Help with BriefCatch
Browse our Frequently Asked Questions
See the various sections below for the most frequently asked questions. If you still have a question after browsing the items below, don't hesitate to contact us.
Download & Installation
Windows XP or newer operating system with Word version 2007 or newer.
Note: BriefCatch is not compatible with the online version of Word.
Sorry, no. Just PCs at this time. We don't currently have a timeline when a Mac version will be released. We're constantly evaluating and testing with Mac, but it's not possible at this time.
Yes. However, only with the locally installed version (Word 2016.) BriefCatch does not work with the online or app versions of Office365.
You must register a new account by signing up for the free two-week trial or by purchasing an annual license. After registering, you will have access to the download page, where you can save BriefCatch to your computer.
Note: You must be logged in to download BriefCatch.
Some browser settings may prevent .exe files from being downloaded, or warn you that the file may be unsafe. If prompted, make sure you mark BriefCatch.exe as safe so you're able to access the file. If you’re having trouble, we also have a zipped version available. You’ll have to unzip the software before installing it.
The only requirements are a Windows PC with Word.
Installing BriefCatch is a piece of cake: you simply download an .exe file and then open it to start the installation process. It takes about 30 seconds. The next time you open Word, BriefCatch will be the last tab on the right. (Note: Make sure Word is closed before you install BriefCatch.)
While installing the latest version of BriefCatch, it’s possible you may receive a message similar to the below screenshot:
If so, click on “More info” then on “Run anyway” to continue with the installation, as shown below:
Rest assured that BriefCatch is safe to install and will not harm your computer.
This message may appear due to a new code signing certificate used in the newest version of BriefCatch (version 1.2.352.0 or newer.) The warning will be removed when Microsoft recognizes the new BriefCatch certificate, which can take a few weeks after being released. If you have any other questions or concerns, please contact us.
The first time you open Word after installing BriefCatch, you may be prompted to confirm the installation. If so, click the Install button.
This can occur if the software was installed using administrative privileges, then a user account without the same administrative privileges attempts to run it. It can also occur if it was installed by a different user account then the one you are using. By default, BriefCatch installs to the user account that is logged in and is only accessible by that user account. (If you're installing BriefCatch on a work computer, your IT department should be able to verify this.)
This can also occur if Word was open while BriefCatch was installed. To help resolve this, completely uninstall BriefCatch, restart your computer, then try installing BriefCatch again. Make sure Word is closed before running the installation again.
If reinstalling BriefCatch does not solve this issue, please follow the steps in our documentation.
Try using BriefCatch after following each step below, in order:
- Close and reopen Microsoft Word.
- Restart your computer.
- Open the installation file again and choose Repair.
- Repeat steps 1 and 2.
- Within Word, click File - Options. In the Options menu, click Add-ins. Near the bottom, click Go next to “Manage COM Add-ins”. Ensure that “Legal Writing Pro’s Brief Catch for Microsoft Office” is listed and checked. Click OK.
- Completely uninstall and reinstall BriefCatch, then repeat steps 1 and 2. (Make sure you have downloaded the most recent version.)
If BriefCatch still does not work, please contact us for help.
Under the BriefCatch tab in Word, click About. The installed version will be shown like the screenshot below:
Check the current version shown on the download page to see if you’re running the latest version.
Simply download the new version and install. This will overwrite your existing installation with the updated version of BriefCatch. (Note: Make sure Word is closed prior to updating.)
Under the my account page, check “Notify me when a new version of BriefCatch is released.” When we release a new version, you will be notified via email.
Major releases once or twice per year. Minor releases every 1-2 months with bug fixes or smaller improvements.
To disable the add-in within Word, click on File - Options, then click on Add-ins. Next to Manage COM Add-ins, click Go. Uncheck Legal Writing Pro's BriefCatch for Microsoft Office.
You can completely remove BriefCatch from your computer in two ways:
1) Open the installation file and select Uninstall.
2) Click the Windows Start Menu and type "Add or remove programs", then click on it. Find BriefCatch within the list, click on it, and choose Uninstall.
View our uninstall documentation if you need more thorough instructions.
Not yet.
Not yet.
Using BriefCatch
Once installed, BriefCatch will appear as a tab within the ribbon in Word. Click the tab to access the BriefCatch functions. For more information, see the following articles:
Absolutely not. Just editing suggestions.
Yes, though for contracts I recommend my Contract Catch.
Yes and yes.
Catch: Runs BriefCatch on the current document and scans for thousands of possible suggestions.
Clear: Clears the BriefCatch markup.
Stats: Scans the document and displays global statistics based on five proprietary algorithms that each yield a maximum score of 100: Reading Happiness Score, Sentence Length Index, Flow Index, Punchiness Index, Plain English Index.
Report: Generates a one-page narrative report on the current document that shares data on sentence and paragraph length, possibly overused language, and general strengths and weaknesses.
