Topics are the documents in which you record the steps (and sound, if applicable) of a task or transaction in an application. You can create a topic in the Library, or while working on an outline in the Outline Editor. 

When you create a topic in the Library, the Recorder automatically launches for you to capture the topic steps. After finishing the recording, the new topic opens in the Topic Editor. From the Topic Editor, you save the topic by naming it and selecting a folder in the Library in which to store it. Unlike module and section documents, you do not set properties for a topic when you create it. You can however, change the properties for a topic at any time.

The icon for a topic is a piece of paper with a yellow text bubble. To visually differentiate between recorded and blank topics, the topic icon for topics with recorded content appears with lines on the paper and bubble and for blank topics as a blank paper and bubble.
 

Note: The Recorder does not launch when you create a new topic in the Outline Editor by linking it to an outline. When you name the topic, it is saved automatically to the same folder as the parent document.

To create a new topic in the Library:

1. Select the File menu, point to  New and choose  Topic.
    
   or
    
   On the Library toolbar, choose  Topic.
    
2. When the Recorder opens, record the steps (and sound, if applicable) of the topic.
    
3. When you are done recording the steps, click Finish in the Recorder window.
    
4. To save the topic from the Topic Editor, select the File menu and choose Save.
    
5. In the Save As dialog box, type a name for the new topic.
    
6. Navigate to the folder where you want to store the topic.
    
7. Click Save.

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