Use hashtags and quick phrases

Use a hashtag to label an entry, such as a redirection or an opportunity to respond. Use a quick phrase to insert text, such as “Student requested help.” You can edit the inserted text. Neither tool requires AI setup.

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Add a hashtag to a note

In Interval, Frequency, Duration, Latency, and ABC recording:

1. Select New note in Notes.
2. Select a tag chip below the writing line. To find another tag, type # and the start of its name, then select a suggestion or use the arrow keys and press Enter or Tab.
3. Add a description if needed. You can attach more than one tag or save a tag without text.
4. Press Enter or select ↵ to save the note to the Notes list. If you used Enter to accept a tag, press it again to save the note.

The note uses the elapsed time shown when you opened it. All tags on that note share its time. For separate occurrences, such as two redirections, save two separate notes. Select a tag’s × to remove it from the draft. Escape cancels the whole draft, including its text and tags. To create a tag during recording, type a new name without spaces, such as #visitor-arrives. When there are no matches, select Create #visitor-arrives, then save the note. The name is also added to your shared Hashtags library. Add names with spaces in Library → Hashtags before recording. You can usually press N outside a text field to open a note. Use New note in Latency, where N means No response, or in Interval and Frequency if N is assigned to a behavior. In ABC, finish or cancel the event form first.

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Add a hashtag in Anecdotal recording

Anecdotal uses the entry line at the top of Observation log instead of New note.

1. Select a quick tag chip below the line, or type # and the start of a tag name, then select a suggestion or use the arrow keys and press Enter.
2. Add any accompanying observation.
3. Press Enter to save an entry in Observation log with the displayed elapsed time. Use Command+Enter on Mac or Ctrl+Enter on Windows to save it in General notes without a time.

A log entry uses the displayed time from when you began the draft. Accepting a tag does not save a separate event. Tags come from Library → Hashtags, with the same pin and on/off settings used by the other recorders. To create one, type a new name and select Create #name; this also adds it to Hashtags. The separate General notes writing line has no tags.

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Insert a quick phrase

Use quick phrases in the Anecdotal Observation log entry line or New note in the other methods above.

1. Type at least the first two letters of a saved phrase, such as wh for Whole group instruction.
2. When the remaining words appear in pale text, press Tab to insert them.
3. Edit the wording as needed, then save the entry.

Keep typing to ignore a suggestion or narrow the match. If several phrases start with the same letters, the shortest match is offered. The cursor must be at the end of the field. Type phrase letters without # to insert text. Typing # opens tag selection instead. Phrase completion is not available in session context, ABC event descriptions, or saved-note editors.

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Save the observation

Selecting a tag or accepting a phrase does not save the entry. Save each draft entry, then end and save the complete observation. Saving an individual entry does not save the completed observation. A saved hashtag stays beside its entry. An accepted phrase stays within the entry text. Tags do not add a duration measurement or a separate behavior score. See Results or Exporting to review saved entries.

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Prepare the choices you use often

Open Library → Hashtags or Library → Quick Phrases. The Library guide explains where to open it from the home screen or a student’s workspace.

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Manage hashtags

Hashtags are shared across students.

• To add one, select Add tag, enter the name, and select Add.
• Use a tag’s checkbox to show or hide it during recording.
• Select its outline star to pin it to Quick chips. You can pin up to six. Other chips can change during the session; pinned tags keep their places.
• Select the filled star to unpin it. Turning a tag off also removes its pin, so star it again after turning it back on if needed.
• Use the delete control to remove a custom tag. Built-in tags can be turned off but cannot be deleted.

These settings apply to the Anecdotal Observation log entry line and to notes in Interval, Frequency, Duration, Latency, and ABC. Turning off or deleting a library tag does not remove tags saved on earlier entries. Changes save automatically. Reopen Hashtags to check them. If Couldn’t save changes. Try again. appears, repeat the change and reopen the list to confirm it saved.

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Manage quick phrases

Select Add phrase, enter the complete wording, and select Add. Use Search phrases to find one. Select its pencil to edit it, then press Enter to save. In a student’s Library, shared phrases and that student’s phrases appear together. Use All, Shared, or the student-name filter to find them. For a new phrase, Applies to lets you choose the student or All students. Editing a shared phrase changes it for all students. To keep different wording for one student:

1. Open that student’s Library and select the shared phrase’s pencil.
2. Enter the student’s wording.
3. Before pressing Enter or leaving the field, select Edit for [student].

To remove a phrase, use its remove control. Removing a shared phrase affects every student; Sightline asks for confirmation when you do this from a student’s Library. To share a student’s phrase, select Move to All students, then confirm Move. It becomes shared and is no longer specific to that student. The student’s phrases and shared phrases are available during recording. Library changes affect future suggestions, while wording already saved in observations stays as written. After a change, reopen Quick Phrases to confirm it saved. If Couldn’t save phrases. Try again. appears, repeat the change and check again. A phrase can appear in the list even when saving failed.