Q: What are context hints?
A context hint is a way that Apparity uses to track changes within an Excel workbook. When the file is onboarded with context hints, they are marked within the file to assist with tracking. As modifications are made to the file, Apparity tracks changes in the context hints to identify cell modifications, which expedites the time it takes to run a change log comparison between two versions of the file.
Q: Why would an end user turn off context hints while onboarding?
The decision to use or not use context hints is entirely contingent upon the daily use of the end user. By removing context hints, Apparity will still capture changes between versions. It will take longer to execute this task because Apparity must examine each cell for value changes, rather than using the faster method of identifying areas that changed. However, it takes a significantly less amount of time to perform everyday actions such as opening, saving, and closing a file when context hints are turned off. Therefore, it is up to the discretion of the end user to decide what is more efficient for his or her daily purposes.
Q: How do I turn off context hints if I initially onboarded the file with context hints on?
You can always turn context hints on or off, depending on what works best for your daily practices. In the Apparity Ribbon of the onboarded spreadsheet, click on the Managed File icon. You will then see the metadata information that you previously entered during the onboard. At the bottom of the screen, click on + Advanced Options where you will be able to turn context hints on or off. After selecting “On” or “Off,” a pop-up will appear indicating the effects of context hints. Click on Yes to continue and close the window.