How to create a reliable cut list

Write the size the completed panel must be unless your workshop has explicitly agreed another convention. Do not silently mix nominal and finished sizes in one list.

A part ID should remain stable; a title should make sense to a person. “Wardrobe 2 — left gable” is safer than six unrelated rows called “side”.

Thickness, core, face and decor define a material. Parts that cannot come from the same physical sheet should not share one material name merely because their dimensions match.

Mark grain before optimisation and identify visible or edged sides using a convention everyone understands. Verify how edging affects finished size.

Compare quantities with the design, then compare the calculated result with the input. Keep the checked list and layout together when the job reaches the saw.

Should length follow the grain?

That is Cutspan’s convention: length runs along the material direction when grain is locked.

Do I enter one row per physical part?

Use one row for identical parts and set the quantity. Use separate rows when names, grain, edging or machining differ.

Should I include offcuts?

Include a reusable offcut as a stock sheet with its actual usable dimensions.