Organization dictionary
An organization dictionary is a shared wordlist that extends the standard spell-check vocabulary with terms specific to your industry, domain, or organization. Words in an enabled organization dictionary are treated as correct during spellcheck for all users of your web application, or for targeted user groups. With the algorithmic spelling engine, dictionary words also appear in the suggestions list. With AI-based spelling, dictionary words won't be flagged but won't appear as suggestions.
Organization dictionaries are language-dependent. Each dictionary is tied to a specific language and extends the wordlist of that language only.
API command name: custom_dictionary (API reference →)
Availability
Cloud. Available for all customers with a trial or paid subscription to WebSpellChecker Cloud Services. Dictionaries aren't available until the subscription is obtained. Admins manage dictionaries through the admin panel at app.wproofreader.com or through the API.
Self-hosted. Available with the on-premises product version. Admins manage dictionaries through configuration files on the server or through the API.
Key concepts
Dictionary ID. A numeric identifier for the dictionary. On cloud, it's assigned automatically when the dictionary is created. On self-hosted, you assign it manually in
CustDictConfig.xml. The ID is required for configuring your web application and for all API operations.Dictionary name. A human-readable label for the dictionary. Max 50 characters. Must be unique within the account. Latin characters and/or digits only. On self-hosted, the dictionary is identified by its
DicIdandFileNamerather than a name in the UI.Language. Each dictionary is tied to a specific language (for example, American English or British English) and extends the wordlist of that language only. You can't create a dictionary for the "autodetect" language or for grammar-only languages such as Simplified Chinese and Japanese.
Status (Cloud only). Enabled or disabled. Enabled dictionaries are used in spell check. Disabled dictionaries are excluded from spell check silently but remain accessible in the admin panel and via the API. They can be re-enabled at any time.
Sync delay (Cloud only). Changes to dictionaries, such as creation, status updates, or word changes, require a short time to synchronize. A notification will appear in the admin panel confirming synchronization is in progress.
Applying a dictionary to your web application
Use the customDictionaryIds configuration parameter to specify which dictionary or dictionaries to load. Pass the Dictionary ID that was assigned when the dictionary was created (Cloud) or that you defined in CustDictConfig.xml (self-hosted).
If customDictionaryIds isn't specified, all active (enabled) organization dictionaries for the subscription are applied by default.
Configuration by integration
WProofreader SDK (including CKEditor 5 plugin)
customDictionaryIds: 'DicId'
SCAYT plugin for CKEditor 4
config.scayt_customDictionaryIds = 'DicId'
Example: WProofreader initialization with an organization dictionary
To load multiple dictionaries, pass their IDs as a comma-separated string:
Targeting specific user groups
By default, organization dictionaries apply to the entire subscription (Cloud) or to all users (self-hosted). If you can programmatically distinguish users, for example by role, department, or region, you can pass different customDictionaryIds values for different user groups in the WProofreader configuration.
Verifying the dictionary works
Clear your browser cache before testing.
Go to your web page and enter words that have been added to the dictionary. They shouldn't be flagged as misspellings.
Misspell one of the dictionary words. With the algorithmic spelling engine, the correct form should appear in the suggestions list.
Word rules
Words added to an organization dictionary must follow these rules:
Max 63 characters per word
No spaces
No dots at the start or end
No punctuation or special characters
Words are validated at request time. Invalid words reject the request before any action runs. Words that already exist in the standard dictionary are skipped and not added.
Limitations
Max dictionaries per account
50
Max dictionary size
500 KB per dictionary (approximately 100,000 English words; varies by word length and language)
Max characters per word
63
Dictionary name (Cloud)
Max 50 characters. Latin characters and/or digits only. Must be unique.
Language
Can't create a dictionary for "autodetect" or grammar-only languages (such as Simplified Chinese and Japanese)
If a wordlist exceeds the size limit, split it into multiple dictionaries.
API reference
The custom_dictionary API provides full programmatic management of organization dictionaries, including creating and deleting dictionaries, adding and removing words, listing dictionaries, enabling or disabling dictionaries, and editing metadata.
Authorization requires an access key. For Cloud, the key can be found on the Credentials page in the admin panel.
Organization dictionary API reference →
Managing dictionaries
For step-by-step instructions on creating, editing, and deleting organization dictionaries, refer to the guide for your deployment:
FAQ
Can I apply different dictionaries to different user groups?
Yes. If you can programmatically distinguish users in your application, you can pass different customDictionaryIds values in the WProofreader configuration for different groups.
Can I create a dictionary for the autodetect language?
No. Organization dictionaries are language-dependent and must be created for a specific language. You also can't create dictionaries for grammar-only languages such as Simplified Chinese and Japanese.
Why aren't some words I added appearing in the dictionary?
Words that already exist in the standard spell-check dictionary are automatically skipped. Only unique words that aren't part of the standard vocabulary are added.
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