Every job sometimes requires documentation. Most people have procedures they follow every day. If a person were absent for any length of time then someone else would need to complete the tasks. The tasks therefore need to be coherently documented with instructions anyone could follow. For people who create software, documentation detailing how the client should use it and how colleagues should support the client using it are essential. These are just some examples of when simple, clear documentation is required. I have found that the most effective kind of documentation is the simple step by step 'idiot guide' which includes screen shot images where necessary. My favourite package to create such guides is Word.

When creating instruction documents that include the use of any software package it is useful to include screenshots so that a user can actually see where they are supposed to go. You may think that your instructions are clear, but any additional help you can give would be an advantage. Sometimes things that are obvious to you because you are experienced with the task or software may not be as obvious to a new user. Take a screenshot of the page you need to include. Paste it into Paint and then clip the particular section that is useful.

The screen shots in Word are useful because, when combined with the drawing functionality, certain parts can be highlighted with coloured circles or arrows etc. to point the user to the exact point on the page. It may look more professional if you paste an image in and use a border. Right click the image and choose Format Picture. Go to the Line Colour option and select solid line. You can alter the appearance and colour of the line as you wish, but keep all borders consistent throughout the document.

Once the screenshot is in the document you can highlight a particular part of it to show exactly what is relevant. For example, if you have added an image of the Customer entry form on a database and you are talking particularly about the Customer Address field then you can draw a box directly onto the picture around the Customer Address field. Click off of the image in Word and go to the Illustrations section of the Insert tab on the ribbon. Choose shapes and pick the required shape. Draw the shape directly onto the image where it is needed. Right click the shape and choose Format. The line colour can be thickened and changed to red as well as formatted in other ways. Try and be consistent throughout the document when adding such highlights. Do not have them all different colours, shapes and styles since this is confusing, unprofessional and draws attention away from what you need to show.

Use Headers for easy formatting of the document. Once you have formatted the Heading with a particular font you can select this font from the list without having to format all the others from scratch. When you format them properly you can then add an automatic table of contents since word will recognise headers and place them in the contents list. A contents list should be included in large documents to help the user navigate to the section they need. The first time they may read through everything, but the next time they may need something specific. Order the guide in logical sections and use a table of contents to show them. On the ribbon insert contents from the References tab.

When creating an idiot guide that will be for external use, it is good to create it using the company branding such as specific fonts, colours and logos. One way to do this while including a professional looking finish is to insert a cover page that will not be included in the table of contents. On the Insert tab select Cover Page and choose an appropriate style. There will already be text to personalise and if the images are not correct you can insert your own company logos or images and format accordingly. The colour of all fonts and backgrounds can be formatted according to your own requirements. Right click any object and select Format. When selecting More Colours you will be given the option to add specific RGB colours. Most marketing departments with a branding scheme will be able to give you the exact RGB colours they use.

The key to creating an idiot guide is to keep everything in it concise and simple. The way to test it is to give it to a new user and see if they can complete the task without further help. Note any questions or problems and update the guide accordingly. Try not to use pages and pages of text as a lack of interest can prevent someone focusing on the task. Use appropriate images and styles. Make sure instructions are in a simple step by step format. Use bullet points with any additional explanatory information underneath. Always complete a spelling and grammar check to avoid embarrassing errors. This can be found on the Review tab. Ensure that you do not overuse the style and formatting features of Word. The document should not be an advert for all the pretty things you have learned to create! They should enhance your document rather than smother it.