9.1.1 Recommended Settings configuration for a new pro shop

Recommended Settings configuration for a new pro shop

9.1.1   TIP   best practice

When setting up Spectre Cloud for the first time, the Settings section contains more options than most new operators expect — and the choices made here shape how the app behaves across every spec sheet, every Oval Calculator run, and every printed document your shop produces. Getting the configuration right at the start is significantly easier than correcting a mis-set option after dozens of spec sheets have been created against it. This page walks through the recommended Settings configuration for a new pro shop, in the order that makes the most sense to work through.

📌 Where to Find Settings

All settings covered on this page are accessed from the same location:

1. Click or tap your pro shop name in the top-right corner of any Spectre Cloud screen.
2. Select Settings from the dropdown menu.
3. Work through the sections described below in order.

🏢 Step 1 — Shop Display Information

Before configuring any technical settings, confirm that your shop's display information is accurate. This information appears on every printed spec sheet and document your shop produces — getting it right now means every document from the first drilling onward is correctly branded.

• ✅ Pro shop name — enter your full trading name exactly as you want it to appear on spec sheets.
• ✅ Address — your shop's physical address.
• ✅ Phone number — the number bowlers should use to contact you.
• ✅ Email address — confirm this is the address you monitor for billing and account notifications.
• ✅ Logo — upload a high-resolution PNG with a transparent background if available.

📌 Note: See section 8.1.1 for detailed guidance on each display information field. Complete this step before moving to technical settings — a shop name or address that needs to be corrected later does not retroactively update documents already printed.

🌍 Step 2 — Language

Set the app interface language to match your shop's working language. Spectre Cloud supports English, French, and Spanish. The language setting affects the app interface — field labels, menu items, and system messages — but does not translate free-text content you have entered, such as bowler names or spec sheet notes.

• ✅ Set language before entering any bowler data — the interface is most legible in the language you will be reading it in during a live fitting.
• ✅ For multi-staff shops where staff members work in different languages, each user account can set its own language preference independently.

📏 Step 3 — Measurement Units

Set your preferred unit system for measurements. Spectre Cloud supports both imperial and metric entry for applicable fields. Most bowling pro shop measurements — hole sizes, spans, pitches, oval cuts — are expressed in imperial fractions in North America and may differ in other markets.

• ✅ Choose the unit system that matches how you physically measure — if your measuring tape is in inches, set imperial. If your tools use millimetres, set metric.
• ✅ Confirm the unit setting before entering any spec sheet data — switching units after spec sheets have been created in a different unit system creates inconsistency in the historical record.

⚠️ Verify with Spectre team: Confirm which specific fields support metric entry and whether switching units after initial setup converts existing records or leaves them as originally entered.

🎳 Step 4 — Span Type Default

Set the default span type that will be pre-selected on every new spec sheet. Choose the type that matches how your shop physically measures spans — the default can be overridden on individual spec sheets, but setting it correctly here means one fewer decision to make during every fitting.

• ✅ Full Span (F) — back edge of thumb hole to back edge of finger hole. Most common for fingertip and conventional fitting in North America.
• ✅ Cut to Cut (C) — near edge of thumb hole to near edge of finger hole. Used by some fitting systems as an alternative standard.
• ✅ Oval (O) — measured to the centre of the oval cut. Used when the oval is the primary span reference.
• ✅ Choose the span type your entire shop uses consistently — if different drillers use different span types, resolve that inconsistency at this stage rather than letting it persist in the spec sheet record.

⚙️ Step 5 — Oval Calculator Settings

The Oval Calculator settings are the most consequential configuration decisions for day-to-day spec sheet production. Work through each in order:

Oval Cut Direction

Select the option that matches your drill press setup:

• ✅ NONE — for experienced fitters who determine oval cuts manually, shops with non-directional presses, or any workflow where a single oval value without axis labels is preferred. See sections 5.5.1–5.5.3 for full guidance.
• ✅ Forward / Back (F/B) — for presses where the oval axis runs forward and back relative to the grip.
• ✅ Left / Right (L/R) — for presses where the oval axis runs laterally.

