Studies show that employees who receive proper training are not only more productive but also more likely to stay with their company longer. In fact, according to LinkedIn's Workplace Learning Report, 94% of employees say they would stay at a company longer if it invested in their learning and development.
That's why it's so important to invest in creating good training documentation as it can make a significant difference in your team's success and satisfaction. This is particularly true in today's fast-paced work environment, where employees often cite lack of time as the primary reason for not engaging in workplace learning.
The good news is having accessible and well-organized training documentation can be a game-changer. It allows employees to learn at their own pace and convenience, ensuring continuous development without disrupting their daily tasks. By making training materials readily available, you can build a culture of continuous learning and employee development, which ultimately leads to a more skilled and motivated workforce.
However, anyone who's tried to create training materials knows that it's no exactly easy to do. Crafting clear, comprehensive documents that address various learning styles is challenging enough. Add the need to keep these documents up-to-date, and it can feel like a never-ending task.
That's where training documentation software comes in. These tools streamline the process, making it easier to create, update, and manage your training materials. With the right software, you can save time and ensure your documentation is always current and effective.
In this blog post, we'll look at:
- What training documentation software is
- Explore the benefits of training documentation software
- Provide you with the top 10 software options that will let you easily create training documents
Ready to make your training process smoother and more effective?
What is Training Documentation Software
Training documentation software, also known as training manual software, helps users create guides, training manuals, and other employee training documentation. These resources provide essential instructions and information to help employees achieve their goals and acquire new knowledge. The software acts as a central repository, making all training documentation easily accessible to everyone in the organization.
One of the standout features of training documentation software is its ability to automate the creation of technical documents. Instead of painstakingly creating step-by-step guides manually, using training documentation software can capture screenshots and document actions as users navigate their computer screens, significantly saving time and effort. Users can also enhance their training materials with visual elements like images, GIFs, and videos, making the finalized documentation both engaging and effective.
Additionally, training documentation software can be used with learning management systems (LMS) to provide a better employee training experience where employees not only have access to static documentation but also interactive courses and assessments. This type of integration provides a better support system to the overall experience of employee training and development as it combines the strengths of structured training programs with easily accessible reference materials.
Types of Training Documentation
There are a few types of training documentation. Here are a few important types that you are useful to create with training manual software.
1. Manuals and Guides
Manuals and guides are some of the most common types of training documentation.
- Manuals: Technical documentation or handbooks that provide detailed instructions about a product or process. For example, a computer manual includes instructions on technical characteristics, maintenance, programming, and more. These are usually aimed at a technical audience, such as engineers or developers, and may use specialized language.
- Guides: How-to guides are more user-friendly. They are written in simple, plain language and break down complex processes into easy-to-follow steps. Guides can take various forms, from articles and videos to infographics. In the workplace, they are useful for quickly introducing new software and are beneficial for ongoing employee training and development.
2. Employee Handbooks
Employee handbooks are comprehensive documents that provide employees with important information about company policies, procedures, and expectations. They often cover topics such as company culture, benefits, code of conduct, and legal requirements. Employee handbooks are essential for onboarding new hires and ensuring that all employees are aware of the company’s standards and practices.
3. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
SOPs are detailed manuals that define how employees should complete specific tasks consistently. For instance, in a marketing agency, SOPs can outline workflows, objectives, and goals to ensure everyone follows the same procedures.
Having standard operating procedures are crucial because they help employees consistently and correctly complete tasks, ensuring uniform quality. They also help new employees understand the company’s operations.
4. Work Instructions
Work instructions often complement standard operating procedures but focus more on the specifics of how a job should be done, rather than what should be done.
For example, while an SOP for a digital marketing campaign might outline the overall strategy, work instructions would guide employees on writing copy that captures the brand’s tone for Facebook ads. Essentially, work instructions detail day-to-day responsibilities.
5. Process Documentation
Process documentation describes the detailed stages and workflows involved in specific business processes. It serves as a reference for employees to understand, follow, and optimize processes within an organization. Process documentation is critical for maintaining efficiency and consistency in operations, helping employees execute tasks correctly and efficiently.
6. Knowledge Base Articles
Knowledge base articles are like online libraries that allow users to find answers independently. They are easily accessible, user-friendly, and provide quick solutions to frequently asked questions.
Unlike lengthy technical manuals or SOPs, knowledge base articles are concise and directly address users’ queries. Most websites have a dedicated FAQ section where these articles are stored.
