories, each one covers a different type of definition issue.
Proof flags a wide range of definition issues and not every single one will be covered here but if you're not sure what a particular subcategory does, hover over the question mark next to the title and Definely will display a short explanation.
The most common subcategories
Undefined terms
Proof surfaces any capitalised word that looks like a defined term but doesn't have a corresponding definition. From the issue, you can use Draft's insert definition functionality to add your definition.
Unused definitions
The flip side of the above, Proof flags any defined terms that are never actually used in the body of the document. You can review and remove them in a single step to keep your definitions tidy and relevant.
Top Tip: you can also use the Definition Report in Draft to tidy up your unused terms in bulk.
Duplicated terms
If the same term has been defined more than once, Proof will highlight it.
You'll notice an orange fix button on these issues. An orange button means an additional step is required before Definely makes the change . In the case of duplicates, you choose which of the definitions you want to remove, before confirming the change.
Defined term capitalisation issues
Proof picks up where a defined term has been used inconsistently, for example, where a term that should be capitalised has been written in lower case.
These come with a blue fix button, meaning it's a one-click automated fix. From here you can:
Fix in bulk: accept all suggested fixes of this type in a single action.
Hide in bulk: dismiss several issues together if you've deliberately used a particular casing.
The bulk options are designed to speed up review when the same issue appears repeatedly throughout a long document.
Capitalisation and formatting issues in the definitions themselves
As well as checking how defined terms are used in the body, Proof also reviews the definition entries themselves for capitalisation and formatting inconsistencies, so your Definition Schedule stays clean and consistent.
Out of alphabetical order
Proof checks whether your defined terms appear in alphabetical order and flags any that are out of place, useful when terms have been added during negotiation and not re-sorted. You have the option to fix all which alphabetises the whole Definely list for you.
Inline definitions
Sometimes a term is defined inside the body of a clause but doesn't have a corresponding entry in the Definition Schedule. Proof picks these up, allowing you to quickly insert a listed definition.
When you click fix on an inline definition, Definely:
Suggests a definition for the term, which you can edit if you'd like to change the wording.
Lets you click Insert and go to location when you're happy with it.
Once it refreshes, the new definition will be displayed in the correct alphabetical position, matching the formatting of the rest of your Definition Schedule.
Automatically adds the cross-reference from the inline use, so the term now properly links to its new entry in the schedule.
Understanding the fix buttons at a glance
Button colour | What it means |
Blue fix button | One-click automated fix. You can also fix (and hide) in bulk. |
Orange fix button | Additional input needed from you before Definely applies the change. For example, choosing which duplicated definition to remove. |
Fix, flag or hide
For every definition issue, you have the same three options as elsewhere in Proof:
Fix: apply the suggested change.
Flag for future review: keep the issue visible so you (or a colleague) can come back to it.
Hide: remove the issue from the list if it's a false positive or a deliberate choice.
Together, these keep you in control of every edit while letting Definely do the heavy lifting on finding the issues.