{"id":78076,"date":"2024-10-04T17:40:16","date_gmt":"2024-10-04T17:40:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/whatfix.com\/blog\/?p=78076"},"modified":"2026-07-28T09:52:39","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T09:52:39","slug":"quick-reference-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/whatfix.com\/blog\/quick-reference-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Create a Quick Reference Guide (+Examples)"},"content":{"rendered":"

For service providers and product teams, user onboarding<\/a> enables customers to set up their accounts independently, adopt processes, and drive value from their new subscriptions or products.<\/p>\n

While detailed technical documentation<\/a> is necessary, it can often be dull and bulky. Customers desire a helpful, quick-hitting document that provides all the fundamental, essential information needed to navigate a new product or service.<\/p>\n

The answer can be a quick reference guide,<\/b> which provides new users with the foundational guidance they need to get started with a product or service and safeguards service agents from being overwhelmed with new customer service ticket requests.<\/p>\n

In this article, we\u2019ll explore the concept of Quick reference guides, break down their benefits for customers and internal employees like contact center service agents, showcase best practices for creating helpful reference guides, and present quick reference guide creation tools to enable technical writers.<\/p>\n

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What Is a Quick Reference Guide?<\/h2>\n

A quick reference guide (QRG) is a short technical document (usually less than 5 pages) that provides end-users with a quick overview of information. It provides guidance on what steps an employee should take for a specific task or procedure.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Importance of Quick Reference Guides<\/h2>\n

Web apps, from SaaS products to online service provider portals, often have complex workflows and journeys that can cause user dropoff. Since your functionality has a certain level of complexity, you need to provide user documentation<\/a> so that your customers can understand the ins and outs of everything you offer \u2013 but what about situations where your users need help quickly?<\/p>\n

But wait\u2014not only do you have users, but you also have a team of employees. New employees need quick help understanding the lay of the land when they onboard, and both new and seasoned employees have a variety of processes and policies to understand. As the employer, you want all of this to happen fast so that your team can spend most of their time delivering value to your users.<\/p>\n

Enter the quick reference guide \u2013 a solution for your internal employees and customers.<\/p>\n

A quick reference guide can make or break your customer experience. It is user documentation with only essential information so that someone who simply needs to get something done can quickly and easily ascertain the next steps regarding a concept or task.<\/p>\n

Quick reference guides for your employees explain workflows, product information, and policies quickly enough to maintain efficiency.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s dive into what a quick reference guide includes and how to use it to help your team and users reach their goals.<\/p>\n

Components of a reference guide<\/h3>\n