Important Features Every Training Documentation Software Must Have
To make the process of creating training documentation easier, the software must include powerful features that streamline and accelerate this task. Here are the essential features that make this possible.
- Intuitive interface - Having a clear overview of every feature and an easy-to-navigate interface can significantly impact the user experience. Users may become frustrated if they struggle to understand what each option does and might abandon the software as a result.
- Customizable Templates - Pre-made templates can be customized to fit specific training needs, saving you the time and effort required to create documentation from scratch.
- Search Functionality- Powerful search functionalities are essential in these tools, enabling employees to quickly find the training materials they need, saving time and preventing frustration.
- Integration with other tools- Integration with other tools simplifies the workflow by allowing users to manage everything from a single platform, making work more convenient and efficient.
- Version control - Technical documentation should always be up to date. However, it's also important to have access to previous versions to maintain control and ensure consistency in these critical documents.
Benefits of Using Training Documentation Software
Before deciding on software and whether to invest in one, you should understand the potential benefits it may bring you.
Improved Training Efficiency
Training efficiency refers to how wisely and effectively a company uses its resources to provide growth opportunities for its employees. Given that onboarding new employees and training existing ones can significantly impact a company’s budget and time, businesses must find ways to streamline this process.
Using training documentation software can be a great solution for this challenge. These applications allow organizations to store all important information and training documents in one easily accessible location that is available 24/7. This way, new and old employees can learn at their own pace, find important information whenever they need it, and focus on their main goals effectively.
Consistency in Training Materials
Consistency in training materials is important for several reasons. It ensures that all employees receive the same information which can help reduce confusion and facilitate better coordination. It helps employees develop their skills and assists employers in maintaining consistent quality in technical documentation.
By using training documentation software, organizations can provide employees with instant access to the same resources, promoting fairness. Furthermore, implementing an IT solution to this issue can help businesses save both time and money, as creating individual programs for each employee can be taxing.
Easier Updates and Maintenance
Policies, procedures, and workflows are constantly evolving. Therefore, every business needs a system that can quickly notify everyone about these changes.
Training documentation software is an excellent way to keep everyone updated on the latest changes in procedures and policies. Furthermore, having a technological solution for these tasks allows people to easily edit and update the documents with all the needed changes, ensuring that information remains current and accessible to all stakeholders.
Enhanced Employee Onboarding Experience
Having training documentation readily available for new hires can significantly improve the employee onboarding process.
Employees can access your software whenever they need and freely search for answers to their questions. This accessibility can also increase productivity and improve employee performance, as current employees can focus on their work without being distracted or obligated to train new employees.
Having training courses and training manuals readily available for new hires can significantly improve the employee onboarding process.
Best Training Documentation Software Solutions for 2024
The top software choices on this list help to streamline the ability to create, update, and share training materials to support both new hires and seasoned employees.
1. Helpjuice
Helpjuice is a powerful knowledge base software designed for organizations looking to provide employees and customers with easy, independent access to information and resources. It allows companies to easily store important documents in one central location, ensuring that all employees have easy access to the information they need, while also enabling the creation of help pages for customers.
Helpjuice offers numerous collaboration features, including task assignments, commenting, and revision history.
Additionally, Helpjuice provides extensive customization options to enhance the user experience.
Key Features:
- Limitless authoring and formatting capabilities
- Intelligent analytics to track user searches and measure content consumption
- Seamless integration with other apps such as Slack, Salesforce, Zapier, and many more
- Extensive customization options
- Localization support for over 300 languages
- Google-like search functionality that delivers the most relevant results
2. Wizardshot
With the help of AI, Wizardshot allows you to automatically create training documentation and detailed step-by-step tutorials, thus speeding up the tedious process of writing technical documentation manually.
The process is simple: Wizardshot records your screen, takes screenshots of your work, and transforms this into a clear, step-by-step tutorial.
The software also enables you to download your documents in PDF, DOC, or HTML formats, or embed them into a knowledge base via Helpjuice.
Key Features:
- AI-powered capabilities for generating step-by-step instructions
- Customization options to add videos, images, and more
- Smart blur to protect private information
- Options to embed, download, and share documents
3. Tango
Tango is a versatile training manual software that allows users to create various types of technical documentation in minutes. With Tango, you can generate SOPs, technical manuals, and how-to guides effortlessly, sharing them as PDFs, links, or via email.
