IT documentation is an online document comprising all the crucial information employees need to self-resolve technical issues related to laptops, data privacy, internet connectivity, installation and set up of a system, etc. With step-by-step guides and how-to articles presented in a structured way along with images and videos, troubleshooting technical problems gets a lot easier for employees.
Technical problems are often a cause of headaches for employees. They are difficult to solve, especially for employees who have little to no technical knowledge. That’s where IT documentation software plays its part. Dive in to learn about the benefits it provides:
Employees tend to waste an unreasonable amount of time every day, going from pillar to post to get their technical issues resolved. A 24x7 accessible IT document with troubleshooting steps and processes explained clearly saves employees’ time and effort by giving them quick assistance right at their fingertips.
With no guidance available, errors are bound to happen. When employees make assumptions or rely on others’ suggestions, it can further worsen the problem. A detailed IT document with reliable information guides them in the right direction, ensuring minimum errors.
Tickets flowing in from every direction can take a toll on your IT team, leaving them stressed and exhausted. A handy information resource enables employees to fix at least basic issues on their own and contact your support staff only for complex problems. This brings down the internal support tickets, allowing your IT staff to focus on serious issues.
Handling different types of IT issues one after the other is an arduous task. It’s not reasonable to expect your IT team to remember every process word to word. Using this online documentation, the IT staff can instantly look for information and quickly respond to employee questions.
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IT documentation provides the troubleshooting tips and processes to solve the most common and complex technical issues employees face. Here is what an ideal IT document includes:
The IT documentation template built by ProProfs makes the otherwise cumbersome process of creating content a breeze. With a table of contents, predefined sections, and subsections, the template is ready to use and can be tailored your way. This free template for writing IT documentation is carefully built to help you create documentation that reads well as well as looks good.
Before you start with the writing process, have a well-thought-out plan in place. Decide what you want to include in the document, which members of the IT team you want to involve, and how regularly the document should be updated. A powerful plan acts as a roadmap that helps you start and end the documentation process on the right foot.
How exactly should the IT document look like? How many broad categories should it have? Creating a strong structure will give you the answer to all such questions. A logical structure with a parent-child category system and a simple article format that’s consistent across the document makes navigation easier for readers.
Once you have the structure ready, start creating content. Ensure that whatever you write is to the point and clear. If you tend to use complicated words and sentences, wait and think of how to create simple content that is easy to read and understand.
Writing content is just half the job done. The next step is to review the content, check for errors and inaccuracies, and accordingly, make the changes. The best IT documentation software comes with a workflow approval system that helps you manage the review and publishing process easily.
After putting together the IT documentation, ensure that it is updated and maintained regularly. As IT processes change and systems update, your IT documentation should reflect these changes. The aim here is to provide employees with the information they can trust and use confidently.
This IT documentation template looks elegant and is super easy to use. Just fill in your company name and logo. Add new categories or rename the existing ones if you want and start adding useful information to the template. You can even customize the template by changing the color, alignment, and layout to make it more aligned with your brand.
Anyone can create an ordinary document. But to turn it into an excellent information resource requires more effort. These best practices provide practical ways to build an impressive IT document for your employees.
Providing dated information that doesn’t help employees solve problems is futile. Keep the document up-to-date with the latest information, so employees can use it without thinking twice.
It’s hard to be simple. That’s because it requires the special skill of explaining even the most difficult concepts in the most simple way. Since the IT document is already technical in nature, try to make it uncomplicated by using simple language.
An IT document can be an engaging information resource if you know how to make smart use of media. Adding images, videos, screenshots, and flowcharts is a great way to demonstrate steps and explain processes. Visuals also make your document more engaging and interesting to read.
The right visuals at the right places can make your software documentation even more impactful. Use flow charts to explain steps, video tutorials to demonstrate how a software program works, and illustrations to show how its features work. When combined with text, visual aids work as the best teaching tools that help readers understand the content better and faster.
An IT document is full of technical terms and concepts that can be challenging to understand for someone who is not technically inclined. The best way out here is to provide contextual help. Use interactive tooltips, lightboxes, and popups to explain complicated terms, provide additional information, and guide employees every time they are stuck.
