---
title: "How to create a new thesaurus entry directly within the thesaurus"
canonical: "https://support.soutron.net/space/HG/22872072/How%20to%20create%20a%20new%20thesaurus%20entry%20directly%20within%20the%20thesaurus"
format: markdown
---
It is possible to add entries directly to any specific thesaurus in advance, even if the entry has not been used in a data record yet. This may be a helpful tool if you wish to set up acceptable entries for data entry purposes before the entry is used. This can assure that your specific entry is correct and meets your standards even before the manual data entry process begins.
To create a new thesaurus entry, go to the Soutron Administration Module and utilize the left-hand menu to select the section for “Thesaurus” and choose the “Search” popout menu. You will end up on a screen similar to the following:
Within the **Select Thesaurus** section, utilize the dropdown menu (which normally starts out as “empty”) to select the Thesaurus you wish to work with.
Your screen will look something like the below image (depending upon the Thesaurus you choose to work with). **Tree Terms **(or A – Z) is the default tab. Hierarchy tab is discussed within another document in this help guide.
There are two ways to proceed with creating a new term:
1. Utilize the green “New” button in the blue banner bar.
2. Utilize the clickable link (click here to create a new term per below example). This will guide you to the same option to create a new thesaurus term
The system will now present you with the options available per the image below:
**Display text : **Type in the exact text of the Thesaurus entry.
**Language: **If your system utilizes multiple languages with different Thesauri, select the appropriate language of the Thesaurus for which you are creating the entry.
**Associated URL: **This is an optional field in which you can link to an online dictionary of some sort or other resource to obtain additional information about this specific entry configuration. It is possible to insert a description so the link does not appear in the web link format (i.e. “click here to view the information”) . This link is available when a user hovers over the heading while viewing a record in the Portal.
**Description: **An optional description for an associated link within a thesaurus.
**As Folder (toggle button)**: Button should be toggled OFF (to left) if this term is not a term for a hierarchical folder. The blue “i” (information icon) explains this if you simply hover for a moment over the icon. This blue “i” (information icon) is now consistently available within Soutron Administration if additional explanatory information is available.
**Top Level (toggle button): ** When toggled to the “on” position (button is to right), this means that the term will always be shown as a top level term in a specific hierarchy (even if the term may be designated as a “narrower term” in a hierarchy.
**Use in Tagged Search: **When toggled to the “on” position, this means that the term will be shown in the portal thesaurus search macro. See [Thesaurus Quick Search](https://soutron.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/HG/pages/114130945).
**Notes: **Scope notes of your design and choosing may be typed here. This includes the ability to configure fonts, colors, links, etc., similar to general MS Word techniques. These notes (when entered) will display in the Portal if your system is set to display scope notes. The “Notes” section will always display in an expanded mode when the create or edit term display box first opens. This may be compressed by clicking on the “ **> **“ ( < is the universal symbol for expand/display more, while > is the universal symbol for compress/display less). expand the entry”.
**Relationships: **This section is where Non-preferred, Broader Terms, Narrower Terms, and Related Records may be configured (as they relate to this specific term). These techniques are explained in another document within this help guide.
After configuring the appropriate choices within the new term setup, utilize the “**Save**” button in the lower right hand corner of the data entry box to save the new term. Once saved, the term can be edited at any time to make adjustments or corrections to data in the field. Note that after saving the new term, other action buttons will appear in the upper right-hand side of the blue bar of the Term display: **Merge (golden color)**, **Delete (red color)**, and **New Child (green color)**. These actions will be explained in a related document within this help guide.
An example of a term which has been created and saved is illustrated below with various choices (as explained above). Note that various buttons will become active/inactive, depending on the action you are working on. The term label within the blue bar will change (**New Term **for creating a new term; **Edit Term **for editing actions upon an existing term).
**Supplemental notes of interest:**
**Select Thesaurus Dropdown Menu:**
If you have worked within (selected) a specific thesaurus earlier in your session, the Soutron Thesaurus Search section will “remember” the last Thesaurus you worked within and that specific Thesaurus will be displayed by default. You can change this by using the dropdown menu and selecting a different Thesaurus.
**Recent View and Edit History: **This section will permit you to revisit other Thesaurus entries you have previously worked with to assist with recalling specifics. It is simply a history of terms you have consulted within the Thesaurus Module.
