# 4.2.2 Naming a spec sheet (ball name, date, notes)
# Naming a spec sheet (ball name, date, notes)
4.2.2step-by-step
When you create a new spec sheet, Spectre Cloud asks you to identify the ball and add any relevant context before drilling details are entered. The three fields — **ball name**, **date**, and **notes** — form the spec sheet's identity and make it easy to find, review, and compare records later.
## 🎳 Ball Name
The **Ball Name** field is the primary label for the spec sheet. It appears in the bowler's spec sheet list, in their arsenal, and on any printed or exported records.
- ✅ Enter the full ball name as it appears on the ball or packaging — for example, `Storm Phaze II` or `Hammer Black Widow 2.0`.
- ✅ Be consistent with naming across clients so searches and comparisons are easier.
- ✅ If the bowler has more than one of the same ball model, consider adding a distinguishing suffix — for example, `Storm Phaze II (spare)` or `Storm Phaze II #2`.
- ❌ Avoid abbreviations or shorthand that only make sense to you — other staff members accessing the record should immediately understand which ball is being described.
**Arsenal Plus tip:** If the **Arsenal Plus** plugin is active, you can also link a spec sheet to a ball in the bowler's arsenal using barcode scanning or the `bowlingdatabase.com` integration, which can pre-fill ball details automatically. See *Arsenal Plus — Linking Spec Sheets to Arsenal Balls* for details.
## 🗓️ Date
The **Date** field records when the ball was drilled or when the spec sheet was created. Spectre Cloud defaults this to today's date, but you can change it to reflect the actual drill date if you are entering a record retroactively.
- ✅ The date is displayed in the spec sheet list, making it easy to identify the most recent drilling for a given ball.
- ✅ Accurate dates are especially useful when a bowler has multiple spec sheets for the same ball model drilled at different times.
- ✅ When reviewing a bowler's history, spec sheets are sorted chronologically — a correct date keeps the timeline accurate.
- ❌ Leaving a retroactive entry with today's date can cause confusion when reviewing a bowler's drilling history over time.
## 📋 Notes
The **Notes** field is a free-text area for any additional context about this spec sheet that does not belong in the drilling fields themselves.
### Common uses for Notes
- ✅ Recording why a layout was chosen — for example: `Switched to stronger layout for heavier oil at regional tournament.`
- ✅ Logging any post-drill adjustments, such as surface changes or weight hole additions.
- ✅ Flagging follow-up items — for example: `Bowler wants to try this layout on a different core next season.`
- ✅ Noting the staff member who performed the drilling if your shop tracks this outside of a formal job board workflow.
- ✅ Adding context for a cloned spec sheet — for example: `Cloned from Blue Hammer, adjusted for asymmetric core.`
**Tip:** The Notes field is plain text — keep entries concise and scannable. If your shop uses the **Job Board** plugin, detailed service history per ball lives there instead, and Notes can stay brief.
## 📌 How These Fields Appear in Spectre Cloud
Field
Where it appears
Editable after saving?
**Ball Name**
Spec sheet list, arsenal view, print/export
✅ Yes
**Date**
Spec sheet list, drilling history timeline
✅ Yes
**Notes**
Spec sheet detail view
✅ Yes
**Note:** All three fields can be updated at any time by opening the spec sheet and editing the header section. Changes are saved to the cloud immediately and sync across all devices. *Verify with Spectre team: confirm whether editing the date or ball name on a spec sheet linked to an arsenal ball updates the arsenal entry as well.*
### Related Sections
- 4.2.1 — Creating a new spec sheet
- 4.2.3 — Selecting span type (F, C, O)
- 4.3 — Cloning a spec sheet
- 7.1 — Arsenal overview (linking balls to spec sheets)
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