BU-ISCIII · albatalavera · Feb 12, 2026 · Feb 5, 2026 · Feb 5, 2026 · Feb 11, 2026
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 - Fix header generation for `METADATA_LAB` and `DATA_VALIDATION`: now "CAMPO" is the first row, "REQUIRED" last [#849](https://github.com/BU-ISCIII/relecov-tools/pull/849)
 - Now Metadatalab validation sheets (DATA_VALIDATION and DROPDOWNS) only generate the included fields, not all of them [#849](https://github.com/BU-ISCIII/relecov-tools/pull/849)
 - Fixed datetime recognition for schema example generation and validation [#854](https://github.com/BU-ISCIII/relecov-tools/pull/854)
+- Restore formatting and validation behavior after header reordering + add Excel warnings for MEPRAM [#856] (https://github.com/BU-ISCIII/relecov-tools/pull/856)
 
 #### Changed
 

diff --git a/relecov_tools/assets/schema_utils/metadatalab_template.py b/relecov_tools/assets/schema_utils/metadatalab_template.py
@@ -139,6 +139,17 @@ def excel_formater(df, writer, sheet, out_file, have_index=True, have_header=Tru
             }
         )
 
+        # First column format
+        no_fill_formater = workbook.add_format(
+            {
+                "bold": True,
+                "text_wrap": False,
+                "valign": "center",
+                "fg_color": "#D4D3D3",  # Light gray
+                "locked": True,
+            }
+        )
+
         cell_formater = workbook.add_format(
             {
                 "border": 1,  # Apply border to every cell
@@ -193,7 +204,7 @@ def excel_formater(df, writer, sheet, out_file, have_index=True, have_header=Tru
                             stderr.print(
                                 f"Error writing first column at row {row_num}: {e}"
                             )
-                        if row_num == 0 and col_num >= 0 and sheet == "METADATA_LAB":
+                        if row_num == 3 and col_num >= 0 and sheet == "METADATA_LAB":
                             try:
                                 worksheet.write(
                                     row_num,
@@ -211,6 +222,16 @@ def excel_formater(df, writer, sheet, out_file, have_index=True, have_header=Tru
                     worksheet.write(index_num, 0, index_val, first_col_formater)
                 except Exception as e:
                     stderr.print(f"Error writing first column at row {row_num}: {e}")
+
+        if sheet == "METADATA_LAB":
+            # Format the first column for all data rows (from row 5 onwards)
+            max_rows = 1000  # Maximum number of rows to format
+            for row_num in range(len(df), max_rows):
+                try:
+                    worksheet.write(row_num, 0, "", no_fill_formater)
+                except Exception as e:
+                    stderr.print(f"Error formatting first column at row {row_num}: {e}")
+
     except Exception as e:
         stderr.print(f"Error in excel_formater: {e}")
 
@@ -220,7 +241,7 @@ def create_condition(ws_metadata, conditions, df_filtered):
     label_to_property = dict(zip(df_filtered["label"], df_filtered["property_id"]))
     column_map = {}
 
-    for cell in ws_metadata[4]:
+    for cell in ws_metadata[1]:
         property_id = label_to_property.get(cell.value)
         if property_id in conditions:
             column_map[property_id] = cell.column_letter
@@ -277,7 +298,7 @@ def add_conditional_format_age_check(
     label_to_property = dict(zip(df_filtered["label"], df_filtered["property_id"]))
 
     column_map = {}
-    for cell in ws_metadata[4]:
+    for cell in ws_metadata[1]:
         property_id = label_to_property.get(cell.value)
         if property_id:
             column_map[property_id] = cell.column_letter

diff --git a/relecov_tools/conf/build_schema_config.json b/relecov_tools/conf/build_schema_config.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
     "projects" : {
         "relecov": {
             "host_age_years": {
-                "header_row_idx": 5,
+                "header_row_idx": 1,
                 "max_rows": 1000,
                 "validation_type": "whole",
                 "operator": "between",
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
                 "error_title": "Valor no permitido"
             },
             "host_age_months": {
-                "header_row_idx": 5,
+                "header_row_idx": 1,
                 "max_rows": 1000,
                 "validation_type": "whole",
                 "operator": "between",
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
                 "error_title": "Valor no permitido"
             },
             "sample_collection_date": {
-                "header_row_idx": 5,
+                "header_row_idx": 1,
                 "max_rows": 1000,
                 "validation_type": "custom",
                 "formula1": "=ISNUMBER({col_letter}5)",
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
                 "format_cells_as_date": true
             },
             "sample_received_date": {
-                "header_row_idx": 5,
+                "header_row_idx": 1,
                 "max_rows": 1000,
                 "validation_type": "custom",
                 "formula1": "=ISNUMBER({col_letter}5)",
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
                 "format_cells_as_date": true
             },
             "sequencing_date": {
-                "header_row_idx": 5,
+                "header_row_idx": 1,
                 "max_rows": 1000,
                 "validation_type": "custom",
                 "formula1": "=ISNUMBER({col_letter}5)",
@@ -50,15 +50,43 @@
             }
         },
         "mepram": {
-            "host_age_test": {
-                "header_row_idx": 5,
+            "host_age_years": {
+                "header_row_idx": 1,
                 "max_rows": 1000,
                 "validation_type": "whole",
                 "operator": "between",
                 "formula1": "3",
                 "formula2": "110",
-                "error_message": "El valor debe estar entre 3 y 110 años.",
+                "error_message": "El valor debe estar entre 3 y 110 años. Si es inferior a 3 años, debe rellenar la siguiente columna: [Host Age Months].",
+                "error_title": "Valor no permitido"
+            },
+            "host_age_months": {
+                "header_row_idx": 1,
+                "max_rows": 1000,
+                "validation_type": "whole",
+                "operator": "between",
+                "formula1": "0",
+                "formula2": "35",
+                "error_message": "El valor debe estar entre 0 y 35 meses.",
                 "error_title": "Valor no permitido"
+            },
+            "patient_birth_date": {
+                "header_row_idx": 1,
+                "max_rows": 1000,
+                "validation_type": "custom",
+                "formula1": "=ISNUMBER({col_letter}5)",
+                "error_message": "Ingrese la fecha en formato correcto YYYY-MM-DD (ejemplo: 2024-02-12).",
+                "error_title": "Formato de fecha incorrecto",
+                "format_cells_as_date": true
+            },
+            "sample_collection_date": {
+                "header_row_idx": 1,
+                "max_rows": 1000,
+                "validation_type": "custom",
+                "formula1": "=ISNUMBER({col_letter}5)",
+                "error_message": "Ingrese la fecha en formato correcto YYYY-MM-DD (ejemplo: 2024-02-12).",
+                "error_title": "Formato de fecha incorrecto",
+                "format_cells_as_date": true
             }
         }
     },
@@ -76,7 +104,19 @@
                 "Public databases",
                 "Bioinformatics and QC metrics fields"
             ],
-            "mepram": []
+            "mepram": [
+                "Database Identifiers",
+                "Sample collection and processing",
+                "Public databases",
+                "Sequencing",
+                "Host information",
+                "Host exposure information",
+                "Files info",
+                "Bioinformatics and QC metrics fields",
+                "Contributor Acknowledgement",
+                "Strain characterization", 
+                "Other"
+            ]
         },
         "database_mapping_features": {
             "enum": "enum",