Using Shortcut Keys

You can use keystrokes instead of the mouse to carry out commands.

In some cases, you will see an underlined letter (known as a mnemonic) in a menu command, button, or tab. Pressing Alt+(the underlined letter) will execute the command.

In other cases, shortcut keys appear in a menu next to the name of the command. Shortcut keys are typically Ctrl+(one or more keys). Pressing Ctrl+(the other keys) executes the command. Unlike underlined letters, these shortcut keys will work whenever the menu is available to you, whether you have opened the menu or not.

Enable Table Tooltips in the View menu to display shortcut keys as you roll over commands with the mouse.

See Keyboard Function Keys for a list of the function keys and their purposes.

See also:

Macros Settings

Administering Macros Settings

Shortcuts Used in All Applications

Key Combination	Function
Alt+Home	Open the index search drop-down list.
Alt+LeftArrow	View the previous month in a date dialog
Alt+Q	Close the current record
Alt+RightArrow	View the next month in a date dialog
Ctrl+Enter	Add an extra line to a variable-length field with multiple lines, e.g., an ADDRESS field or the multi-field LOCATION/COPIES editor
Ctrl+=+.	View the previous attached record
Ctrl+=+,	View the next attached record
Ctrl+]+-	Display the next record in a browse list
Ctrl+[+-	Display the previous record in a browse list
Ctrl+Shift+P	Display the full patron record in patron information tabs in Circulation Desk; in Sierra Web, this command is controlled by the browser (for example, this opens a new private window in Firefox)
Ctrl+C	Copy selected text or the current text field
Ctrl+N	Create a new record; in Sierra Web, open a new browser window
Ctrl+T	Move forward from one tab to another in a bibliographic record display; in Sierra Web, open a new tab
Ctrl+V	Paste the contents of the Windows clipboard
Ctrl+X	Cut the selected text and copy it to the Windows clipboard
Ctrl+Y	Redo the most recent undo action
Ctrl+Z	Undo your last action
Esc	Clear a browse display
N	Choose the No button in message dialogs; you can also key Alt+N
Y	Choose the Yes button in message dialogs; you can also key Alt+Y
Space	Select a button or check box
Tab (or Shift+Tab)	Make a button, check box, table, drop down list, etc. the active screen element

Windows Snap Assist

If you are using Windows 10 OS or later, you can use Microsoft's Snap Assist feature to rearrange your open windows (including the Sierra application) by using the Windows key plus the arrow keys. For more information on this feature, consult Microsoft's documentation.

Shortcuts Used In Text Boxes

Arrows	Position the cursor within text.
Backspace	Delete all highlighted text or the letter preceding the insertion point.
Delete	Delete all highlighted text or the letter following the insertion point.
End	Move the cursor to the end of text
Shift+(arrow keys)	Highlight text.

Shortcuts Used In Tables

Arrows	Highlight rows.
Shift+(arrow keys)	Highlight adjacent rows.
Ctrl+A	Highlight all rows.
Number keys	Highlight numbered rows.

Shortcuts Used In Dropdown Lists

Arrows	Highlight menu options.
Single letters (displayed next to menu options)	Chooses a menu option.

Shortcuts Used for Editing Records

The Tab Key

The Tab key is used to move the cursor to the next editable position in the record.

For fixed length fields, Tab moves the cursor to the data of the next editable fixed field.

For variable-length fields, Tab moves the cursor in the following order: field group tag/label (if shown), MARC tag (if shown), MARC indicators (if shown), first sub-field data, next subfield tag, next subfield tag data, continuing for any additional subfields. In each case, the cursor is placed at the beginning of each field position in insert mode. After the data portion of the last subfield, Tab moves the cursor to the next variable field.

If there are no more editable fields in the record, Tab is ignored.

Shift+Tab moves the cursor to the previous editable position in the record.

The Enter Key

When a record is open for editing and no dialog box is open, pressing the Enter key creates a new blank line for the input of a new variable-length field.

Other Key Combinations

Key Combination	Function
Ctrl+End	Moves the cursor to the last editable position of the record.
Ctrl+Home	Moves the cursor to the first editable position of the record.
Home	Moves the cursor to the first position of the variable-length field or first fixed length field on the line.
End	Moves the cursor to the last position of the variable-length field or first fixed length field on the line.
Page Up	Moves the cursor up one page of fields and places the cursor in the relative position of the field.
Page Down	Moves the cursor down a one page of fields and places the cursor in the relative position of the field.