2.5.1.4 NONE — Manual layout entry

NONE — Manual layout entry

2.5.1d   layout

When the None layout type is selected in Spectre Cloud, no layout system is applied to the spec sheet. Instead of being guided through a structured set of layout inputs, the driller enters layout information freely in a manual text field. This option suits shops that use a layout method not supported by Spectre Cloud's built-in systems, prefer to record layout notes in their own format, or work with bowlers whose layouts are defined externally — by a coach or ball manufacturer's rep, for example.

📋 What "None" Means in Practice

Selecting None does not mean layout information is excluded from the spec sheet — it means Spectre Cloud does not enforce a specific input structure for that information. The layout section of the spec sheet becomes a free-form record rather than a guided form.

• ✅ Full freedom to record any layout system, notation, or shorthand your shop uses.
• ✅ Useful for shops that work with manufacturer's reps or coaches who provide layouts in their own format.
• ✅ Suitable for shops in transition between layout systems — layouts can be recorded consistently while the team settles on a standard method.
• ✅ Works as a catch-all for unusual or hybrid layouts that don't fit cleanly into VLS, 2LS, or Dual Angle.
• ❌ No structured data means Spectre Cloud cannot validate inputs, auto-suggest values, or cross-reference layout history in a structured way.
• ❌ Arsenal Plus layout features — suggested layouts, layout conversion, and 3D rendering — require a structured layout type and are not available when None is selected. ⚠️ Verify with your Spectre team: confirm whether Arsenal Plus features are fully unavailable for None-type spec sheets, or whether some features remain accessible.
• ❌ Free-form entries are harder to search, filter, and compare across a bowler's history than structured layout data.

Note: If your shop uses a consistent layout method that happens to not be one of Spectre Cloud's three built-in systems, consider contacting the BowlDevs team at spectrebowling.com to request its addition. In the meantime, None with manual entry is a practical interim solution.

🛠️ Using Manual Layout Entry on a Spec Sheet

1. Open or create a spec sheet for the bowler.
2. In the layout section, confirm the layout type is set to None — either because it is the account default (see 2.5.1) or because you have selected it manually for this sheet.
3. Enter the layout information in the free-form text field using whatever notation your shop or the bowler's coach uses. ⚠️ Verify with your Spectre team: confirm whether the None layout section is a single open text field, multiple labeled free-form fields, or something else.
4. Be as descriptive as needed — since there is no enforced structure, clarity in your own notation is the only safeguard against ambiguity when the sheet is reviewed later.
5. Save the spec sheet. The manual layout entry is stored in the bowler's history alongside all other spec sheet data.

✨ Tips for Consistent Manual Layout Records

Without a structured input format, the quality of manual layout records depends entirely on how consistently they are entered. A few simple conventions go a long way:

• ✅ Agree on a house notation standard with your team and apply it consistently — for example, always recording pin distance before drilling angle, in the same unit and format.
• ✅ Include the layout system name at the start of the entry if your shop uses more than one — for example, CATS: 4.5 / 60 / 35 or Coach layout: pin 4" at 45°, MB 2" below VAL.
• ✅ Note the source of the layout if it came from outside the shop — for example, Storm rep recommendation or Coach John — 2024 season.
• ✅ Record the ball's RG and differential in the notes if they are relevant to understanding the layout — this context is easily lost when the layout is not linked to a structured system.
• ✅ If the bowler transitions to a structured layout system in future, keep the None-type spec sheets in their history — they provide a useful baseline for comparison.

📊 None vs. Structured Layout Types — When to Use Each

🔄 Switching from None to a Structured Layout Type

If your shop decides to adopt VLS, 2LS, or Dual Angle after a period of using None, existing spec sheets with manual layout entries are not affected — they remain in the bowler's history exactly as recorded. Going forward, new spec sheets will use whichever structured type you set as the account default in 2.5.1.

• ✅ Update the account default in Settings → 2.5.1 to the new layout type.
• ✅ Existing None-type spec sheets remain accessible in the bowler's history for reference.
• ✅ For active bowlers, consider creating a new structured spec sheet for their next ball to begin building a clean layout history going forward.

☁️ Scope of the None Default

As with all layout type settings, selecting None as the account default applies to all new spec sheets across all devices. Individual sheets can be set to a structured layout type at any time regardless of the account default. ⚠️ Verify with your Spectre team: confirm per-user vs. per-account/shop scope, consistent with the open question carried across 2.3.5 through 2.5.x.

Related Sections

• 2.5.1 — Default layout type: VLS, 2LS, Dual Angle, None
• 2.5.1.1 — VLS: Storm layout system for bowlers using their thumb
• 2.5.1.2 — 2LS: Storm layout system for two-handed bowlers
• 2.5.1.3 — PAL / Dual Angle system
• 4.x — Spec Sheet: selecting and entering a layout
• 9.x — Tips and Troubleshooting: what to do if your layout system isn't supported

Tip: None is not a lesser option — it is the right choice whenever the built-in systems don't match your workflow. A clearly written manual layout entry is always preferable to forcing a bowler's fitting data into a structured system it doesn't actually fit.

```