How to Create Web Manuals? Explanation of the Steps to Transition from Word Manuals and Recommended Tools

1. Current State of Word Manuals

The digital transformation of manuals has progressed, evolving from paper manuals to PDF manuals, and further to an increasing number of HTML-format web manuals.
Many people probably use Microsoft Word to print paper manuals or output them as PDFs.
Although you may be interested in web conversion, have you postponed adopting web manuals for passive reasons such as "I don't really understand the benefits of web conversion, and it seems difficult"?

This article is recommended for those who have the following concerns.

・The text is small and hard to read on tablets or smartphones…

・It's difficult to find where the information I want is located…

・Even though I have Word, starting over from scratch is troublesome and seems costly…

・I don’t even know how to convert to the web in the first place…

2. How to Create a Web Manual

There are broadly three methods to create a web manual.

2-1. Design and Create a Web Manual from Scratch

Advantages: You can design freely without worrying about existing layouts

Disadvantages: Requires knowledge of time, cost, web development, and security

This method offers the highest degree of freedom. It is recommended if you have specialized knowledge in web manual construction.
When outsourcing to a production company, costs may be incurred not only for the introduction of the web manual but also for its future operation.

2-2. Creating a Web Manual Using a CMS

Advantages: Once you learn the basic operations, it saves time and cost compared to designing from scratch

Disadvantages: Depending on the implementation type, specialized knowledge may be required and attention to security is necessary

There are three types of CMS implementations: "Open Source," "Cloud-based," and "Package-based," each differing in layout flexibility, required knowledge, and cost.
The "Open Source" type allows for cost-effective and flexible design but requires specialized knowledge in design and security.
The "Cloud-based" type provides templates, enabling creation without specialized knowledge, but specialized knowledge is needed for security aspects.
The "Package-based" type offers high layout flexibility and the use of in-house servers, providing security reassurance, but it incurs costs.

When creating a web manual using a CMS, it is important to understand these characteristics and choose a CMS that suits your company.

2-3. Leveraging Word to Convert into a Web Manual

Merit: By utilizing Word’s layout, time and costs can be reduced.

Disadvantage: Layout conversion settings are required

This is the easiest and most cost-effective method. It is recommended for those who have already created manuals in Word and find web manuals to be a high hurdle.
Since Word is converted to HTML, once the conversion settings are done, manuals can be quickly turned into web versions thereafter. If corrections are needed, you can make them yourselves using the familiar Word without outsourcing.

2-4. Extra: How is it different from Word's "Save as HTML" feature?

Word has a "Save as HTML" feature that allows you to easily output a web manual.
However, this method has significant issues. The HTML output by Word generates redundant and complex code because it tries to faithfully reproduce the document's layout and style.
This causes the following problems.

・Display may break depending on the browser

・Low maintainability, making update tasks complicated

・Difficult to unify the design

It is possible to clean up using HTML editors such as Dreamweaver, but it involves a lot of manual work and is not efficient. Especially when managing and updating multiple manuals continuously, this method has its limitations.

To solve these issues, it is effective to utilize dedicated tools that convert Word documents into web manuals. In the next chapter, we will introduce three representative tools.

3. Three Useful Tools for Creating Web Manuals Leveraging Word

For those who have already created manuals in Word and find web manuals challenging, we introduce three dedicated tools that convert Word documents into web manuals.

3-1. MadCap Flare

This is a high-performance authoring tool specialized in creating technical documents. It supports importing Word files and outputting to various formats such as HTML, PDF, and CHM. However, the operation is somewhat complex, and there is a certain learning curve for introduction and operation.
MadCap Flare

3-2. HelpNDoc

This is a relatively easy-to-introduce tool that supports output to HTML, EPUB, PDF, and more. While the interface is intuitive and easy to use, it is somewhat less suitable for detailed customization and large-scale manual management.
HelpNDoc

3-3. WebWorks ePublisher

What we especially recommend is WebWorks ePublisher. This tool reads Word files and converts them into highly maintainable HTML while preserving the structure and styles. ePublisher has the following features.

・Using templates makes it easy to unify the design

・Style mapping feature allows optimization of Word headings and paragraph styles for the web

・Highly reusable structure enables efficient updates and re-output

・High extensibility including multilingual support and simultaneous PDF output

WebWorks ePublisher is not just a conversion tool. It enables a strategic approach from webifying manuals to the continuous operation of manuals.

WebWorks ePublisher

4. Streamline Web Manual Creation! Introduction to Human Science Support

Our company offers a support service for converting Word manuals to the web using "WebWorks ePublisher." Based on your existing Word manuals, we build web-optimized manuals in a short period. We provide comprehensive support from template design to HTML output.

Even those who have concerns such as "no knowledge of HTML" or "no web personnel within the company" can use it with confidence. If you are considering web conversion of your manuals, please feel free to consult with us.

In addition, the following materials provide detailed information on key points for selecting document platforms in IT companies and how to create a manual environment that is highly compatible with development sites. Please take a look.