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## Item Descriptions

In addition to adding keywords to any item, you can add a description up to 32,000 characters long. You can use the description field to keep track of any information about the source file that you might find useful or important, but information that you probably won’t use to locate catalog items. You might want to use the Description field for photo captions, small amounts of marketing copy, or miscellaneous notes.

If the original application provides a way for you to enter and save descriptive text with the source file, Portfolio can often extract this information automatically as it catalogs the item. Otherwise, you can add or edit a description after cataloging. In a network environment, a catalog administrator can control who edits descriptions.

Adding Descriptions by Extracting Them from Source Files

If you have selected the “Extract Descriptions” option (Catalog > Cataloging Options: Rules) for Adding and/or Updating, Portfolio examines all source files for descriptions created in their native applications when you add and/or update items in a catalog. As items are cataloged or updated, extracted descriptions are added to the catalog according to the settings in the Rules tab.

Entering and Editing Item Descriptions

You can manually enter item descriptions into a catalog, and you can edit existing descriptions whether they were added manually or extracted from an item’s source file.

To enter or edit a description manually:

1. Select the item to which you want to add a description, then choose “Item Properties...” from the Item menu.

   The “Item Properties” dialog box appears with the General tab selected.

2. Type a description in the Description text box, then click “OK.”

   The description is added to the item.

Note: If the Description text box is disabled, it indicates that you do not have permission to edit descriptions for items in the open catalog (requires Editor mode or higher). If you are working in a network environment, check with your catalog administrator.