Document Structure
Chapter 2: Organizing your specifications for maximum clarity
The Perfect Specification Template
A well-structured document guides readers through your requirements logically. Here's the proven template we recommend for all application specifications:
1. Executive Summary
One paragraph overview of the project, its purpose, and expected outcomes.
"We need an inventory management system to replace our spreadsheet-based tracking. The system should handle 500+ SKUs, provide real-time stock levels, and integrate with our existing Odoo sales module. Expected outcome: 50% reduction in stock-outs and 30% faster order fulfillment."
2. Business Context
Current situation, problems faced, and why this solution is needed now.
• Current process description
• Pain points and inefficiencies
• Cost of not solving this problem
• Business impact metrics
3. Users and Roles
Who will use the system and what they need to accomplish.
Warehouse Manager: Views dashboards, approves transfers
Stock Clerk: Records receipts, performs counts
Sales Team: Checks availability, reserves stock
4. Functional Requirements
Detailed features and capabilities, organized by module or user flow.
FR1. [MUST] System shall track product quantities by location
FR2. [MUST] System shall alert when stock falls below minimum
FR3. [SHOULD] System shall suggest reorder quantities
FR4. [NICE] System shall predict future stock needs
5. Data Requirements
What information needs to be stored, imported, or integrated.
• Data fields and types
• Validation rules
• Import sources and formats
• Integration points
6. User Interface Requirements
How users will interact with the system.
"Dashboard should show key metrics at a glance"
"Product search must be accessible from any screen"
"Mobile-responsive for warehouse tablet use"
7. Business Rules
Logic, calculations, and constraints that govern the system.
• "Orders cannot exceed available stock + pending deliveries"
• "Minimum stock = 2 weeks average sales + safety buffer"
• "Only managers can override stock warnings"
8. Success Criteria
How to measure if the implementation meets your needs.
✓ Process 100 transactions per hour
✓ Generate reports in under 5 seconds
✓ Zero data loss during migration
✓ 95% user task completion without training
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