Explaining the advantages and disadvantages of electronic manuals and paper manuals

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of paper manuals?

First, in this chapter, we will introduce the advantages and disadvantages of paper manuals. Paper-based manuals are an analog medium, but there are certainly advantages to being analog.

Benefits ①: No need for terminal or environment preparation

The greatest strength of paper manuals is that they do not require any terminal or environment preparation. It goes without saying, but since it is paper, you can simply flip through the manual to read it.

As digitalization of everything has progressed and decades have passed, there are still people who struggle with digital devices. It cannot be helped as everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses.
However, the problem lies in the difficulty of handling electronic manuals for those who struggle with digital devices.
Simple tasks such as turning on the power or launching an app can be challenging for them.

However, in that regard, paper manuals can be a very reassuring presence. They can be read without any special preparation. Paper manuals can be distributed to a wide range of people, regardless of age or gender.

Benefits 2: Can be read anywhere

The second advantage of paper manuals is that they can be read anywhere. With just a paper booklet, you can read the manual on the spot. For example, in the case of online manuals, a network environment is required, but for those who want to read it immediately when they are in trouble, paper manuals are recommended.
In addition, with paper manuals, the ability to write notes is also a benefit. By writing down tips and advice that you have grasped or received, it creates a more effective manual.

Benefits ③: Can reference multiple pages at the same time

The third advantage of paper manuals is that multiple pages can be referenced at the same time. With paper manuals, if you have multiple booklets prepared, you can compare each page and confirm the content.

As a situation where you want to refer to multiple pages at the same time, for example, there may be a description like the following:
"To print to a printer, press the print button in the upper right corner of the screen. For instructions on how to turn on the printer, please refer to page XX."

Most likely, many manuals circulating in the world are made in this way. Even in such cases, if you line up multiple booklets in a paper manual, you can check the content while comparing related pages.

Cons ①: Printing costs are incurred

The biggest disadvantage of paper manuals is the cost of printing. It is relatively cheap for a few dozen pages, but when it comes to hundreds of pages, the cost can add up.

For example, assuming that a 250-page operation manual is created and printed on A4 paper. If we assume that one sheet of A4 paper costs 0.7 yen, the cost per copy of the paper manual is 175 yen.

Some may feel that it is not very expensive, but if it is distributed to all employees, the cost will increase even more. In the case of 200 employees, it will be 35,000 yen.

Also, creating a manual is not a one-time task. Depending on the job requirements, the manual may need to be revised. As a result, there will be a need to redistribute the manual each time it is updated, resulting in constant printing costs for paper manuals.

Cons 2: Difficult to search for information

The second disadvantage of paper manuals is that it is difficult to search for information. This is because with paper manuals, you have to manually flip through the booklet to find the information.

For example, let's assume you are reading a manual of nearly 200 pages that explains how to operate a POS register. If you want to know how to use the clear button, you will need to search for the corresponding page within those 200 pages. Of course, if the clear button operation is included in a larger section, it is possible to easily find the corresponding page from the table of contents.

However, it is not always possible to find the necessary information from the table of contents. In the case of paper manuals, there are certainly cases where it is difficult to search for the information you want.

Cons 3: Difficult to update content

The third disadvantage of paper manuals is that it is difficult to update the content. This is because not only does it require effort to make corrections, but also because it requires additional effort for redistribution and announcing replacements.

Modifying manuals is a very nerve-wracking task. This is because not only must there be no mistakes in the content, but also because careful consideration is needed for readability and other details. In addition, there are many accompanying tasks such as distribution and replacement announcements, making the process of updating content even more difficult.

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of electronic manuals?

Next, in this chapter, we will introduce the advantages and disadvantages of electronic manuals. Electronic manuals have the benefits of being digital information, making it easy to edit and carry around.

Benefits ①: Easy manual creation and updating process

The biggest advantage of electronic manuals is that they are easy to create and update. This is because the data is stored on a server, so there is no need to distribute physical copies.

For example, let's consider a case where an already created manual needs to be updated. In the case of electronic manuals, simply replacing the manual stored on the server and making an announcement will complete the task.

In addition, the fact that the work can be completed solely on data is a major advantage of operating with electronic manuals, as it allows for work to be done anytime and from anywhere.

Benefits ②: Utilize search to quickly obtain desired information

The second advantage of electronic manuals is the ability to use search to quickly obtain the desired information.

For example, if you have a word you want to search for in a Word file, what do you do?
Most people would probably display the search window by pressing the "ctrl" and "F" keys at the same time.

In an electronic manual, you can quickly search for the word you want to investigate from the search window in the same way. When you want to search and respond immediately, there is no doubt that you can quickly reach the information in the electronic manual, especially in urgent situations.

Benefits ③: Data can be carried around

The third advantage of electronic manuals is the ability to carry data. This is because electronic manuals are simply data, making it easy to transfer to another location.

For example, let's consider a case where you want to check a manual at home. What if there were five manuals, each with hundreds of pages? It would be quite a laborious task just to carry them around.

If it is an electronic manual, you can easily view it by downloading it from the server. Electronic manuals are simply data, so they can be easily carried around.

Cons ①: A device is required to display electronic manuals.

The biggest disadvantage of electronic manuals is that a device is required to view them. It goes without saying that electronic manuals cannot be viewed on their own. Devices such as tablets, computers, and smartphones are necessary.

When it comes to browsing, one issue arises: some people struggle with handling devices. Just as people have their strengths and weaknesses, there are those who are not good with machines. For them, handling devices can be quite a challenge.

While electronic manuals have the disadvantage of requiring a device, there are also cases where they can be difficult for users to handle, so caution is necessary.

Cons ②: It is difficult to view multiple pages.

The third disadvantage of electronic manuals is that it can be difficult to view multiple pages.

Many manuals that are circulating in the world are designed to prompt references to related pages when the content being described deviates from the current content.
"To print to a printer, press the print button in the upper right corner of the screen. For instructions on how to turn on the printer, please refer to page XX."

In this case, it is not possible to confirm the content without jumping to the corresponding page in the electronic manual.
Unlike paper manuals, it is not easy to prepare multiple devices, so it can be difficult to quickly browse through multiple pages.

3. Summary

How was it? This time, we introduced the advantages and disadvantages of electronic manuals and paper manuals. At first glance, paper-based manuals may seem outdated, so it is easy to lean towards introducing electronic manuals. However, choosing electronic manuals is not always the best option.
We hope you will refer to this article and compare the advantages and disadvantages of each. Then, let's introduce the manual that is suitable for your company. Finally, we have summarized the comparison table, so please refer to it.