Dashes

Use single hyphens in Splunk documentation and UI text to connect adjectives or as a minus sign. Don't use other types of dashes.

Hyphen ( - )

Use hyphens in compound adjectives or as a minus sign.

Don't use hyphens to indicate a break in thought or to format items in a list. Don't use a hyphen when you mean to use a colon. See Colon.

In compound adjectives

Use a hyphen in compound adjectives that precede the noun they modify, and don't use a hyphen if the adjectives follow the noun they modify. Don't add spaces before or after the hyphen.

The following table shows where to place hyphens in compound adjectives:

Do this	Don't do this
a case-sensitive username	a case sensitive username
the password is case sensitive	the password is case-sensitive

As a minus sign

You can use a hyphen to indicate a minus sign, either in a mathematical equation or as a keyboard character. See Show symbols in text for guidance on how to introduce symbols in a sentence.

Em dash ( — )

Don't use em dashes in Splunk documentation or UI text. Keep your sentences short, and use either commas or 2 sentences to separate breaks in thought.

En dash ( – )

Don't use en dashes in Splunk documentation or UI text.