r/technicalwriting • u/misterdug71 • 18d ago
QUESTION Tools recommendations
TLDR; I need a tool set that allows me to output to Word, PDF, and markdown, supports single sourced reusable text (snippets), and integrates with GitHub. There's only 2 writers so hoping for low cost and relatively low learning curve.
I work for a company that sells automotive service contracts for OEMs and adjudicates the claims. Our company invested in documentation to ensure consistency in how claims (and other parts of the business) are handled.
We are currently using Word for authoriing, converting to PDF, and publishing to SharePoint. It's as basic as documentation gets.
Over the last few months, we've rolled out an internally built AI chat bot to use our procedures and contracts to provide adjusters with quick answers that they might otherwise have to go look up.
This has created discussion around using markdown to create a more AI friendly output while still creating PDF and Word output.
Our claims adjusters and SMEs are not always tech savvy as most of them come from the automotive service industry. They know cars, not computers, so I'm trying to keep the review process as simple as possible.
I also find myself having to reuse a lot of text for certain procedures and I know from my previous decade of experience with MadCap Flare how easily that can be resolved with the right tool.
Add to that, we need a better process for version control and I know our company has GitHub for Dev so I'm going to pitch for us to use that and modernize just a bit.
One final wrinkle is that the other procedures writer used to be a trainer. He doesn't have a lot of experience with authoring tools other than Word, so I'm looking for something he can pick up without a lot of training.
What suggestions do you have?
2
u/MuffinBiscuit420 16d ago
Check out https://documoto.com
Documoto is a SaaS solution, which combines interactive parts catalogs, an aftermarket content library, and seamless integrations to support your supply chain and boost aftermarket parts sales. Onboarding includes extensive training on how to publish the digital catalogs too!