There are many methods you can use to edit note durations; see Simple Entry and Speedy Entry for more details.
To dot a note
- Choose the Speedy Entry tool
. Click the measure you want to edit. The editing frame appears. - Hold down
- Press the period (.) key. The note is now dotted. By pressing the period key again, you’ll add a second dot, and so on. You can add up to ten dots to a note. (If Finale tells you There Are Too Many Beats before you’re finished editing this measure, deselect Speedy > Jump to Next Measure.)
To remove a dot from a note
- Choose the Simple Entry tool
. Choose the Eraser tool 
in the Simple Entry palette. - Click the dot to remove it.
To change the position of all dots
- Choose Document > Document Options and select Augmentation Dots. The Document Options - Augmentation Dot dialog box appears.
- Enter a new value in the Space Between Dot and Note text box. This value determines how far away the dot will be from the note. The higher the number, the farther to the right the dot will be (and the more space there will be between dots when there is more than one). The units are whatever you’ve selected under
- Click OK (or press
To change the position of a single dot
- Choose the Special Tools tool
. The Special Tools Palette appears. - Choose the Dot tool
. - Click the measure you want to edit. A handle appears on each dotted note.
- Edit the dot positioning manually or numerically.
- Click on the handle of the dot you want to move and drag it to its new position.
- Double-click the handle of the note whose dot positions you want to change. The Dot Offsets dialog box appears, where you can enter positioning values for this dot. The units are whatever you’ve specified under
The Horizontal and Vertical Offsets represent distances you want added to the horizontal and vertical coordinates of the dot, respectively, as measured from its default position. A higher Horizontal Offset value means farther to the right; a higher Vertical Offset value means upward. (A change of 6 points moves the dot one space [the distance between two staff lines].) The Inter-dot Spacing sets the distance between the dots of a note that has more than one dot.
To remove individual dot positioning
- Choose the Special Tools tool . The Special Tools Palette appears.
- Choose the Dot tool .
- Click the measure you want to edit. A handle appears on each dotted note.
- Click the handle of the note whose dot you want to restore to its original position.
- Press DELETE.
