Book Tabbing Guide
Back to ToolkitWhy Tabbing is Essential
Properly tabbed books can save you 1-2 minutes per question on the DBPR exam. With only 3 minutes available per question, effective tabbing can be the difference between passing and failing.
Tabbing Materials
Required Materials
Official PrepBoss Tabbing Kit:
Redi-Tag Laser Printable Tabs (Product #1006556)
Redi-Tag Laser Printable Tabs (Product #1006556)
- 375 total tabs (5 colors: Green, Yellow, Red, Blue, Orange)
- 15 sheets × 25 tabs per sheet (5 rows × 5 columns)
- Designed for laser printers with downloadable Word templates
- Perfect quantity for comprehensive DBPR exam tabbing
Additional Supplies Needed:
- Laser printer - required for Redi-Tag tabs
- Highlighters (yellow, green, blue) - allowed for marking text
- Computer with Word - for downloadable templates
CRITICAL EXAM RULES:
- ❌ NO handwriting allowed - tabs must be printed only
- ❌ NO notes allowed - tabs can only show section/content names
- ✅ Highlighting is allowed in books
- ✅ Only printed tabs permitted (Redi-Tag recommended)
Two Options: Buy our pre-printed professional tabs designed specifically for the DBPR exam ($49.99), or purchase Redi-Tag #1006556 tabs and print your own using our templates.
Redi-Tag Color Coding System
Using the 5-color Redi-Tag system for consistency across all books:
Green: Financial & Planning topics
Yellow: Licensing & Administrative topics
Red: Contracts & Legal topics
Blue: Insurance & Safety topics
Orange: Labor & HR topics
Tabbing Strategy by Book
This is your most important book and requires the most detailed tabbing:
Green Tabs - Financial & Planning (10 tabs)
- Business Planning (p. 2-1)
- Financial Management (p. 3-9)
- Workers' Comp (p. 6-1)
- Project Management (p. 10-1)
- Assets & Liabilities (p. 3-13)
- Net Worth (p. 3-14)
- Ratios (p. 3-89)
- Balance Sheets (p. 3-59)
- Cost Accounting (p. 10-37)
- Net Income (p. 3-61)
Yellow Tabs - Licensing & Admin (10 tabs)
- Licensing (p. 2-27)
- Safety (p. 7-1)
- Business Mgmt. (p. 1-21)
- Dissolution (p. 1-23)
- Required Forms (p. 1-27)
- Licensing Req. (p. 2-7)
- Homeowners Fund (p. 2-89)
- Cont. Education (p. 2-165)
- Licensing Exempt. (p. 2-19)
- Electrical Board (p. 2-185)
Red Tabs - Contracts & Lien Law (10 tabs)
- Contracts & Liability (p. 8-1)
- Lien Law (p. 9-1)
- FS 489 (p. 2-59)
- Lien Warning (p. 8-23)
- Notice of Commence (p. 9-13)
- Release of Lien (p. 9-25)
- Claim of Lien (p. 9-31)
- Payment Bonds (p. 9-47)
- FS 713 (p. 9-69)
- Lien TOC (p. 9-3)
Blue Tabs - Insurance & Safety (10 tabs)
- Risk Mgmt. (p. 4-1)
- Insurance (p. 4-3)
- Types Insurance (p. 4-11)
- Bonding (p. 4-13)
- Bidder Law (p. 6-85)
- WC Death Benefits (p. 6-111)
- OSHA Safety (p. 7-3)
- Employer Resp. (p. 7-7)
- Recordkeeping (p. 7-9)
- OSHA Penalty (p. 7-31)
Orange Tabs - Labor & HR (10 tabs)
- Labor & Employ. (p. 5-1)
- Right to Work (p. 5-15)
- Exempt Employees (p. 5-15)
- Overtime (p. 5-21)
- Davis-Bacon (p. 5-33)
- Equal Pay (p. 5-39)
- ADA Act (p. 5-41)
- Polygraph (p. 5-51)
- Immigration (p. 5-59)
- Unemployment (p. 5-53)
Pro Tip: Use exactly 50 tabs total for FCM - 10 tabs per color category. This system provides comprehensive coverage while maintaining organization.
