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Matt Guerra
  1. 01AI & Automation
  2. 02Photography
  3. 03Design
  4. 04About
  5. 05Notes
  6. 06Contact
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format-spec.md

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skills/sop-author/references/format-spec.md

  1. # Meridian SOP Format Specification
  3. This is the authoritative spec for what a Meridian Display Co. company SOP looks like as a .docx. Match it. The canonical example is `assets/template.docx` (the source of which is `SOP_EXAMPLE_04-2026_MG.docx`, by Matt Guerra).
  5. ## Filename
  7. ```
  8. SOP_<Process Title>_<MM-YYYY>_<Author Initials>.docx
  9. ```
  11. - `Process Title`: Title Case, words separated by spaces. (Some past SOPs used hyphens; the documented company standard allows spaces.)
  12. - `MM-YYYY`: two-digit month, four-digit year, **dash** between them. The dash matters: filesystems disallow `/` in filenames. Inside the document, dates render with a slash (`04/2026`).
  13. - `Author Initials`: two letters (occasionally three to disambiguate). All caps.
  15. Optional prefixes/infixes:
  17. - `DRAFT_` at the very beginning for work-in-progress.
  18. - `_TEMPLATE` immediately before the date for master templates.
  20. Examples:
  22. | Filename | Meaning |
  23. |---|---|
  24. | `SOP_Client Onboarding_07-2025_HO.docx` | Final, owned by HO, effective July 2025 |
  25. | `DRAFT_SOP_Mockup Handoff_05-2026_MG.docx` | Draft of a Mockup Handoff SOP, MG, May 2026 |
  26. | `SOP_PO Form_TEMPLATE_07-2025_TB.docx` | Reusable template for PO Forms |
  28. ## Page setup
  30. - **Page size:** US Letter (8.5" × 11"). Default in python-docx; do not change.
  31. - **Margins:** 1 inch (sometimes 1.25" on left/right; both are acceptable). The helper script uses 1" all around.
  32. - **Orientation:** Portrait.
  34. ## Title bar (top of document)
  36. A single-cell table at the very top, light blue background tint (#EAF2F8 works well; the source example uses a similar tint).
  38. Two lines of content inside the cell:
  40. - **Line 1:** `SOP | <Process Title>` in Arial Bold 16pt, color Meridian Navy (#1F3A5F).
  41. - **Line 2:** Folder context or scope path in Courier New 10pt, color Meridian Navy (#1F3A5F).
  43. Example:
  44. - Line 1: `SOP | Mockup File Naming Convention`
  45. - Line 2: `07 - Mockup Artwork Files`
  47. ## Metadata table
  49. A 4-column, 2-row table immediately under the title bar. Header row light blue (#D6EAF8). All cells Arial 11pt, headers bold.
  51. | File Name | Category | Owner | Effective Date |
  52. |---|---|---|---|
  53. | (filename without `.docx`) | Operations / Design / etc. | Full name | MM/YYYY |
  55. The File Name cell omits the `.docx` extension. The Effective Date renders with a slash (`04/2026`), not a dash.
  57. Categories used in the existing SOPs:
  58. - General
  59. - Operations
  60. - Design
  61. - Fulfillment
  62. - Sales / MAS (Marketing/Automation/Sales)
  63. - HR
  64. - Leadership
  65. - Finance
  66. - Websites
  68. Some SOPs additionally append a 5-row 2-column *footer* metadata table near the end with `File Name / Category / Owner / Effective Date / Updated Date`. Use only when the SOP has a known revision cadence and needs to track Updated Date separately.
  70. ## Section structure
  72. ### Required sections (all SOPs)
  74. 1. **Purpose** (Heading 1): one short paragraph: what does this SOP define and why does it exist.
  75. 2. **Scope & Responsibility** (Heading 1): who the SOP applies to and where. Folder paths and team scope.
