The Size Spec tab houses your Product’s graded measurements as well as your Sample measurements. Building your Specs is made efficient by dynamic linking to your POM Library and your Block Library.
Navigating the Size Spec
When you first open the Size Spec, you land in Point of Measure Mode. Switch to Measure Mode or Compare Mode using the dropdown menu in the top left-hand corner
The Settings Drawer on the right of the page has options to change your Spec’s layout, value format, and Unit of Measure
In Measure Mode, the Settings Drawer has additional options for sample management
Expand or collapse the Settings drawer using the Gear button
The search bar at the top of the page allows you to query for and add Points of Measure from your POM Library, or create and add brand new POMs The Sort selector at the left of the page allows you to switch between your manually-set (custom) POM order to an alphanumeric sort
The Hide Fields selector allows you to hide POMs, columns, and samples from view. Your available options here update as you switch ModesThe 3-dot Overflow Icon at top right allows you to access several other important Spec functions, including Edit Mode (where you add your sizes), Import Block, Download CSV and more
Within the Spec table, you can navigate from cell to cell using your arrow, tab, and return keys
Point of Measure Mode
Use Point of Measure Mode to build your Graded Measurements table. Best practice is to start by adding Sizes, then POMs, and then Base Measurements and Grade Rules.
Defining your Size Range
Open the Overflow Menu by clicking the 3-dot menu at top right and select Edit Size Spec
In the Edit Spec Overlay, select your desired Unit of Measure and Measurement Format
Note you can switch UOM or Format in the Settings drawer later as needed
Choose between Alpha, Numeric or Alphanumeric Size Ranges
Key your first Size in the type bar, hit enter to add it, and repeat for each Size
To correct mistakes, click into the affected Size chip and retype
Drag and drop to rearrange Size chips as needed (these should be kept in sequential order)
Indicate which Size is your Sample Size by selecting the radio button on its chip
Saving redirects you to your table in Point of Measure Mode
Adding Points of Measure
Using the search bar at the top of the page, query for Points of Measure you have previously built in your POM Library
POMs are searchable by Name or Code
All POMs function as templates, meaning once a POM is added to your spec it may subsequently be edited without impacting the record in the POM Library, or any other Specs or Blocks.
An option to Create new POMs also appears below search bar, if you find no existing match
The only required field in the Create New POM modal is POM Name
A POM Code is automatically generated if you don’t add one yourself
Assign the balance, optional POM attributes as needed (see more details on POM attributes here)
After your POM is created, you may choose to add your POMs to your POM Library if you wish to reuse this POM by selecting the checkbox on the left-hand side of your POM and using the export function in your bulk action toolbar; otherwise leave as a “one-off” POM which will live only on this Spec
POMs display alongside all their attributes, with columns to assign Tolerances, Sample Size Measurements and Grade Rules for each graded Size
If certain POM attribute columns are not applicable to your business, hide them from view using the Hide Fields dropdown selector at top right
Hidden POM attribute fields do not appear on Tech Packs
Your hidden/exposed POM attribute field settings persist across all Specs and Blocks
Edit POM attributes by clicking the POM Name
Clicking its name will open an edit modal in which you can make changes to your POM's attributes as they pertain to the particular spec you are working in
Any changes made within this modal will not affect any Specs or Block using this POM
Click the leftmost cell of each POM row to access the 6-dot handle, and drag-and-drop POMs to your desired order
To Export or Bulk Export POMs into your library for future use, click the checkbox or checkboxes to the left of your POM Image and select the "+" Icon in your bulk action toolbar that will appear at the bottom of your spec
There is a select all option that will appear in your bulk action tool bar once you have selected one POM
If there are no duplicate records, Your POMs will automatically export to the library
If there are duplicate records, the system will prompt you to confirm whether you would like to save
Adding Base Measurements, Grade Rules and Tolerances
Select your preferred Spec Format in the Settings Drawer
Base Measurement Format is the most focused view, collapsing all Size columns beyond your Sample Size - it’s great for entering Tolerances and Base Measurements
Combined Measures Format includes your Base Measurements column, and the graded columns display both your Grade Rules and the Graded Measurements they yield. This view makes it easy to check your math as you grade.
Grade Rules Format shows just the Base Measurements and accompanying Grade Rules. This view can make it easy to spot typos.
Graded Measurements Format shows you the complete set of measurements. This is the view you’ll most likely share with your factory.
Click the Gear button to collapse the Settings drawer for better visibility on bigger specs/smaller monitors
Enter in the correct Tolerance for each POM
You may have predefined the Tolerances on each POM record, but they can be overwritten here as needed
Enter the Base Measurements for each POM in the highlighted Sample Size column
Enter the Grade Rules for each POM in the columns for the balance Sizes
Grade Rules can be entered in Combined Measures Format or in Grade Rules Format, whichever you prefer
Grade Rule values are automatically set to negative for Sizes smaller than your Sample Size, and positive for Sizes larger than your Sample Size
Right clicking a Grade Rule cell opens a menu with the option to Flip Grade, should you need to switch from a positive to a negative Grade Rule (or vice versa)
For POMs where the Grade Rules are consistent across all Sizes, use the Copy Grade feature to speed up your process:
Right click in a Grade Rule cell to open a menu with the option to Copy Grade
Select this option to push the assigned Grade Rule from left to right, establishing a steady grade for the whole Size Range
Affect more than one POM at a time by selecting multiple Grade Rule cells in the same column, then right clicking and using the Copy Grade function
Importing Graded Specs
Importing data speeds up the process of creating your Size Spec.
