Document Creation Guidelines & Formatting Rules

1. Overview: Who These Rules Apply To

These rules apply to all team members who create or contribute to documents related to Daniliants Ventures, client work, and internal projects. They include full-time employees, freelancers, and any external collaborators who help produce or finalize deliverables.

Key Requirements:

All important documents — client-facing, branded, or integral to company operations — must be created and owned within the official Google accounts:

• • [email protected] (mainly for internal and client documents)
  • [email protected] (used for some client documents if the client specifically gave access to this account)

Drafts and unimportant documents can be created from personal email accounts. However, if any draft or unimportant document becomes important, ownership must be transferred to [email protected].

How to Transfer Document Ownership

If you create an important document from your personal email by mistake:

1. Share the document with [email protected] at the highest permission level.

In the Share settings, transfer ownership to that account by selecting “Transfer Ownership” from the drop-down next to the email address.

Make sure the new owner is shown as Primary Owner in the Google Drive share settings.

2. General Background & Rules

2.1. Creating Documents

• Use Google Docs/Sheets/Slides based on your document needs:
  • Google Docs for textual documents like audits, strategies, marketing ideas, etc.
  • Google Sheets for data-heavy or spreadsheet-type documents (time estimates, semantic core/SEO data, logs).
  • Google Slides for presentations (monthly reports, special pitch decks).

• Styling & Consistency: Always adhere to the basic brand guidelines (detailed in Section 5) for logos, fonts, and color usage — especially for client-facing or branded documents.

• Document Language:
  • All documents intended for the entire team or for sharing with clients must be written in English.
  • However, some client-specific documents may be in Finnish or Russian, depending on the client’s requirements.
  • Drafts and non-essential documents used internally among team members may be written in any language they are comfortable with.
  • The only exception to this rule is translations, which can be created in the required language.

• Appropriate Naming Conventions:
  • Start with the project or client name, followed by document title and, if applicable, version (e.g., "ClientName – Marketing Audit – v1.0").
  • Include the date if time-specific or if it’s a repeating document (e.g., monthly report).

2.2. Document Structure & Layout Guidelines

Regardless of document type, here are universal guidelines:

• Structure the text logically: title page → table of contents → introduction → main part → summary/next steps → contact us.
• Follow a logical hierarchy (Title H1 → Heading H2 → Subheading H3).
• Include a Table of Contents for documents over 5 pages or multiple sections, auto-generated via Google Docs → Insert → Table of Contents.
• All body text should be width-aligned, and headings left-aligned. Titles, images, graphs and tables may be center-aligned.
• Use the default Google Docs settings for page margins and spacing:
  • 1" (2.54 cm) margins on each side.
  • Single or 1.15 line spacing for the body text.
• Ensure consistent spacing above and below headings and between paragraphs.
• Text should always be easy to read. Use bullet points and well-structured paragraphs (short, concise and informative) for clarity.
• In multi-page documents, pages may be numbered. Page numbers may begin on the second page and be placed in the header.
• Enhance clarity with visual elements:
  • Use high-quality images, infographics, tables, and graphs with clear labels and explanations.
  • Ensure graphs and tables align with brand color guidelines, including headlines and accent lines.
• If you reference external data or sources or need to mention another document, include a relevant link directly within the text (e.g., "Download the monthly report here").
• Each client-facing or external doc should end with a summary, next steps, or final remarks.

2.3. Brand & Formatting Essentials

• Fonts:
  • Preferred Fonts: Titles/Headings: Montserrat SemiBold or Bebas Neue

Bebas Neue is usually used in essential docs such as an annual report or large SEO audits.

• Subheadings: Montserrat Medium
• Body Text: Montserrat Normal
• Accent Fonts: Montserrat Bold
• For non-essential docs and drafts, flexibility is allowed, and Arial or Roboto can be used as an alternative if needed.

