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Managing Acronyms

This guide covers how to add, edit, and delete acronyms in the system.

Understanding Acronyms​

An acronym entry consists of:

FieldRequiredDescription
AcronymYesThe abbreviation (e.g., "HFIM")
DefinitionYesThe full text (e.g., "Hospitality and Food Industry Management")
CategoryNoOrganizational grouping (e.g., "Department", "Program")

Case Sensitivity​

Acronyms are case-insensitive:

  • "HFIM", "hfim", and "Hfim" all match the same entry
  • Store acronyms in uppercase for consistency

Viewing Acronyms​

The Acronyms Table​

The table shows all acronyms with:

  • Acronym: The abbreviation
  • Definition: What it expands to
  • Category: Organizational category (if set)
  • Created: When the entry was added
  • Actions: Edit and Delete buttons

Searching and Filtering​

Use the controls above the table:

  1. Search box: Type to filter by acronym or definition
  2. Category dropdown: Filter by category
  3. Results update as you type

Adding an Acronym​

Step-by-Step​

  1. Click the + Add Acronym button
  2. Fill in the form:
    • Acronym: Enter the abbreviation (e.g., "CAES")
    • Definition: Enter the full meaning (e.g., "College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences")
    • Category: Optionally select or type a category
  3. Click Save
  4. Click Reload Cache to apply immediately

Form Fields Explained​

Acronym Field​

  • Enter the abbreviation users might type
  • Case-insensitive (stored as entered)
  • Can include numbers and special characters
  • Examples: "HFIM", "FACS", "4-H"

Definition Field​

  • Enter the full expansion
  • This is what the chatbot uses for searching
  • Be complete and accurate
  • Example: "Hospitality and Food Industry Management"

Category Field​

  • Optional organizational grouping
  • Helps with filtering and management
  • Use consistent category names
  • Examples: "Department", "Program", "Organization"

Editing an Acronym​

Step-by-Step​

  1. Find the acronym in the table
  2. Click the Edit button (pencil icon)
  3. Modify the fields as needed
  4. Click Save
  5. Click Reload Cache to apply changes

When to Edit​

Edit an acronym when:

  • The definition needs correction
  • An organization has been renamed
  • You want to improve the category organization
  • The expansion could be more complete

Deleting an Acronym​

Step-by-Step​

  1. Find the acronym in the table
  2. Click the Delete button (trash icon)
  3. Confirm the deletion in the popup
  4. Click Reload Cache to apply

When to Delete​

Delete an acronym when:

  • The organization no longer exists
  • It was entered in error
  • A duplicate exists (keep the better one)
Cannot Undo

Deletion is permanent. If you're unsure, consider editing the entry instead or documenting it elsewhere before deleting.

Categories​

Using Categories Effectively​

Categories help organize large acronym lists:

CategoryExamples
DepartmentHFIM, FACS, FDNS
CollegeCAES, Franklin
Program4-H, Extension
OrganizationUGA, USDA
RolePI, GA, RA

Creating Consistent Categories​

  • Use the same category name for similar items
  • Keep category names short but descriptive
  • Review existing categories before creating new ones

Applying Changes​

The Reload Cache Button​

After making changes, click Reload Cache to:

  • Load updated entries into memory
  • Make changes effective immediately
  • No server restart required

When to Reload​

  • After adding new acronyms
  • After editing definitions
  • After deleting entries
  • When the "In Memory" count seems wrong

Common Acronyms to Add​

HFIM-Specific​

AcronymDefinition
HFIMHospitality and Food Industry Management
FACSFamily and Consumer Sciences
FDNSFoods and Nutrition

UGA-General​

AcronymDefinition
CAESCollege of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
UGAUniversity of Georgia
EITSEnterprise Information Technology Services

Extension-Specific​

AcronymDefinition
CEACounty Extension Agent
CECCounty Extension Coordinator
FACSFamily and Consumer Sciences (Extension context)

Troubleshooting​

Acronym Not Expanding​

If an acronym isn't being recognized:

  1. Verify it exists in the table
  2. Click Reload Cache
  3. Test with a sample question
  4. Check for typos in the entry

Wrong Expansion​

If the expansion is incorrect:

  1. Edit the acronym entry
  2. Fix the definition
  3. Save and reload cache

Duplicate Acronyms​

If you have duplicates:

  1. Decide which entry is better
  2. Delete the redundant one
  3. Reload cache

Next: Query Expansions - Configure broader search term expansions.

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