Logos Shortcut List, Part 1/5 – Practical Tips from Dr. John Fallahee

Program Scaling & Quick Access

Default UI scaling can feel off when you switch screens or devices. Click the three-dot menu (top-right), choose "Program Scaling," and pick a preset. For exact control, type set programming scaling to 121% (or any value) directly in the menu. To make this setting instantly available, create a Favorites entry: open Favorites, type the scaling command, press Enter, then drag the entry to the Shortcut toolbar for one-click access.

Creating a Reading Plan – Two Efficient Paths

Path A – Documents shortcut: Navigate to Documents → New → Reading Plan, select a Bible or book, search for existing plans by keyword, and start. This path is great for planning across multiple books.

Path B – From within a book: While viewing a book, click Formatting → Reading Plans → New Reading Plan. The plan defaults to the current book, letting you set scope (entire Bible or a selected range), choose a recommended reading time, and specify exact passages. You can also set start dates, frequency (e.g., Mon‑Thu), and end criteria (fixed date, minutes per day, chapters, or sessions). After finishing, Logos generates reports you can export to Outlook or view as calendar, list, or overview cards. Drag the reading‑plan card to the Shortcut toolbar for quick launch.

Study Assistant – AI‑Powered Quick Answers

Logos includes an AI‑assisted Study Assistant that returns concise, one‑page answers with live links. Ask a question like "Explain the difference between justification by Paul and justification by James," and you’ll receive a short response with links to relevant resources. To share the answer, click Copy Link, then paste it into a Note; the link stays live and can be opened directly. Save only the link (not the full text) to keep notes lightweight and easily refreshed. The Copy All button creates a block of all related info for sermon or study sheet use.

Smart Search by Collection

When searching "All Books" becomes overwhelming, use the AI‑enhanced search bar, then click Books → Smart Search and pick a specific collection (e.g., "John MacArthur"). The results are limited to that collection, keeping the thread coherent. In the synopsis box, click "Continue in Study Assistant" to keep the same collection context without re‑selecting it.

Book Filter (Collections)

Access Collections via Tools → Collections or by typing "collect". Collections can group authors, book types (commentaries, dictionaries), study methods, publication dates, or custom tags. Embed collections in Custom Guides for powerful, context‑aware searches — e.g., a guide that pulls in "Concise Expositional" and "Exegetical" collections for a passage.

Dashboard / Home‑Page Shortcut

Click the Dashboard/Home‑page grid icon. This universal launch pad lets you type any question (e.g., "What is the significance of the veil being torn in Matthew 27:51?") and Logos routes you straight to the relevant tool (Study Assistant, Maps, etc.) without digging through menus.

Biblical Maps – Hidden Gem

Find maps via Library → type "biblical maps". Switch to Details view for richer info, then change the sort order to Rank (instead of alphabetical) to see relevance‑based ordering. Use Ctrl+F (Windows) or Cmd+F (Mac) to type a location (e.g., "Jericho"), then zoom and pan with scroll‑wheel and drag. Click the Google shortcut (top‑left) to open a modern map showing the ancient site’s rough contemporary location. This bridges ancient geography with today’s maps for sermon prep and personal study.

Word Studies & Linked Lexicons

Click the Bible icon to open a Bible quickly, then go to Guides → type "word study" → select "Bible Word Study". Use the three‑dot menu to choose a Link Set (e.g., Link Set A) that applies to both the Bible and the study report. Click any word (e.g., "created") to jump directly to its entry. Right‑click, collapse all but the Lemma tab, drag the Lemma tab beside the Bible window, and link them via Home → Link Set A. The report updates automatically when you move from Old to New Testament, switching dictionaries as needed.

Advanced Linking – Preserve Context

To keep your Bible visible while opening a dictionary or commentary, right‑click the Bible title and choose "Open in a new window." The original Bible stays in its own window, letting you read the reference without losing your place in the text.

Practical Take‑aways

• Drag toolbar buttons or Favorites entries to the Shortcut toolbar for one‑click access.
• Pin frequently used items (reading‑plan cards, devotional links) to the home page for instant visibility.
• Use the Study Assistant early; copy its link to share or embed in notes.
• Organize your library with collections and embed them in custom guides for focused searches.
• Leverage Biblical Maps rank view and the Google shortcut to move fluidly between ancient and modern geography.
• Choose a reading‑plan schedule that fits your lifestyle to avoid burnout.

Quick Reference List (Shortcuts 1‑9)

#	Shortcut / Feature	How to Activate (Key Steps)
1	Program Scaling (set exact %)	Three‑dot menu → “Program Scaling” → type set programming scaling to 121% (or desired %).
2	Add scaling to Favorites/Shortcut toolbar	Tools → “fav” → create entry → drag to Favorites or Shortcut toolbar → rename if desired.
3	Create Reading Plan (Documents path)	Documents → New → Reading Plan → choose book/custom → search & start.
4	Create Reading Plan (from book)	While in a book → Formatting → Reading Plans → New → pick range, schedule, finish criteria.
5	Export/ view reading‑plan reports	After finishing → Overview, Calendar, List views appear; export to Outlook if needed.
6	Drag reading‑plan card to shortcut/home page	Click‑drag the card to desired toolbar or home‑page spot.
7	Study Assistant – ask & get concise answer	Click Study Assistant (or type question on Dashboard) → receive one‑page answer with links.
8	Copy link from Study Assistant	Click Copy Link → paste into Notes or other docs.
9	Smart search by collection	Search bar → type query → click Books → Smart Search → select collection (e.g., John MacArthur).

These shortcuts and features help you navigate Logos more efficiently, so you can spend more time studying the Bible and less time hunting for tools.