diff --git a/docs/DEPRECATIONS.md b/docs/DEPRECATIONS.md
index d0495855fdb1f..348508312f8f0 100644
--- a/docs/DEPRECATIONS.md
+++ b/docs/DEPRECATIONS.md
@@ -1,9 +1,21 @@
 See [DEPRECATION.md](docs/DEPRECATION.md#process) for the process for updating this file.
 
+The format for each entry should be: `<version> <identifier> <description>`.
+
+- `<version>` should be the version of Vector in which to take the action (deprecate, migrate, or
+  remove)
+- `<identifier>` should be a unique identifier that can also be used in the code to easily find the
+  places to modify
+- `<description>` should be a longer form description of the change to be made
+
+For example:
+
+- legacy_openssl_provider v0.34.0 OpenSSL legacy provider flag should be removed
+
 ## To be deprecated
 
 ## To be migrated
 
 ## To be removed
 
-* datadog_v1_metrics v0.35.0 Support for `v1` series endpoint in the `datadog_metrics` sink should be removed.
+- datadog_v1_metrics v0.35.0 Support for `v1` series endpoint in the `datadog_metrics` sink should be removed.