This is the second most important book and requires strategic tabbing with our elite 20-tab system:
Green Tabs - Navigation & Financial Statements (5 tabs)
- Table of Contents (p. 3)
- Fin. Statements (p. 247)
- Comparative Stmts. (p. 289)
- Loan Applications (p. 315)
- Index (p. 351)
Yellow Tabs - Sales & Accounts Receivable (4 tabs)
- Sales & AR (p. 5)
- Why Keep Records (p. 7)
- Acct. Methods (p. 23)
- Sales Planning (p. 79)
Orange Tabs - Receivables & Business Planning (3 tabs)
- Receivables + Bad Debt (p. 53)
- Planning for Profits (p. 87)
- Equip + Cash Budgets (p. 155)
Red Tabs - Costs, Expenses & Analysis (6 tabs)
- Costs & Expenses (p. 95)
- Check Writing (p. 97)
- Payroll & Overhead (p. 125)
- Cost Acctg. (p. 187)
- Bank Reconciliation (p. 213)
- Financial Ratios (p. 267)
Blue Tabs - Reference & Tax Planning (2 tabs)
- Chart of Accounts (p. 323)
- Tax Planning (p. 343)
EXAM CRITICAL: This book covers 32% of the exam - more than any other single content area. This elite 20-tab system focuses on the most frequently tested topics: financial ratios, accounting methods, and financial statement preparation.
Pro Tip: This streamlined 20-tab system eliminates redundancy while ensuring maximum exam coverage. Red tabs contain the highest-frequency test topics, while green tabs provide essential navigation.
Streamlined elite 3-tab system for maximum efficiency:
Elite Tabs (Yellow - 3 tabs total)
- Tab 1: Table of Articles (instant orientation)
- Tab 2: Article 3 – Contractor Responsibilities
- Tab 3: Article 15 – Claims & Disputes
Optimization: AIA documents are well-organized with numbered articles. These 3 strategic tabs provide instant orientation without over-tabbing.
Streamlined elite 3-tab system for maximum efficiency:
Elite Tabs (Yellow - 3 tabs total)
- Tab 1: Table of Articles (instant orientation)
- Tab 2: Article 5 – Changes & Claims
- Tab 3: Article 11 – Termination
Optimization: Focus on the most tested provisions: changes, claims, and termination procedures.
Streamlined elite 3-tab system for maximum efficiency:
Elite Tabs (Yellow - 3 tabs total)
- Tab 1: Definitions
- Tab 2: Bid Procedures
- Tab 3: Performance Bonds
Optimization: Cover the essentials: definitions, procedures, and bonding requirements.
Ultra-streamlined smart tab system:
Smart Tab (Yellow - 1 tab total)
- Tab: FS 455 Overview (comprehensive orientation)
Optimization: Chapter 455 is well-organized by section numbers. One smart overview tab provides complete orientation.
Tab Organization Tips
Tab Positioning
- Top edge: Main chapters or articles
- Right edge: Key sections within chapters
- Bottom edge: Important tables, formulas, and lists
- Left edge: Frequently referenced definitions
This consistent positioning across all books makes navigation intuitive during the exam.
Tab Labeling Rules
- PRINTED TABS ONLY - No handwritten labels allowed
- Use Redi-Tag printable tabs or similar
- Print labels clearly and large enough to read quickly
- Use abbreviations consistently across all books
- Only label sections and content - NO NOTES allowed on tabs
Save Time: Buy our pre-printed professional tabs ($49.99) designed specifically for the DBPR exam, or purchase Redi-Tag #1006556 tabs and print your own using our tips.
Master Tip: Practice With Your Tabs
After tabbing your books, practice finding information using PrepBoss questions. Time yourself and refine your tab system based on your experience. The more you practice using your tabs, the more efficient you'll become during the exam.