Oval Calculation Method

Choose between EDGE and CENTER based on your fitting philosophy and the bowler profile your shop primarily serves:

• ✅ EDGE — anchors pitch at the leading edge of the oval. More accurate for bowlers with meaningful forward pitch and larger oval cuts. Recommended default for most active fitting shops.
• ✅ CENTER — anchors pitch at the geometric centre of the oval. Appropriate for recreational fits, small ovals, or shops maintaining legacy record continuity. See sections 5.6.1–5.6.5 for full guidance.

Add Pitch Thumb

Determines whether thumb pitch is included in the finger oval calculation:

• ✅ Off — recommended default for most shops. Start with this off and enable it deliberately for specific competitive bowlers where full grip geometry matters.
• ✅ On — for performance-focused shops serving predominantly competitive bowlers with significant thumb pitch.

Oval Degree Increment

Set the resolution at which oval angles are expressed:

• ✅ 5° — recommended default for most shops. Matches the graduation resolution of standard drill press angle settings.
• ✅ 1° — for shops with precision equipment capable of single-degree accuracy, or performance-focused operations where the additional resolution is meaningful. See section 5.6.6 for full guidance.

Flip V/H on Oval Cuts

Controls whether Vertical and Horizontal oval cut labels are swapped to match your press axis convention:

• ✅ Run a test hole on a scrap ball or plug before setting this — physical confirmation is more reliable than assumption. See sections 5.7.1–5.7.2 for the test procedure and worked example.
• ✅ Set this correctly before creating any spec sheets — oval orientation errors traced back to a Flip V/H misconfiguration affect every spec sheet created while the setting was wrong.

🔌 Step 6 — Plugins

Review which plugins are active on your account and confirm they match your shop's current needs. Each plugin adds a monthly charge to your subscription — enable only those you will actively use from the start. Plugins can be added at any time as your shop's needs evolve.

🔔 Step 7 — Notification Preferences

Configure which notifications you receive and how. For a new single-operator shop, the recommended starting configuration is:

• ✅ All billing and security notifications enabled by email — these are critical and should never be missed.
• ✅ Product update notifications enabled — as a new user, feature announcements and tips from the Spectre team are more useful at this stage than after you have established routines.
• ✅ Workflow notifications set to your preference — enable in-app notifications if you find the reminders helpful; disable email workflow notifications for a solo operator who generates all the activity themselves.

See section 8.1.4 for full notification configuration guidance and recommended settings by shop type.

🖥️ Step 8 — Layout System Default

Set your preferred layout system — the system that will be pre-selected on every new spec sheet's layout section. Choose the system your shop uses consistently:

• ✅ VLS — for IBPSIA-trained operators following standard curriculum.
• ✅ 2LS — for shops preferring streamlined entry with fewer input values.
• ✅ PAL — for PAP-focused fitters and competitive bowler specialists.
• ✅ Manual — for shops using a proprietary system or manufacturer-guided layouts.

✅ Settings Configuration Checklist

Related Sections

• 8.1.1 — Updating your pro shop name and display information
• 8.1.4 — Managing notification preferences
• 5.5.1 — Setting up: Oval Cut Direction = NONE in Settings
• 5.6.5 — Choosing EDGE vs. CENTER: which method fits which bowler
• 5.7.1 — Using Flip V/H on oval cuts to match your machine's axis
• 6.1.1 — Step 1: Create the bowler profile

✨ Tip: Once you have completed this checklist, drill a test ball with a full first-ball workflow — create a bowler profile, build a spec sheet, run the Oval Calculator, add the ball to the Arsenal, review the spec sheet, and drill. The test run surfaces any setting that was not configured quite right before it affects a real customer's equipment. Thirty minutes on a scrap ball at setup saves hours of correction later.