What You See When You Open a Specification
Click any job from your class specs dashboard and Holly opens the complete specification. This detailed view shows everything about the classification - from the full document to salary details to all available actions.
Specs can be viewed in one of four states: Draft, Published, In Review, and Archived.
Specification Overview
At the top:
Job title and/or title code
Current status (Published, Draft, In Review, or Archived)
Action buttons and menu options
Four tabs for different views:
Specification - The complete job description (covered in this article)
Internals - Compare to similar roles within your organization
Market - Benchmark against external comparator jurisdictions
History - Track changes and revisions over time
Want to understand benchmarking? The Internals and Market tabs are covered in detail in our Understanding Benchmarking in Holly guide.
The rest of this article focuses on the Specification tab - understanding the job content, quality scores, and available actions.
Understanding the Classification Score
The number in the top-right corner of the editor is Holly's comprehensive assessment of specification quality. Based on hiring best practices and developed in conjunction with Holly's early partners, it evaluates four key areas using a 1-100 scale, with each area worth 25%:
Scoring Scale:
81-100: Excellent - Exceeds requirements with distinction
61-80: Good - Meets all requirements effectively
41-60: Average - Meets basic requirements with room for improvement
21-40: Below Average - Needs significant improvement
1-20: Poor - Requires major revision
Clarity (How it's written)
Evaluates writing quality and accessibility to ensure specifications are readable and professional.
Language Standards: Written at an 8th grade reading level with clear sentence structure, concise phrasing, defined terminology without jargon, and professional tone throughout.
Document Structure: Logical organization following your template, clear headings and sections, consistent formatting, and easy navigation.
Editorial Quality: Correct grammar and punctuation, error-free text, and active voice usage that makes duties and requirements clear.
Completeness (What's included)
Evaluates content coverage and detail to ensure comprehensive information.
Template Compliance: All required template sections present, mandatory elements included, proper section ordering, and complete component coverage as outlined in your organization's template.
Content Depth: Sufficient detail for duties that clearly explain what gets done, complete qualification requirements that cover all necessary skills and experience, and full skill set coverage appropriate for the role.
Industry Alignment: Current field practices reflected in duties and requirements, market-relevant skills that match industry standards, and benchmark alignment with similar roles in comparable organizations.
Role Definition (Purpose & progression)
Evaluates classification clarity and career framework to establish clear expectations and growth paths.
Classification Scope: Core responsibilities clearly defined, impact description showing value to the organization, contribution articulated, reporting relationships established, and resource oversight specified.
Decision Authority: Authority boundaries clearly defined, resource control parameters established, problem-solving scope outlined, and independent judgment expectations specified.
Career Development: Growth pathway within the classification or to related roles, skill building opportunities identified, advancement criteria established, and performance measures outlined.
Equity (Fairness & access)
Evaluates inclusivity and barrier removal to ensure fair, accessible classifications.
Language Inclusivity: Gender-neutral terms throughout, cultural sensitivity in all descriptions, no biased language that could exclude qualified candidates, and universal accessibility in requirements and descriptions.
Fair Requirements: Essential requirements only that directly relate to job performance, no artificial barriers that might exclude qualified candidates, clear justification for all requirements, and reasonable accommodations considered.
Assessment Standards: Objective criteria that can be measured fairly, measurable standards that apply consistently, fair evaluation methods that don't disadvantage any group, and unbiased metrics that focus on job-related qualifications.
Your Action Options
Every specification gives you several action choices, appearing as buttons and menu options at the top.
When your specification is Published, you have the option to:
Rewrite with AI
Create draft - create a working copy you can modify
Merge specs - combine with other similar classifications
Archive - remove from active use but keep for historical reference
When your specification is in Draft, you have the option to:
Export the specification - see tracked changes and download your draft
Rewrite with AI
Delete the draft
Note: Published specifications cannot be deleted, they can only be archived.
For more information on the Rewrite with AI option and how it works, see the article on writing with AI in Holly.
Reading and Navigating Specification Content
Holly displays your specification using your organization's customized template. While the specific sections vary by jurisdiction, all specifications follow a consistent structure with standard headings.
Template structure varies by organization and may include sections like:
Job title and definition
Examples of duties
Knowledge, skills, and abilities
Minimum qualifications
Distinguishing characteristics
Physical/working conditions
Special requirements
And other jurisdiction-specific sections
Your template was customized during implementation to match your organization's existing format and practices.
Understanding the Editor (Draft Mode)
When you create a draft or open an existing draft specification, Holly switches to editor mode.
In editor mode you can:
Click any section to edit the content directly
Use the regenerate icon (circular arrow) next to sections to improve specific parts with AI
See change indicators below sections that have been modified
Track all changes before submitting for approval
Want to learn more about editing? See our Editing Specifications guide for detailed instructions on manual editing, AI regeneration, prompting tips, and tracking changes.