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Excel based tool User Guide

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  • 10-02-2019 2:49pm
    #1
    Deco99
    Registered Users Posts: 1,642 ✭✭✭


    Hi, I've built a few VBA based tools at work which automate tasks down to clicking of a few buttons. My problem is trying to create a user guide / how to run document that isn't too complicated. I keep ending up with a document that's too long so wondering if anyone knows of any good techniques for getting across the message of how to run and what's happening in background.


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    #2
    28064212
    Registered Users Posts: 10,493 ✭✭✭✭28064212


    Deco99 wrote: »
    Hi, I've built a few VBA based tools at work which automate tasks down to clicking of a few buttons. My problem is trying to create a user guide / how to run document that isn't too complicated. I keep ending up with a document that's too long so wondering if anyone knows of any good techniques for getting across the message of how to run and what's happening in background
    Why are you describing what's happening in the background in a user guide? That's information for technical documentation, not something a user needs to know. All a user needs to know is:
    • what are the initial conditions?
    • what buttons to press?
    • what is the output?

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    #3
    Deco99
    Registered Users Posts: 1,642 ✭✭✭Deco99


    28064212 wrote: »
    Why are you describing what's happening in the background in a user guide? That's information for technical documentation, not something a user needs to know. All a user needs to know is:
    • what are the initial conditions?
    • what buttons to press?
    • what is the output?

    Maybe I need to rephrase so. After the tool is run the output needs to be reviewed, so when I say what's happening in background I'm trying to give the user an understanding of how the output is arrived at in order to identify any issues, especially if input files contained incorrect data. But you do raise another issue, I'd be interested to see what people think are good VBA technical documentation templates.


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    #4
    Seth Brundle
    Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 38,972 Mod ✭✭✭✭Seth Brundle


    Link to a pdf?
    Userform pop-up?


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    #5
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    Forget documentation.

    Write a second tool that reviews the output and reports common errors. Usually to an error log gets time stamped.

    Over the years I've written loads of documentation and massive user guides.
    I'd say less than 5% of any of it has ever been read.

    These days I write a one page cheat sheet, and then just automate everything.


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