• Font Sizes (recommended):
  • Main Title (cover/title page): 24–28 pt
  • Heading (H1): 20 pt
  • Subheading (H2): 16 pt
  • Subheading (H3): 14 pt
  • Subheading (H4): 12 pt
  • Body Text: 11 pt

How to change the header

Colors:

• Titles and Headings:
  • Main color: #c81e1e or #ff0000
  • Alternative: #000000 (black)

• • Subheadings H2: #000000 (black)
  • Subheadings H3: #434343
  • Subheadings H4: #666666

• Body Text:
  • Black Background Documents: #ffffff (white)
  • White Background Documents: #000000 (black)

• Accent Colors:
  • Primary: #c81e1e or #ff0000
  • Alternative: #000000 (black) with bold or italic font

• Link Colors:
  • Main: #c81e1e or #ff0000 with underline font
  • Alternatives: #0081ff (if too many red elements on the page)

• Table Formatting:
  • Header Background: #c81e1e (for white background)

or #e6e6e6 (for dark background)

• Text Colors: #000000 (black) or #ffffff (white, for dark background)
• Frame Colors: #000000 or #cccccc (for white background) or #ffffff (for dark background)

• Indicator Use (reports):
  • Positive growth in metrics: #009700 or standard green
  • Negative trends or losses: #c81e1e or standard red

Graphs and Charts: it’s acceptable to use colors such as #ff0000, #ff006f, #dc00c9, #8c52ff, #4a62ff, #0082ff, #00bae2, #009700, #d05e00

The colors mentioned above are divided into standard Google doc colors and custom colors. Standard colors include the following ones:

#000000 (black)

#ffffff (white)

#ff0000

#434343

#666666

#cccccc

How to add a custom color:

• In the edit box, select Text Color ⇒ Click “+” under Custom ⇒ Insert Color Hex (color code beginning with #) and click OK.

Use of Logos: All essential client and company documents must include our logo The logo is typically placed in the bottom right corner, with the company name and an active link to the website in the bottom left corner of the footer on all pages.

For documents with a black background, use the white version of the logo.

In presentations, a large logo on the background of the page is acceptable.

For client documents, be sure to place the client's logo in the top right and the company name in the top left on the title page.

Maintain the correct aspect ratio of the logo; do not stretch or pixelate.

2.4. Document Review & Approval

• Always have documents reviewed and approved by the Project Manager.
• Documents must be proofread by a native speaker before client delivery.

2.5. Final Checks before Client Delivery

• Verify all information is accurate and complete.
• Double-check all links and references.
• Ensure formatting consistency according to the guidelines above.

2.6. Access & Permissions

• Default Ownership: Use the official DV Google accounts for document ownership. Only essential team members need edit access; others may be set to “Comment” or “View” to preserve document integrity.
• Sharing with Clients: Grant “View” or “Comment” access unless the client’s scope requires “Edit.” Share client’s sensitive documents such as marketing plans and reports in PDFs.

2.7. Storing in Drive

• All documents should be organized into their respective folders in Google Drive.
  • Use the designated folders**

Below are best practices and formatting rules for each major document group:

3.1. Essential Client Documents

Examples:

• Growth Marketing Plans
• Audits (e.g., Marketing)
• Ideas, suggestions, and recommendations for improvement
• Small reports on special campaigns

Key Points:

• Format: Use the standard Google Docs layout.
• Use logos to brand the document:
  • Header: logo and client name.
  • Footer: logo and our company name.
• Format the doc with the recommended fonts and colors in section 2.3. The background should be white and the main text should be black for easy reading.
• Recommended document structure:
  • Title Page → Introduction/Background Information → Detailed Main Sections → Next Steps → Conclusion → Contact Page
  • If the document is longer than 5-6 pages, add a table of contents after the title page.
• Heading Structure:
  • Title
  • H1 - title of sections
  • H2 - main sub-sections
  • H3/H4/H5 - key sub-paragraphs

3.2. Branded Important Client Documents (Black Background)

Examples:

• Annual Reports
• SEO Analysis
• Strategies that require a polished, "designed" look

Key Points:

• Format: Typically created in Google Docs or Canva and downloaded in final PDF format.
• Place the Daniliants Ventures logo on the cover page in the bottom left corner and the client name in the bottom right corner.
• In the header of the cover page, place the date the document was created and the required "Confidential, do not distribute" disclaimer.
• Format the doc with the recommended fonts and colors in section 2.3. The background should be dark and the main text should be white for easy reading.
• Recommended document structure:
  • Title Page → Table of Contents → Overview → Detailed Main Sections → Next Steps → Summary & Plans
• Heading Structure:
  • Title
  • H1 - title of sections
  • H2 - main sub-sections
  • H3/H4/H5 - key sub-paragraphs

3.3. Monthly Reports

Example:

• Monthly Growth Marketing Reports

Key Points:

• Format: Use the standard Google Slides layout (16:9).
• Structure:

1. Title slide with report title and report period details. Place the Daniliants Ventures logo on the title slide in the top left and the client logo in the bottom right.
2. Slide with wins, losses and suggestions.
3. Detailed slides with tables/graphs/diagrams showing performance data in key marketing channels.
4. Completed tasks slide.
5. Next steps slide.
6. Key terms and definitions slide.
7. Final slide with contact information.

