# Off Topic > Suggestions for Improvement >  >  Possibility of changing a canned reply

## jolivanes

We all have seen this:
"We would very much like to help you with your query, however the thread title does not really convey what your request is about"

Would it be possible to change this "canned reply" to something like:
We would very much like to help you with your query, however the thread title,"here the thread title in question", does not really convey what your request is about"

I've been caught thinking that a title is OK but other people think otherwise. That's no problem unless it hapens to be a moderator!
An example is this post here. 
https://www.excelforum.com/excel-pro...-as-a-pdf.html
So the moderators reply would be:
We would very much like to help you with your query, however the thread title, "With VBA save a file as a .PDF", does not really convey what your request is about"
In my mind, the title "With VBA save a file as a .PDF" by a non native English schooled speaker, I assume here, would be alright if that person wants to safe a sheet, or as in this case, a workbook (= all sheets I assume) to PDF format.
However, that is my opinion and obviously not the right opinion.
It would take away the guesswork if a title has been changed or not.

Regards.

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## alansidman

@Jolivanes

If you had read the entire response I made, you would have seen that I changed the thread title.  The original title the OP used was what was unacceptable and you only see the changed title.  I believe that our current canned responses work well and do not need changing.

Alan

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## FDibbins

About 2 years ago (if memory serves), the mod/admin team spent months revising the canned replies to be more friendly and easier to read/understand.

I will be the 1st to agree that often, the written word fails to convey what we actually mean, and that 10 different people could interpret the same line of text in 10 different ways.  What is clear as day for 1 person, might be clear as mud for another - that's why we sometimes ask for a change so that everyone can (hopefully) understand what is required.

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## jolivanes

Hi Alan.
OK, I used yours as an example and wrongly so. There have been instances where it is not clear, as happened to me previously and whether it is because we all think different or for whatever reason, to my thinking it would be clearer.
I would not have started this post if, in your case, the response would have been as I suggested because it would have shown in the first line.
But, like you said, they do not need changing. At least that is very clear to me.

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## AliGW

A canned response cant automatically include the title in question in the body of the post - this would need to be copied and pasted in by the mod. If many people felt that the current system was unclear, and it were causing confusion on a grand scale, Im sure wed all agree to making that extra effort every time we post regarding a title change, but this isnt the case.

Im sorry that you still find it confusing and that you are still upset about being pulled up on this by me. However, I dont see a need to change what we have in place.

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## jolivanes

Good morning Ali.
No, I am not upset at you at all. I thought it would be be a positive change but as you guys (moderators) indicated, it's not needed at all because there have been no complaints.
So we'll just leave it at that. 
It just caught my eye because of the similarities, although as Alan mentioned, he had changed the title and that I did not see that which is entirely my shortcoming.
Sorry to have brought this up.
Have a good day and keep up the good work.
Regards

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## AliGW

No worries - don't feel that you shouldn't have mentioned it - it's useful for us to know what members think, especially when we overhaul the rules as we did in September 2018.

I am glad to know that there are no sour grapes, at least.  :Smilie:

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## FDibbins

> Good morning Ali.
> No, I am not upset at you at all. I thought it would be be a positive change but as you guys (moderators) indicated, it's not needed at all because there have been no complaints.
> So we'll just leave it at that. 
> It just caught my eye because of the similarities, although as Alan mentioned, he had changed the title and that I did not see that which is entirely my shortcoming.
> Sorry to have brought this up.
> Have a good day and keep up the good work.
> Regards



The day we dont allow questions on our rules, is the day I step down!!  I welcome all suggestions, comments and concerns, whoever they come from and whatever they are about.

Having said that though, that doesnt mean that suggestions or concerns regarding how this forum is run, will always be implemented - if the management team feel a suggestion will improve the running of this forum, then that suggestion will be strongly considered and discussed.

However, we currently have around 1 224 960 members (active and non active), so it would be impossible to cater to every member's requests and preferences.

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## jolivanes

Obviously, I don't know how your canned replies are inserted but my thought was in terms of (to stay in Excel vocabulary)
"We would very much like to help you with your query, however the thread title " & Post #1.Line #1 & " does not really convey what your request is about"
It is not important so lets just put it to rest.
Thanks again all.
Regards

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## 6StringJazzer

> Obviously, I don't know how your canned replies are inserted but my thought was in terms of (to stay in Excel vocabulary)
> "We would very much like to help you with your query, however the thread title " & Post #1.Line #1 & " does not really convey what your request is about"



Just to close this loose end, when we are composing a reply we see a dropdown box in addition to what other members see. It gives a list of titles. We pick one, and it dumps the corresponding text into the reply we are writing. There are no variable fields or anything like that, just fixed text.

In some cases the Moderator will edit it, such as for a reference to a duplicate thread. This must be done manually.

canned.jpg

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## jolivanes

Thank you for the explanation Jeff. Very much appreciated. I did wonder how that works but now I know.
Like I mentioned before, I was thinking in Excel terms, but no biggy.
Enjoy your weekend (what's left of it)
Regards

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## AliGW

*@jolivanes*

In an attempt to make your life easier, I have started posting an edit note at the foot of the OP's opening post where I have updated a thread title for them. There is an example of this here: https://www.excelforum.com/excel-gen...-criteria.html

I have also emboldened the sentence at the bottom of the admin note to make it clear that I have done the editing for them.

Please let me know if you think this is clear enough. Of course, I cannot make other mods follow suit.  :Wink:

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## alansidman

@jolivanes
@Aligw

I like Ali's idea and will try to remember to do the same when I make changes to the title.  

Alan

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## jolivanes

Yes, indeed. That helps a lot, in my opinion.
Or something like" "Changed your title from "Help wanted" to "Here the new title.""
Of course, don't get this wrong by thinking that I am trying to tell you, or anybody for that matter, on how to do your (volunteer) job but I am just throwing ideas around.
Whatever is easy to implement and clear. 
Thanks very much. I am sure it helps other people also. 
Regards

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## AliGW

I won't be implementing your extra request, sorry - there aren't enough hours the day for that level of customisation. However, what I've suggested could not leave anyone in any doubt, I believe.

Glad you approve.  :Smilie:

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## 6StringJazzer

> I have started posting an edit note at the foot of the OP's opening post where I have updated a thread title for them.



I do something similar, but I actually put my note into the post. I do this because it gets more attention than an edit note, and I can include a link to the rules. I do this only if there are no replies yet so the thread remains "unanswered"; otherwise I create a new post with this information. I am not saying my way is better, just another way to skin the cat.

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## alansidman

Jeff
I like that a lot.
Alan

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## jolivanes

I am very much impressed by you, moderators, willingness to listen/change things. Thanks for that.
As far as you skinning the cat goes Jeff, there are many ways that lead to Rome.
Regards

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## 6StringJazzer

One example of my approach to updates:

https://www.excelforum.com/excel-pro...ml#post5582130

Note that I made this edit while there were no replies to the post, allowing it to stay Unanswered. I fixed it since was post #1 for this member.

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