Content Formatter: Raw Text to Structured Document

Turns raw, unstructured text into a publish-ready document. This is not editing — the words stay as close to original as possible. This is structure surgery.

When to Use

Raw transcripts, voice-to-text dumps, or brainstorm notes need structure
Client provided content that needs to be web-formatted before publishing
SOP documentation that came in as bullet lists with no hierarchy
Blog draft written as one long paragraph block

Step 1: Intent Classification

Before adding structure, classify what type of document this is. Structure follows intent.

| Document Type | Primary Structure Element | |--------------|--------------------------| | How-to guide | Numbered steps with H3 per step | | Listicle | H2 per item, supporting text below | | Explainer | Definition first, then H2 sections | | Case study | Problem → Solution → Result flow | | Reference doc | H2 categories with table or list under each | | Opinion piece | H2 per main argument, no numbered lists |

Step 2: Heading Hierarchy Rules

H1 — One per document. The topic. Matches the primary keyword.

H2 — Major sections. Each H2 should answer a distinct question or cover a distinct subtopic. If you have 10+ H2s, most should be H3s.

H3 — Sub-sections under H2. Use when an H2 section has 3+ distinct sub-points.

H4 — Rarely needed. Use only for deep technical documentation with nested categories.

Test: Can a reader get the full outline of the document by reading only H1, H2, and H3? If yes — structure is correct.

Step 3: List Formatting Rules

Use numbered lists when:

Sequence matters (steps must happen in order)
Ranking or priority matters
There are fewer than 10 items

Use bulleted lists when:

Order doesn't matter
Listing features, options, or attributes
3-10 items

Never use lists when:

Fewer than 3 items (write as a sentence instead)
Items need full-paragraph explanation each (use H3s instead)
Content is narrative or story-driven

Step 4: Table Formatting Rules

Add tables when content compares 3+ items across 2+ attributes.

Required table elements:

Header row with clear column labels
Consistent units (don't mix "$" in some cells and "dollars" in others)
3-10 rows (more = use pagination or split table)
No merged cells in standard web content

When NOT to use tables:

Only 2 items to compare (use a side-by-side paragraph instead)
Data is sequential (use numbered list)
Only 1 attribute being compared (use a list)

Step 5: Callout Blocks

Use callout boxes (blockquotes or styled divs) to highlight:

Pro tip: Actionable shortcut the reader might miss
Warning: Common mistake or risk
Key stat: Single number that anchors an argument
Definition: Technical term needing brief explanation

One callout per major section maximum. Too many callouts = nothing stands out.

Step 6: Formatting QA Checklist

Before delivery:

[ ] One H1, matches primary keyword
[ ] No H2 with fewer than 2 sentences below it (or it should be an H3)
[ ] No paragraph longer than 5 sentences (web standard)
[ ] No sentence longer than 30 words (readability)
[ ] Lists have 3-10 items (fewer = sentence, more = H3 sub-sections)
[ ] Tables have header row and consistent column formatting
[ ] No orphaned bullet (single bullet = sentence, not list)
[ ] Bold used only for key terms and takeaways, not decoration

SOP-Specific Formatting Standards

When formatting SOP documentation specifically:

Every procedure gets a numbered list with verb-first steps
Decision points get a table: condition in column 1, action in column 2
Prerequisites get a callout block at the top
Expected outputs listed at the end under "Deliverables"
Owners identified: "Who does this: [Role]"

#content-sop #formatting #structure #readability