Additionally, Tango offers web and desktop versions which makes this app flexible to use.
Key Features:
- Generate customizable how-to guides with screenshots and annotations
- Pin guides directly on software screens
- Embed guides into knowledge bases seamlessly
- Track software usage to identify process bottlenecks
4. ProProfs
ProProfs is an online training software that provides users with a centralized and easily accessible repository for their critical documents. It enables the creation of diverse types of documentation, establishing a strong knowledge base for both customers and employees.
Users can utilize ProProfs as an internal knowledge repository accessible to employees from any device, at any time. It also eases the creation of user manuals and various types of online documentation, such as technical, IT, and training documentation.
Additionally, ProProfs offers a platform to establish a 24/7 availability help center for your customers.
Key Features:
- SEO Friendly knowledge base
- Customization options like fonts logos and more
- 90+ languages supported
- Options for adding videos and images
5. Scribe
Scribe is a software that automates document creation for you. Once you install the Scribe extension, the app captures the process you're going through and automatically generates a step-by-step document. Additionally, users can utilize the software's customization features to tailor documents to their specific needs. Scribe allows users to enhance their documents by adding GIFs, images, and videos, and sharing them via links or embedding them in their knowledge bases.
Key Features:
- Web and desktop process capture
- Sensitive data redaction
- Automatic step-by-step instructions
- Custom branding options
- AI-generated process documents
6. ClickHelp
ClickHelp software streamlines the process of creating documentation, allowing users to work more efficiently. In addition to providing a central hub for documentation and training material editing, ClickHelp features seamless content management, enhanced collaboration among colleagues, diverse publishing tools, support for multiple output formats, and advanced analytics.
Key Features:
- Content Migration
- Easy Export (CHM, PDF, Word, EPUB, RTF, ODT, MHT)
- Integrations with Google Analytics, Google Search Console, YouTube, Vimeo, Gravatar and more
- Password Protection for Manuals
- Powerful topic editor
7. FlowShare
FlowShare is a training documentation software intended for Windows users only. It runs in the background of your computer and automatically captures every action you take, freeing you from the manual creation of guides, and other documentation. FlowShare also allows you to edit and polish your documents until you are completely satisfied. Additionally, the tool enables you to export your documents into multiple formats such as PDF, PPTX, DOCX, HTML, or PNG, and automatically incorporates your company brand, logo, colors, and fonts.
Key Features:
- Compatible with any application on your Windows computer
- Options for brand templates
- Blur sensitive data
- Bulk crop functionality
8. Coassemble
Coassemble is a course-building platform designed to help companies create a wide range of employee training materials, from onboarding and employee training to customer training and product and sales training. Coassamble also offers options to convert text documents into interactive courses and quizzes and allows users to add images to enhance their courses.
Key Features:
- Share courses with unlimited people
- Create unlimited courses
- Generate courses on any topic
- Generate quizzes for your courses
9. Trainual
Trainual is a software solution designed to simplify the creation of manuals, SOPs, and training materials needed for a company's onboarding process and employee skill development. The tool features AI-powered options that assist users in writing accurate and clear documents. Additionally, Trainual enhances file management by allowing users to organize documents into folders by teams, departments, and collections.
Key Features:
- AI-assisted search
- Document import
- Add e-signatures to policies
- Mobile app and browser extension
- Custom branding
10. Microsoft SharePoint
Microsoft SharePoint is another multi-featured tool that allows users to store, organize, and share training content for their employees. SharePoint offers both cloud-based (Microsoft 365) and on-premises (SharePoint Server) solutions, enabling businesses to select the ways they want the software to be hosted.
Key features:
- Team Sites: Share files, data, and resources with customizable sites for projects and departments.
- Collaboration: Work with team members inside and outside your organization on any device.
- Intranet: Share news and resources across the company using home sites and communication sites.
- Search and Insights: Find information easily with a powerful search tool.
- Process Automation: Automate tasks and workflows using lists, libraries, and tools like Power Automate and Power Apps.
Wrap Up
Training documentation software is a valuable tool that significantly eases the creation of training documents and facilitates knowledge distribution within a company.
Businesses can easily create various types of training documentation because many of these tools offer AI-powered and screen-recording features that automatically generate manuals, SOPs, and step-by-step tutorials.
Training documentation tools not only save time and reduce the workload of employees involved in training but also help resolve any questions and issues employees may have by serving as a centralized resource for all inquiries.
