How to input clear jazz chord symbols with Finale

(In this post, I'm specifically referring to the 2008 version of Finale, but I reckon it should all work in a similar fashion with other versions of the software...)

I don't find the basic chord symbols from the "Chord Suffix Selection" scroll box fully satisfying... Thankfully though, Finale does offer a better alternative to input clear jazz chord symbols; just follow these simple steps... (Please note that in order to achieve satisfactory results, you will need to have selected "Handwritten Style (Jazz Font)" in the "Document Setup Wizard")

1. Click on the "CHORD TOOL" button in the "Main Tool Palette" and make sure "Manual Input" in the "Chord" drop-down menu is ticked. Click on a note or a rest in the score and the "Chord Definition" box pops up.
2. In the "Chord Symbol:" field, type the root of the chord you want to input (e.g. "C") followed by an "x" (for example... all I really did here is choose a chord suffix that isn't common.) Then press the "OK" button and the following message pops up: "Could not find suffix "x". Would you like to add it to the chord suffix library?". At that point, click on the "Yes" button and the "Chord Suffix Editor" box pops up.
3. Click on the "Set Font..." button and the "Font" box pops up. Select "JazzCord" from the "Font:" scroll box and input "20" or "21" in the "Size:" field - I tend to use "21" for "ma7" chords and "20" for all other chords (if I'm using the "triangle" symbol for major chords, I set the size to "20" too) - then click on the "OK" button.
4. Finally click on the "Symbol" button ("Chord Suffix Editor" box) and a whole collection of good looking chord symbols appears! Choose the one you need and click on the "Select" button. To finalize your choice, click on the "OK" button ("Chord Suffix Editor" box) and there you have it!!

Now the good news is: your newly created chord symbol will now figure at the very end of the "Chord Suffix Selection" box (which you can access by clicking on the "Select..." button under the "Suffix" section of the "Chord Definition" box).
 

Enjoy the newly acquired clarity of your lead sheets!