Start by opening the 3-Dot Overflow Menu at top right
You have three ways to import, but we recommend using the Import Block option as a best practice
Select the Import Block option
Query your Block Library by Name or Code
Select the correct Block using the checkbox and click Continue
Add the Block by clicking Merge or Replace
Merge will append the contents of the Block to any content already in your Spec (use with caution - you should not Merge a Block into a Product with a different Size Range and/or Sample Size)
Replace will wipe out any content you previously added to the Spec, leaving only the content from the Block
The Import from Product option works the same way as the Block option, but you query your Product Library by Name and Code rather than querying your Block Library
Note that any Sample Measurement data from the source Product will not copy over, only the Graded Measurement data comes through
How to Import from CSV:
Ensure that your .CSV file matches the "Sample Template". The format requires the following column headers:
POM Name
POM Code
Tolerance (+ / -)
Sizes across the columns (S, M, L, XL, etc...)
Sample Size
The following column headers are optional and may be left blank:
How to measure: this will import any entered values. Blanks will import blank.
Critical: this will import any "TRUE" or "t" values as checked checkboxes and "FALSE", or "f" values as unchecked checkboxes. This is not case-sensitive. Blanks will import blank.
Type: this will import any "half" or "h" values as Half, and "full" or "f" values as Full. This is not case-sensitive. Blanks will import blank
Note: Backbone offers a "Sample CSV template" when opening the "Upload CSV" Module. See video above for further clarification.
Tips and Tricks
The format of the numbers in the CSV should be either all in decimals, or all in fractions. If there is a mixture, all values will be converted to decimals upon import.
The measurements and tolerances can be formatted to millimeters, centimeters, inches, feet, yards, or inches and must match the dropdown when importing
There should not be any additional blank rows in between your POM rows
Enter a Sample Size (you only need to do this once)
You can add any POM Names and Codes you'd like. You do not need a code, Backbone will auto-generate one if you don’t provide one.
Note that importing from a .CSV does not link imported POM's to your POM Library
The template is originally a .xlsx file, be sure to file > save as > .csv when saving in Excel.
Additional Functionality in Point of Measure Mode
The 3-dot Overflow Menu at the top right of the page has these additional options:
Download a CSV of your Graded Spec
Copy your Graded Spec into your Block Library
Clear your entire Spec (note this includes any Measure Mode / Compare Mode data)
In the Settings Drawer, you can convert your measurements to a different Unit of Measure or toggle between fraction and decimal format
Measure Mode
Use Measure Mode to record and analyze the measurements of your development samples.
Adding Samples
Use the dropdown menu at top the left-hand corner of the Spec page to switch from Point of Measure Mode to Measure Mode
Notice the options in your Settings drawer change as you switch Modes
You can expand or collapse the Settings drawer by clicking the gear button
Click the Add New Stage option at the top of the Settings Drawer
A pop-up modal appears, where you name your Sample and (optionally) mark the Date Received
The Development Stages configured in your Admin panel appear as naming suggestions for the Sample
Use one of these suggestions or free-type a different Name if you prefer
Click Save, and a dynamic measurement table for the Sample appears
The default size for the measurement table is your Sample/Base Size
Switch to a Graded Size table in the Settings Drawer when needed
Note that Samples added from within Measure Mode will dynamically appear in the Samples Tab; these two sections are linked
Samples Requested in the Sample Tab also appear in Measure Mode
Samples can only be deleted in the Sample Tab
Measuring a Sample in your Sample/Base Size
The Sample Size target measurements you defined in Point of Measure Mode will automatically appear in the Expected column. Now you can enter your actual Sample measurements in the Received column of the table.
As you enter these values, see the Variance column dynamically update - these values are the difference between what you expected and what you received.
The Variance column values display in green if they are within the Tolerance you defined; they display in red if they are outside of Tolerance.
The Revised Spec column of the table is automatically filled with the Expected Values, since it’s likely you’ll want to change the target for just some of your Points of Measure, not all of them. You can affect the Revised Spec values in one of two ways:
Type the new value directly into the Revised Spec column (ex. “The Across Shoulder measurement is 18 ¼ on the sample and works well. Make 18 ¼” the new target”).
Notice your Adjust +/- column dynamically update accordingly.
Type the incremental change you’d like to make, relevant to your initial Expected measurement, in the Adjust +/- column (Ex. “The Sleeve Length is on spec, but looks short in fitting - let’s add ½” to the target”).
Notice your Revised Spec columN dynamically update accordingly.
