---
title: "Oxford Comma"
description: "The Oxford or serial comma is a comma placed immediately before a coordinating conjunction (and, or) in a series of 3 or more items. In literature, the Oxford comma can clarify the meaning of a sentence and allow you to avoid misunderstandings."
canonical: "https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/styleguide/tw/oxford_comma.html"
breadcrumb: "Style Guide > Punctuation > Comma > Oxford Comma"
dateModified: "2026-09-03"
---

# Oxford Comma

The Oxford or serial comma is a comma placed immediately before a coordinating conjunction (*and, or*) in a series of 3 or more items.

In literature, the Oxford comma can clarify the meaning of a sentence and allow you to avoid misunderstandings. Compare the following: *This book is dedicated to my parents, Lady Gaga and Marilyn Manson* and *This book is dedicated to my parents, Lady Gaga, and Marilyn Manson*.

In technical documentation, the Oxford comma can barely clarify the meaning of a sentence. Compare the following: *With Veeam Backup & Replication, you can perform backup, replication and restore procedures* and *With Veeam Backup & Replication, you can perform backup, replication, and restore procedures*.

Many style guides, including the [Chicago Manual of Style](https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/), recommend that you use the Oxford comma no matter what. Yet others, including the [Associated Press Style Guide](https://www.apstylebook.com/) and the [University of Oxford Style Guide](http://www.ox.ac.uk/public-affairs/style-guide), recommend that you use the Oxford comma only when a sentence without the comma could be misinterpreted by the reader.

In Veeam technical documentation, we have decided to use the Oxford comma only when a series of items in a sentence contains multiple modifiers.

## Examples

1. With Veeam Backup & Replication, you can efficiently [archive]{.mdhl-correct} multiple backup files to tape at once using the same media pool, [reduce]{.mdhl-correct} tape consumption but maintain long retention policies with a dedicated media pool[, and automatically copy]{.mdhl-correct} backup files produced by Veeam backup jobs.
2. [Click]{.mdhl-correct} **Custom Level**, [scroll down]{.mdhl-correct} to the **User Authentication** options[, and s]{.mdhl-correct}elect the **Automatic Logon with Current User Name and Password** option.
3. In the **Domain** and **Account** fields, [enter]{.mdhl-correct} the user or group name and domain to which the user or group belongs[, and]{.mdhl-correct} click **Find**.
4. If your SMTP server requires authentication, [switch]{.mdhl-correct} to the **Configuration** tab, [select]{.mdhl-correct} the **Use Authentication** check box[, and specify]{.mdhl-correct} authentication credentials in the **User** and **Password** fields.
5. You can pass various parameters into the script, including [credentials]{.mdhl-correct}, runtime [variables]{.mdhl-correct} (such as *vm_name,* *plan_state* and so on)[, and any other custom parameters]{.mdhl-correct} you require.
6. When a plan is in the *IN USE* mode, you can [switch]{.mdhl-correct} to the **Plan Details** page, [select]{.mdhl-correct} a VM being recovered in the **Virtual Machines** colum[, and click]{.mdhl-correct} the **VM Console** link to connect directly to the VM desktop. 
7. To generate a report based on a modified template, you must [create]{.mdhl-correct} a clone of an out-of-the-box template, [edit]{.mdhl-correct} the template using Microsoft Word integration[, and select]{.mdhl-correct} it as the Report Template for the plan. 
8. This will [reset]{.mdhl-correct} the current state, [clear]{.mdhl-correct} the change log [and return]{.mdhl-correct} all parameter settings to their default values. *[no comma required]*
9. For more information on how to group VMs using a [single property]{.mdhl-correct}, [vCenter Server tags]{.mdhl-correct} [and multiple conditions]{.mdhl-correct}, see the full User Guide. *[no comma required]*
10. Orchestrator adds the capability to easily [create]{.mdhl-correct} multiple test environments, [perform]{.mdhl-correct} full application verification [and generate]{.mdhl-correct} detailed reporting. *[no comma required]*
11. Backup infrastructure objects: backup [repositories]{.mdhl-correct}, scale-out backup [repositories]{.mdhl-correct}, [tape libraries]{.mdhl-correct} [and tape vaults]{.mdhl-correct}. *[no comma required]*
12. The solution leverages the [backup]{.mdhl-correct}, [replication]{.mdhl-correct}, [failover]{.mdhl-correct} [and restore]{.mdhl-correct} capabilities of Veeam Backup & Replication. *[no comma required]*
13. The solution allows you to automate [deployment]{.mdhl-correct}, [configuration]{.mdhl-correct} [and management]{.mdhl-correct} of Veeam backup agents. *[no comma required]*
14. Virtual infrastructure objects: [vCenter Servers]{.mdhl-correct}, [datacenters]{.mdhl-correct}, [clusters]{.mdhl-correct} [and hosts]{.mdhl-correct}. *[no comma required]*