About: Displays information about the BriefCatch software and license.
Feedback: Allows you to share feedback, report issues, or make suggestions.
The Catch function will apply thousands of rules and algorithms and will highlight matches throughout the text. A side panel will suggest changes and offer general editing advice. Here you can navigate through the suggestions and decide to change, ignore, or skip to review later. For more information, visit the “Catching” a Document section in our How to Use BriefCatch guide.
Yes! First, enable Track Changes (under Review - Track Changes), and then run the Catch function. As you accept suggested changes from BriefCatch, the document will include the red-lined changes, which can be reviewed after you finish editing the document.
The five special scores are designed both to measure and to motivate. They are explained here.
It ignores most quotations, so you won’t waste time editing them!
The Stats function requires the current document, or selection within the current document, to contain more than 400 words. If the document or selection contains 400 or fewer words, Stats will be disabled.
Yes! By default, the Catch function will run on the entire document. However, you can also select the text you'd like to analyze before clicking on Catch. BriefCatch will only analyze the selected text.
Licenses
You can see our current pricing on our purchase page.
Yes, however they must be purchased on a singular basis. To purchase a second license, follow the same steps as you did the first time. Make sure you’re logged into your account, visit the annual license page, confirm your personal details, and then click Sign Up. Each license will be processed as a separate payment. (Note: If your company would like to purchase 10 or more licenses at once, please visit our sales page.)
BriefCatch is currently available on an annual basis.
No. We offer only annual licenses.
Yes. BriefCatch licenses are valid for one year. After one year, your license will automatically renew and you will be billed again. You will be notified by email one week prior to this date. You can cancel the auto renew option at anytime by visiting the Subscription tab on the my account page. Simply click Cancel to disable auto-renew.
Your BriefCatch license will still be active until it expires, but you will not be billed again unless you decide to renew your license.
Subscriptions are non-refundable, but if you have a problem with the product, we will do whatever we reasonably can to resolve it. If you’re not sure if BriefCatch is right for you, we recommend starting with our two-week free trial.
After you purchase BriefCatch, your license will be available on the download page. Click the download link to save the license.key file to your computer.
Click on About under the BriefCatch tab in Word. From there, click on Install License. Navigate to the license.key file you downloaded above and press Open. You will then receive the message "Your license was successfully imported."
The download page on our website shows the details of your license, including expiration.
You can also view your license details, including when it expires, by clicking the About button under the BriefCatch ribbon within Word. You will see details like the screenshot below:
If you’re having trouble installing your license, please contact us and include the error message you’re receiving.
Yes, as long as you are the sole owner of each device.
You can cancel the auto renew option at anytime by visiting the Subscription tab on the my account page. Simply click Cancel to disable auto-renew.
Your BriefCatch license will still be active until it expires, but you will not be billed again unless you decide to renew your license.
We are offering trials and special pricing case-by-case for groups. Groups are generally ten or more people. See our sales page for more information.
Absolutely! You can purchase a coupon code to gift BriefCatch.
Free Trial
Two weeks. During that time, you will have full access to the BriefCatch software.
You can sign up for the free trial here.
No. The only requirement is registering an account by providing your name and email address.
No. Simply download and install the software and BriefCatch will work for two weeks.
If you're receive an error message related to your free trial immediately after installing BriefCatch, or anytime prior to the two weeks, please contact us for further assistance.
No. The free trial is limited to one time per user.
If for some reason you would like to put your trial on hold or change the start to later in the future, please contact us for assitance.
After the two-week trial, BriefCatch will no longer function. To keep using it, you simply need to purchase an annual license.
We offer extended free trials on a case by case basis. Please fill out our sales form for more details.
Security & Payments
No. We have no access to any documents or files you use with BriefCatch nor do we track or store any data.
No and no. BriefCatch is installed only on the local drive of your computer and does not connect to any servers.
No. We have no access to documents used with BriefCatch.
No. Once downloaded and installed, BriefCatch will work on your machine until the license expires without ever requiring an internet connection.
Payments are processed by a third party (https://stripe.com). No credit card information is ever stored directly on our site. Our site uses SSL 256-bit encryption to ensure that all transactions are secure. The private certificate has been issued via Trustwave Holding, Inc.
Charges will show up on your statement as LEGAL WRITING PRO.
We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and AMEX.
If your card was blocked, you can try using a different credit card. You can also contact support for assitance.
To change your credit card, visit the Subscription tab on the my account page. Click on Update for the subscription you would like to modify then enter your new credit card details.
Website
You can log in here.
Visit your account page under the Subscriptions and Payments links.
We do not store or have access to any member’s passwords. If you’ve forgotten yours, you can manually reset your password here.
Please contact us and we can help you.
Please fill out our contact form. We would love to hear from you!