To clarify the Spec revisions you’re making, you can add a Measurement Status and/or a Measure Note. The Measure Status column is pre-populated with the most common callouts (Back to Spec, Keep As Sample, etc.), but if you’d like to say something off the list, use the Measure Notes column.
Since the Sample you measured is in your Sample Size, an extra column appears between the Revised Spec column and the Measurement Status column. The column allows you to copy Revised Spec values to the Sample Measurements column of the graded table in Point of Measure mode.
Click the Copy Icon for each row to update individual POMs, or use the header-level Copy Icon to update the entire column at once.
Your Revised Spec values do not carry over to the graded table until you take this step. Moreover, whenever you add a new Sample Stage, the Expected Values for the measurement table pull from the graded table -- they do not pull from the Revised Column of a previously measured Sample.
So, once you confirm your Revised measurements, it’s important to keep the graded table up-to-date by actively copying them over using this tool.
Measuring a Sample in a Graded Size
You’re able to track measurements for all Sizes within a single Sample Stage, should you need to. This step is relatively uncommon in early prototyping, and relatively more common as you get closer to production and need to perfect the garment fit.
To measure a Sample in a Graded Size, change the Size selection in the Measurement Sizes section of the Settings drawer. The Expected column values then repopulate; they are calculated based on the Sample Size values and Grade Rules you have in Point of Measure Mode at the time you add the relevant Sample Stage.
You can enter your Sample measurements in the Received the column, analyze the Variances, and revise your targets using the Adjust +/- or Revised Spec column - just like when measuring a sample in your Sample Size. You can also add Measurement Statuses or Measure Notes, but you cannot copy your Revised measurements to the graded table in this scenario.
Your revised target measurements for graded Sizes may be achieved by adjusting the Sample Size targets, or they may be achieved by adjusting the Grade Rules (or a combination of the two). You can manage these nuanced adjustments within the Graded Table directly.
Managing Multiple Measurement Sets for the Same Sample
You may wish to track multiple sets of measurements for the exact same Sample. For example, perhaps you need to track the factory’s measurement data as well as your own internal data. Or maybe you want to compare measurements between two different Technical Designers.
In such cases, add another measurement table to the same Sample Stage/Size by clicking the Add New tab at the bottom left of the page. A modal appears allowing you to name the table something descriptive - like “Internal Measurements” or “Factory Measurements,” for example. Click save, and a new table appears, where you can enter your data just as with the initial measurement set.
The first measurement set you enter per Sample Stage/Size is considered the Default Measurement Set - this is the one which appears in Tech Packs. If you wish to change the Default to a different Measurement Set, hover over its tab at the bottom of the page to access the 3-dot Overflow Menu, and then choose the Mark as Default option. Through this menu you can also rename a Measurement Set or delete it, should you need to.
Hiding Fields in Measure Mode
In Measure Mode, certain POM fields are automatically hidden:
How to Measure
Type
Critical
These fields, which appear as columns in the Measure Mode table, are hidden to allow space for Sample-level fields like Adjust +/-, Variance, Measurement Status, etc.
Any additional fields which were hidden in Point of Measure mode remain hidden in Measure Mode - like the Image or the POM Code columns, for example. You can hide/unhide these fields within Measure Mode; but note these changes will also affect Point of Measure Mode.
The same goes for POMs - any POM rows which you hide or unhide in one Mode will be hidden/unhidden in the other Mode, as well.
If you mark certain POMs as Critical, you have a handy shortcut to hide all the others. Open the Hide Fields menu, and at the top of the Points of Measure submenu, toggle the Show Critical Poms option.
This can be really useful when doing jump set or QA measurements, where some but not all POMs must be measured!
When in Measure Mode, you also have the option to hide Sample-level fields like Adjust +/-, Variance, Measurement Status, etc. If you aren’t using one of these fields, hiding it will allow space for more relevant data in the measurement table.
Note that you may need to refresh your browser and/or toggle between Modes for your hidden field settings to take effect.
Any fields you hide within the Size Spec will be hidden on your Tech Packs, as well.
Additional Measure Mode Features
Stage Progress
Optionally, you may wish to manage your Stage Progress within the Settings Drawer.
The default setting is In Progress, indicating that a Sample has been received and measured, but that analysis and revisions are still pending.
You may wish to toggle Complete after fitting the garment and finalizing any revisions. This setting isn’t reflected on the Tech Pack, it’s just visible internally, as a stage gate for larger teams.
Unit of Measure
The Unit of Measure can be adjusted via the Settings Drawer for both Measure Mode and Point of Measure Mode - the setting you select in one Mode will affect the other.
This can be a handy tool if you work best in inches, for example, but your factory prefers to work in centimeters. Tech Packs will reflect the most recent UOM setting.
Sorting
Many teams build specs with the POMs organized to facilitate ease of measurement (front measurements in one group, back measurements in another group, etc).
However, when looking for a particular POM in larger specs, it may be useful to sort alphabetically instead. The Sort by menu allows this option; and you can always revert to your Custom sort afterward.