In Assette, both Disclosures and Footnotes are used to convey supplementary information. Although they serve similar high-level purposes—to provide explanatory, legal, or regulatory content—they differ significantly in functionality, intended use, creation workflow, and document placement. Understanding the distinction between Disclosures and Footnotes is essential to ensure accurate and compliant reporting in your firm’s communications.
This article outlines the key differences between Disclosures and Footnotes in Assette and helps guide when to use each.
Overview of Disclosures #
Disclosures are modular content components that are centrally authored, managed, and applied to Smart Pages using the Authoring Center. Disclosures support content assembly through Disclosure Fragments and Disclosure Blocks and can be enhanced with conditional logic and data object associations.
Disclosures are ideal for firm-wide, regulatory, or legal content that must be centrally controlled, reused across multiple documents, and displayed conditionally depending on the nature of the document or audience.
Overview of Footnotes #
Footnotes in Assette are managed separately from Disclosures and are created using the Footnote Editor in Developer Tools. Footnotes are typically attached directly to data objects or data visualizations and are intended to provide context or clarification at the data level within a specific document or page.
Footnotes are best used for content that is tightly coupled with a specific data display—such as a table or chart—where users need to see additional explanations, calculations, or data sourcing immediately adjacent to the information being presented.
Comparison Table #
| Feature | Disclosures | Footnotes |
|---|---|---|
| Creation Tool | Authoring Center | Developer Tools |
| Placement Scope | Smart Page or Document level | Smart Shell/Data Object level |
| Reusable | Yes, can be inserted automatically or manually | Yes, but must be manually associated to a Data Object and wired up via Smart Shell |
| Conditional Display | Yes | Yes |
| Association with Data Objects | Optional | Yes |
| Content Type | Legal, regulatory, or compliance statements | Data clarifications, formulas, calculations |
| Display | Anywhere on Smart Page or Smart Doc | Appended to chart/table |
| Version Control & Publishing | Yes | No |
When to Use Each #
Use Disclosures when: #
- The disclosure placement can anywhere on the page or document
- You need to manage standardized regulatory or legal statements across multiple documents.
- Content varies based on client, strategy, or currency.
- The disclosure content should be reusable and centrally maintained.
Use Footnotes when: #
- You need to provide clarification for a specific chart, table, or number.
- The content is unique to a specific shell and not needed elsewhere.
- The explanatory note is closely tied to a data visualization.
Integration in Smart Pages #
Both Disclosures and Footnotes are rendered during document generation but differ in how they are added:
- Disclosures are inserted manually into Smart Pages through the Disclosure Library, as part of the authoring process in PowerPoint via the Assette add-in. Conditional and associated disclosures are handled automatically during generation based on predefined logic.
- Footnotes are tied to specific shells and display and must be manually inserted during the Smart Shell fabrication.