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Tab Specification: [Tab Name]

This is a template. Copy this file once per tab (e.g. tab-specification-inputs.md, tab-specification-dashboard.md) inside tab-specifications/ and replace every bracketed placeholder. This file itself establishes no policy and describes no real tab until filled in.

Identity

  • Tab ID: [TAB-ID]
  • Tab Name: [Display name as it appears on the sheet tab]
  • Purpose: [One or two sentences — what this tab is for]
  • Primary User: [Who is expected to interact with this tab — end customer, power user, internal only]

Visibility and Navigation

  • Visibility: [Visible / Hidden / Very Hidden]
  • Navigation Exposure: [How a user reaches this tab — direct tab click, link from a "Start Here" navigator, not directly exposed]
  • Editable Status: [Fully editable / Partially editable (list unlocked cells) / Read-only]
  • Protection Requirements: [Sheet protection on/off, password expectations, which ranges remain unlocked]
  • Print Behavior: [Included in print set? Print area, page orientation, scaling]

Data

Collected Inputs

Field ID Field Name Cell/Range Data Type Required Notes
[FIELD-ID] [name] [cell ref] [type] [Y/N] [notes]

Calculated Values

Calc ID Name Cell/Range Formula Summary Depends On
[CALC-ID] [name] [cell ref] [plain-language summary, not raw formula] [inputs/other calcs]

Displayed Outputs

Output ID Name Cell/Range Source Format
[OUT-ID] [name] [cell ref] [calc ID or external] [number format, units]

Tables

Table Name Range Purpose Row Growth Expected?
[name] [range or "Excel Table: TableName"] [purpose] [Y/N — see Maximum Expected Record Volume]

Named Ranges

Named Range Refers To Scope Purpose
[name] [cell/range] [workbook/worksheet] [purpose]

Rules and Behavior

  • Validation Rules: [Data validation applied per field — dropdown lists, numeric ranges, custom formulas — reference data-dictionary.md field IDs]
  • Conditional Formatting: [Rules applied, what they signal to the user]
  • Dependencies: [Other tabs this tab reads from or is read by]
  • Error States: [What error conditions can occur on this tab and how they are surfaced to the user — e.g. #REF! prevention, explicit error messages via formula, IFERROR patterns — describe intent, not formula syntax]
  • Maximum Expected Record Volume: [Expected max rows/records this tab must support, and what happens if exceeded]
  • Accessibility Considerations: [Color contrast, reliance on color alone, cell comments/alt text, tab order, screen-reader label clarity]

Acceptance Criteria

  • [ ] [Testable criterion — reference acceptance-criteria.md for the authoritative list; this section summarizes tab-specific criteria only]
  • [ ] [Testable criterion]

This is a template. Replace bracketed placeholders. This file itself establishes no policy.

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