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Software User Guide

Document template for Google Docs and Word

Make a copy in Google Docs
Type
Document
Price
Free
Pages
8 · US Letter
Style
Minimal
Difficulty
Beginner
Updated
October 31, 2026

Every page (8)

Overview

A user guide that describes features instead of tasks sends people to support. This template teaches the product in the order users meet it: who the guide is for and which version it covers, a getting-started path with a setup checklist, six common tasks with owners and timing, a settings reference, a troubleshooting register of the problems behind most tickets and a glossary.

The sample is the guide for Yarrowfield Ledger 4.2, a fictional invoicing product from Yarrowfield Software, aimed at finance admins and end users. It shows a first invoice sent in under 10 minutes and a 27% drop in how-to calls. Replace the version and reader first, then swap in your top five support tickets, retake the screenshots and add your own errors and fixes.

Useful for

  • Onboarding new customers with a first-task path they can finish in under 10 minutes
  • Giving support and customer success a single page of fixes for the top support tickets
  • Training admins on settings, roles and the API before a new release goes live

What's included

  • Cover and an introduction page with version, audience, headline numbers and three ways to use the guide
  • Getting-started page with a four-step timeline, a setup checklist and three named contacts
  • Common tasks checklist with owners and due dates, plus a four-week plan
  • Settings page documenting one API call, with parameters table and request and response examples
  • Troubleshooting register with a likelihood and impact heat map and the exact fix for each problem
  • Glossary of 13 terms and a Make it yours guide

How to use it

  1. 1

    Click Make a copy in Google Docs, then confirm on the Google page. The copy is saved to your own Google Drive.

  2. 2

    State the product version and the reader, such as admin or end user, on the introduction page.

  3. 3

    Replace the common tasks with your top five support tickets, each as numbered steps with one action per step, and retake every screenshot from the current release.

  4. 4

    Replace the troubleshooting entries with real errors and the exact fix that resolved them, then update the roles, the glossary and your support link.

  5. 5

    Delete the Make it yours page, then share the guide or publish it.

What you need

Requirements

  • A Google account with access to Google Drive

Works with

  • Google Docs
  • Microsoft Word (download the .docx)

Questions

How many tasks should a user guide cover?

Six to twelve core tasks, each with 4 to 8 steps. Pick the tasks behind your top support tickets so the guide reduces how-to questions.

Should a user guide describe features or tasks?

Tasks. Users arrive with a job to do, such as sending an invoice. Write one action per step, use the exact screen text and show a screenshot every two or three steps.

Is Yarrowfield Ledger a real product?

No. Yarrowfield Software, Yarrowfield Ledger, the people and every figure are fictional sample content. Replace them with your own product, version and contacts.

  • #user-guide
  • #user-manual
  • #software-documentation
  • #help-documentation
  • #product-training
  • #troubleshooting-guide
  • #google-docs

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