Buttons

Buttons trigger actions. They are the primary mechanism for users to submit forms, confirm choices, navigate, and initiate processes within the platform.


When to use

  • Use buttons for actions, not navigation. For navigation, use links.
  • Use a primary button for the main action on a page or modal.
  • Use secondary buttons for alternative or less critical actions.
  • Use ghost or tertiary buttons for low-priority or destructive actions that should not draw immediate attention.

Style

  • Use sentence case for all button labels.
  • Use the verb + object formula whenever possible (for example, Create report, Delete dataset).
  • Keep labels concise - ideally two to four words.
  • Do not end button labels with punctuation.
  • Do not use articles (a, an, the) in button labels unless necessary for clarity.

Behavior

  • Disable the primary button until all required fields are complete.
  • Show a loading indicator on the button when an action is in progress.
  • Return focus to the triggering element after a modal or dialog closes.

Do / Don’t

Do Don’t
Create report Report
Delete dataset Delete
Add connection Add a connection
Save changes Save Changes

Terminology for button labeling

Use the following term pairs consistently across the platform. Choosing the wrong term creates confusion when the same action appears under different labels in different contexts.

Term or term pair Usage
Cancel vs Close Use Cancel when the user is backing out of a page or modal where information has been entered or a confirmation is required. Cancel returns the user to the previous state without saving. Use Close for read-only messages or screens.
Create vs Add vs Insert Use Create when the user is making something brand new. Use Add when bringing in similar information that already exists elsewhere. Use Insert when bringing in similar information and the ordering is important. The plus (+) icon is only needed when creating a new object to add to something else. When adding an existing object to a list, the icon is not needed.
OK Use OK for read-only pages that are not legally required to be accepted.
Accept vs Decline Use Accept when legal terms of service need to be acknowledged before the user can proceed. Accept can also be paired with Decline when the user must choose whether to implement proposed changes from someone else or from AI.
Got it! Use Got it! when providing information confirmation modals where the user does not have to take any action.
Select vs Choose Use Select when the user is picking from a list with limited options. Use Choose when the user is picking from a large number of options or making an open-ended decision.
Submit vs Send vs Save Use Submit for a form. Use Send only for email. Use Save when the user is adding or changing selections on a modal.
View vs See Use View as a noun (for example, Table view). Use See as a verb, but only with a modifier (for example, See more).
Stepper buttons Use verb + object for the creation button. With few exceptions, the verb should be Create. Use only the verb (without the object) when finishing a stepper (for example, Create not Create integration). In modals and steppers, the initial button and the final button should use the same term in most cases. Exceptions include using Save on the final step of a wizard.

Actian Data Intelligence — Content Guidelines