How to Create Step-by-step Instructions with Screenshots

A recent study by Glean (in collaboration with OnePoll) showed that 81% of new employees feel overwhelmed with information during their onboarding process. At the same time, 77% of respondents believe that accessing information without asking for it empowers them and boosts their productivity. 

These statistics clearly show the importance of providing employees with clear, easy-to-understand step-by-step instructions for various processes. Unfortunately, it also highlights that – despite the benefits – most companies fail to do so. One of the reasons for that is that creating such documents used to be a pretty time-consuming process. 

With the invention of automated, AI-driven tools like MagicHow, this is no longer the case. Want to learn how to create step-by-step instructions with screenshots in just a few minutes using our solution? Read on! You can also create a free MagicHow Starter account to test it.

How to create step-by-step instructions with screenshots

Here are the steps to develop clear, easy-to-understand step-by-step guides with screenshots illustrating the entire process.

Define your goals and audience

First, you need to define the document’s goals and your audience. It’s essential because both factors determine the language, style, and content of the step-by-step instruction. You should always try to look at the document you design from the perspective of its future readers, and the better you understand it, the more relevant and practical your instruction will be.

Choose process documentation software

Creating all your step-by-step instructions manually would take ages, but if you use process documentation software, you can shorten this time considerably. Our MagicHow helps you make documents – SOPs, training manuals, tutorials, how-to guides, knowledge bases etc. – effortlessly without any specialized knowledge. Your documentation will be stylish, and you can customize and brand it in various ways.

MagicHow offers the following features:

• Choose an AI-powered tool – MagicHow uses AI algorithms to automate process documentation. You simply press a button to record, and the tool automatically makes screenshots and splits the process you document into logical steps. 
• Use a browser extension or a dedicated desktop app – Decide whether you want a desktop application for a PC/laptop or a simple browser extension for Firefox, Chrome, Edge and Safari. 
• Blur sensitive information – Remove details you want to keep from readers, such as private information, payment details or other sensitive info. 
• Annotate and edit screenshots – Modify the files MagicHow created to customize and improve your instruction and offer additional information and context.
• Easy sharing – Export your documentation to PDF format, embed it or share guides via a link with configurable access. 

Our tool can help in many industries and fields. Whether it’s an HR SOP, employee training manual or call center knowledge base, we've got you covered. Let’s explore the exact steps you should take.

Install the software

You can use MagicHow in two ways: as a desktop application and as an extension you install in your browser. Both approaches are viable and user-friendly, and both lead to great results. There are, however, some differences between them. 

• Our dedicated desktop application is a solid choice if you want to use your PC or laptop. It provides an excellent interface and runs fast without hindering the computer’s performance. The installation is straightforward – anyone can do it without expert help. 
• The browser extension is a good option when you can’t (or, for some reason, don’t want to) install applications on your computer. You can also use it on a mobile device. We have Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari extensions, and you can install them by pressing a single button. 

Record the process you want to make the instructions for

The next step is simply performing the action that the step-by-step guide will describe and record. Starting the recording with MagicHow is as easy as pressing a button. After that, just carry out the usual steps as you would normally. Our software will run in the background and record your actions. It’ll then split the entire process into several logical steps (which you can customize) and automatically capture screenshots to visualize them. 

Customize your step-by-step instructions

You should also customize your instructions to suit the chosen use case better. MagicHow offers plenty of helpful customization options, such as:

• Adding steps’ titles and descriptions – Name and describe the steps outlined in the document to eliminate unnecessary confusion.
• Blurring sensitive data – Anonymize sensitive data by blurring screenshot fragments.
• Cropping a picture – Focus on essential details by cropping a specific screenshot area.
• Adding logos to your screenshots – Brand your step-by-step instructions by adding logos to images.
• Changing style – Modify the colors and fonts of your document to fit a specific style or make it consistent with your company’s existing communication.
• Replacing or merging the slides – Merge several slides or remove unnecessary ones to keep the document concise.

Share your step-by-step instructions 

When your guide is complete, share it with the people you created it for. With MagicHow, you  have several ways to do this:

• Link – Create and share your guide via a link with configurable access settings, which allows you to define who can see it.
• Export as a PDF file – Change your instruction into a PDF file and send it to whoever and however you want.
• Copy as HTML or Markdown content – Easily share your instructions on various third-party websites.
• Embed –  Embed the crated instructions to use it on a platform like Confluence, Notion, Zendesk, Webflow etc.

Ask for feedback and refine

Making instructions is just the first step. You’ll almost certainly discover additional details or information you should include in your document. The audience is the best source for such feedback. Ask them for their opinion, and iterate. These documents exist to serve people, so you should listen to these people to make them as good as you can and as precise and detailed as they want them to be.

Creating step-by-step instructions: Best practices

You should always follow some process documentation best practices to ensure clarity, accuracy and effectiveness of your step-by-step instructions. Here are some valuable tips:

1. Consider the needs and habits of your target audience – Use simple and appropriate language. Adjust the terminology and tone for your audience. Avoid jargon, slang or acronyms that may confuse them.
2. Define the scope of your instructions – Define the desired outcome of following your instructions. How long will it take? What are the prerequisites, requirements or assumptions? Provide this information at the beginning of your instructions to set expectations and avoid frustration.
3. Break down the task into logical and manageable steps – Describe each step by focusing on one specific action or decision that moves the user closer to the goal. Use clear and concise language, active voice and imperative mood. Number the steps or use bullet points to make them easy to follow.
4. Provide visual aids when possible – Use images, diagrams, screenshots, videos and animations to help illustrate the steps and show the expected results. Ensure the visual aids are relevant, clear and consistent with the text.
5. Highlight the essential details – Add tips and notes to highlight specific details and focus the readers’ attention on what’s important. 
6. Be consistent – Use formatting and branding in your documentation to ensure good readability and avoid confusion.
7. Remember about accessibility – Make your guide as easily accessible as you can. It’s easy to do with MagicHow’s various sharing options. 
8. Consider including optional information – Decide whether you want to offer details that provide additional context and help users understand the process better. They can be helpful but will make the document longer. Make sure to separate such optional information from the main part of the step-by-step instruction to optimize readability.
9. Test and revise – Before you publish or share the document, ask someone to read it to check for potential errors, typos and inconsistent or incomplete information.

Conclusion

If you follow this article, you can create excellent step-by-step documentation for your business. Such resources will make many essential processes – like implementing new tools or onboarding your talents – much more manageable, paving the way to innovation and continuous growth. With MagicHow, you can do all this easily, quickly and effectively.

Our business process documentation and SOP software allow you to create detailed documents in minutes instead of hours. MagicHow is an AI-powered tool that will do much of the work for you – but you remain in control. You’ll be able to customize and brand the documents however you like, crop images, change fonts etc. The solution also lets you blur out sensitive information, which means you can use it without security or privacy concerns.

Our software is an excellent tool for process standardization and optimizing your team's productivity. Whether you need to create simple step-by-step instructions for essential business processes, a salesman training manual, a customer service training manual, a tutorial that describes how to create videos or something else entirely, it’ll make your life much easier.  

Create a free account right now to check it out!