Microsoft® Manual of Style, Fourth Edition

Notes and tips

Notes call the user’s attention to information of special importance or information that cannot otherwise be suitably presented in the main text. Notes include general notes, tips, important notes, and cautions. Use notes sparingly so that they remain effective in drawing the user’s attention.

If your content is cluttered with notes, you probably need to reorganize the information. In general, try to use only one note in a Help topic. For example, if you must have two notes of the same type, such as a tip and a caution, combine them into one note with two paragraphs, or integrate one or both of the notes in the main text. Never include two or more paragraphs formatted as notes without intervening text. If you need to put two notes ...