  77. ### Body sections (Heading 1 each, varying by SOP type)
  79. - **Workflow SOP:** numbered process sections (`1. Setup`, `1.1 Prerequisites`, `2. Execution`, etc.). Use Heading 2 for numbered subsections.
  80. - **Naming Convention SOP:** `Folder Structure`, `Naming Convention`, `Components`, `Examples`, `Rules & Best Practices`, then `Quick Reference Card`.
  81. - **Policy SOP:** `Policy`, `Procedure`, `Responsibilities`.
  83. Pick the type that fits. See `sop-types.md` for which sections each one uses.
  85. ### Closing sections
  87. - **Quick Reference Card** (Heading 1): required for naming-convention SOPs and workflow SOPs. A one-cell box at the end summarizing the format pattern or the high-level step list.
  88. - **How To Find Past Files / Related Resources** (Heading 1): optional, used in naming-convention SOPs that document an existing archive.
  90. ## Body styling
  92. - **Paragraphs:** Arial 11pt, color #000000.
  93. - **Heading 1:** Word's "Heading 1" style. Section titles.
  94. - **Heading 2:** Word's "Heading 2" style. Subsection titles.
  95. - **Heading 3:** Word's "Heading 3" style. Sub-subsection labels (Components, Examples, Rules).
  96. - **Accent subhead (inside a section):** Arial Bold 12pt, color #1F3A5F. For in-section topic labels like "Versioning", "Final Version", "General Formatting Rules".
  97. - **Code, paths, filenames, file patterns:** Courier New (or JetBrains Mono) 10pt, color #1F3A5F. Bold when showing the pattern itself; non-bold for example filenames.
  98. - **Warning callout:** Arial Bold 12pt, color #FF0000. Reserved for hard "do not" rules.
  99. - **Inline note callout:** Italic gray (#434343), 10pt, often in a light-yellow one-cell table.
  101. ## Table styles
  103. - **Title bar:** 1 row × 1 column. Background #EAF2F8.
  104. - **Metadata header (top):** 4 columns × 2 rows. Header row background #D6EAF8.
  105. - **Components table:** 3 columns × N rows. Columns: `Component | Value | Description`. Header row background #D6EAF8. Value column rendered in code style.
  106. - **Examples table:** 3 columns × N rows. Columns: `Folder | Sub DIR | File Name(s)`. Header row background #D6EAF8. Last column rendered in code style.
  107. - **Format spec box:** 1 column × 1 row. Background #EAF2F8. Content is the format pattern in monospace blue bold.
  108. - **Quick reference box:** 1 column × 1 row. Background #EAF2F8. Multi-line monospace content showing the pattern + worked examples.
  109. - **Note box:** 1 column × 1 row. Background #FCF3CF (light yellow). Italic gray text.
  110. - **Metadata footer (optional):** 2 columns × 5 rows. Same color treatment as the header table.
  112. ## What "matches the template" means
  114. A finished SOP should be visually indistinguishable from `SOP_EXAMPLE_04-2026_MG.docx` in everything but content. Open both side by side: the title bar, metadata table, heading styles, colors, table treatments and accent subhead styling should all be identical.
  116. If something visually drifts, it's wrong. The brand standard for SOPs is "boringly consistent." Ines, Matt, and Nora should all be able to ship SOPs that look like the same template did them.
  118. ## Things to NEVER do
  120. - Use a font other than Arial for body or Courier New / JetBrains Mono for code.
  121. - Use a color other than #1F3A5F for the Meridian navy accent. Don't pick "close" blues.
  122. - Skip the metadata table.
  123. - Skip Purpose or Scope & Responsibility.
  124. - Add a logo or letterhead. SOPs are textual.
  125. - Add a footer with page numbers. (Ines's and Matt's existing SOPs don't have these.)
  126. - Use H4 or lower. Three heading levels is enough.
  127. - Use bulleted lists where numbered lists are appropriate (in process steps).
  128. - Use numbered lists where bulleted lists are appropriate (in rules/best practices).