• Branding:
  • Apply a theme with our branded colors and fonts on each slide (see section 2.3).
  • Maintain consistent text placement, heading size, and bullet style.

• Data Presentation:
  • Use graphs, charts, and screenshots of analytics where relevant.
  • Keep text minimal – use bullet points rather than large text blocks.
  • Emphasize clarity and readability.

3.4. Task Documents & Shared Docs

Examples:

• Text for Meta Ads or Google Ads
• Time estimates
• SEO, Technical site audit data and KPI’s report
• Marketing action logs
• Influencer List

Key Points:

• Main Goal: Provide clear, structured task deliverables that need to be shared with the client for approval.
• File Type:
  • Google Docs for scripts, text-based tasks, instructions.
  • Google Sheets for estimations, data sets, SEO keyword analysis, logs, etc.
• Structure:
  • Use headings and subheadings or table formatting for clarity.
  • Provide comments or notes if multiple team members are updating the same doc.
  • Keep them easy to read – clean layout, short paragraphs, bullet lists for steps.
• Branding:
  • For client-shared versions, apply basic brand guidelines (see section 2.3).
  • For purely internal usage, it’s less critical—but still try to keep the doc well-organized and readable.

3.5. SEO Articles & Website Content

Examples

• SEO-optimized articles
• Website content
• Content briefs and plans

Key Points

• Main Goal: Provide clear article specifications to the copywriter and produce a ready-to-use article or page content document for easy publication.
• File Type:
  • Google Docs for articles and page content.
  • Google Sheets for article specifications.

SEO Formatting

• Structurize your article with headings and subheadings the way it should look when published on a website. Use H1 for the main heading and H2/H3/H4 for subheadings.
• Insert images into the document and alt texts for them where they should be placed on the site. Include a link to the image folder for the article.
• Include meta tags (title and description) and a short summary for the article card on the Articles page if appropriate.
• Make sure all keywords or recommended SEO phrases are used naturally.
• Use short paragraphs, bullet points, bold or italics for emphasis.
• Include relevant external and internal links and make sure they open in a new tab.
• All articles should be proofread for grammar, clarity, and accuracy before finalizing. They should also be checked by the Project Manager before being sent to the client for approval.

3.6. Internal Documents (No Strict Rules)

Examples

• Internal processes
• Rules and guidelines
• Checklists
• Anything that is purely in-house and not client-facing

Key Points

• Preferred to follow the basic guidelines (font consistency, logical headings) but not mandatory.
• Focus on clarity and functionality above all.
• Use subheadings, bullet points, or numbered steps to keep it readable.
• If an internal doc later becomes partially client-facing or used in collaboration with them, reformat it to match the rules for client-facing docs.

4. Additional Guidelines & Best Practices

Version Control

• If a document is likely to undergo multiple revisions, note versions (v1.0, v1.1, etc.) in the file name or in the document header.

Collaboration

• Use Google Docs "Comments" and "Suggestions" mode to track changes.
• Tag relevant team members with @name in comments for quick clarifications.

Grammar & Spell Check

• Always run a final check (Google Docs "Spelling & Grammar") or a tool like Grammarly.
• For external or high-priority docs, have at least one colleague review for clarity.

Confidential or Sensitive Info

• Add a watermark or disclaimer if the document is confidential: "CONFIDENTIAL — Do Not Distribute."
• Keep restricted docs in a secure drive folder with limited access.

5. Enforcement & Final Notes

• Compliance: All team members must follow these rules to maintain a consistent, professional image for Daniliants Ventures and its clients.
• Periodic Updates: These guidelines may evolve. If brand assets or style rules change, the team will provide updated instructions.
• Questions & Support: For any uncertainties — font usage, color codes, where to store docs, or how to brand a unique document — reach out to the designated Internal Manager or Project Manager for clarification.