The Specification tab is a collaborative rich-text editor built into the detail view of your initiatives, features, and subfeatures. Use it to write and refine product specs, work alongside Spark, and collaborate with teammates in real time.
Note: The Specification tab is available to Spark beta customers only. If you don't see it, check that Spark beta is enabled for your workspace.
In this article:
- What is the Specification tab
- Accessing the Specification tab
- Writing and formatting your specification
- Using Spark in the Specification tab
- Collaborating with your team
- How the Specification tab relates to the Details tab
- Limitations
What is the Specification tab
The Specification tab is a free-form editor available with the sidebars of initiatives, features, and subfeatures. It gives product teams a dedicated space to capture requirements, draft specs, and iterate. It is separate from the structured fields in the Details tab.
The Specification tab doesn't sync with delivery integrations, which means you can draft and iterate freely without affecting data in Jira, Azure DevOps, or other connected tools.
Accessing the Specification tab
The Specification tab lives in the sidebars of certain entity types. To access it:
- From any surface in your workspace, click on an initiative, feature, or subfeature. Its sidebar will open.
- In the sidebar, click the Specification tab.
Writing and formatting your specification
Click anywhere in the tab and start typing. The editor supports the same rich formatting available in Productboard documents, including:
- Headings, bullet lists, and numbered lists
- Tables and collapsible toggle sections
- Bold, italic, and inline code
Type "/" to access a list of formatting options.
Using Spark in the Specification tab
You can invoke Spark to help you write specs from scratch or edit existing ones.
Writing new specs
- When the Specification field is empty, click Write spec to launch the
write-specskill. This skill reads the item's description, any relevant documents, and your codebase (if you've enabled that connection). - Select your responses to Spark's clarifying questions (if any) and click Next.
- Once it has all it needs, Spark will generate a spec and write it directly to the Specification field. Like all Spark-driven edits, you can accept or reject the changes it makes to the field.
Editing existing specs
If there is any content in the Specification field (whether added by a person or by Spark), you can use the buttons at the top of the field to launch a new skill related to that spec. In all cases, a new chat tab will open, so you can have multiple of these chats going simultaneously if you wish.
- Continue writing spec is useful if the spec was started by a person and needs to be fleshed out.
- Review spec suggests improvements to the spec as it currently stands, but doesn't expand it.
- Find related insights analyzes the notes related to the item to surface themes, top issues, delighters, and other useful signals.
Of course, you can also open a new Spark chat manually and ask it to write or edit specs for any eligible item you add as context.
Collaborating with your team
The Specification tab supports real-time collaboration. Multiple teammates can edit the same spec simultaneously (you'll see each person's cursor and edits as they happen).
To bring a teammate's attention to something, type "@" followed by their name. They'll receive a notification. You can also leave inline comments on specific content blocks to discuss changes without editing the spec directly.
Viewing version history
The Specification tab keeps a full version history of your spec. You can browse past snapshots and see exactly what changed. Additions and deletions are highlighted inline within the spec body, so you can review the diff at a glance before deciding whether to restore a version.
To access version history:
- Open the item's sidebar and click the Specification tab.
- Click ••• More actions to the right of the tab bar.
- Select Version history.
- Click any past snapshot to preview it. Additions and deletions are highlighted inline.
- To roll back, click Restore this version.
How the Specification tab relates to the Details tab
The Specification tab and the Details tab serve different purposes. Neither replaces the other.
If your team uses the Details tab to sync with delivery tools, that workflow is unaffected. The Specification tab is a new addition, while the Details tab remains unchanged.
Limitations
- The Specification tab is only available on Spark beta plans.
- Spark can't write to the Details tab.
- Specification content doesn't sync with Jira, Azure DevOps, or other delivery integrations.
Feedback
If you have any feedback about this feature, come join our Product Makers community on Slack!