What is auto-generated documentation and how accurate is it?
Auto-generated documentation is content produced by software that records your actions and creates written instructions automatically. Accuracy varies by tool and task type: Glyde achieves 90%+ accuracy for procedural software tasks thanks to its multimodal pipeline that reads DOM state and element context. Scribe achieves 80-90% accuracy. The remaining 10-20% typically needs minor editing — refining descriptions, adding context, or redacting sensitive information.
What affects auto-generation accuracy?
| Factor | Higher Accuracy | Lower Accuracy |
|---|---|---|
| Task type | Click-based workflows (forms, buttons) | Mouse-hover menus, drag-and-drop |
| UI clarity | Clear button labels, distinct elements | Ambiguous icons, unlabeled buttons |
| Task complexity | Linear, sequential steps | Branching logic, conditional paths |
| Speed | Normal working pace | Very fast clicking |
| Application | Standard web apps (Salesforce, Zendesk) | Custom internal tools with unusual UIs |
What does the 10-20% editing look like?
Common edits needed after auto-generation:
| Edit Type | Example | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Refine description | "Click button" → "Click the 'Submit Order' button" | 10 seconds |
| Add context | Add "This notifies the warehouse team" after a step | 15 seconds |
| Redact data | Blur a customer name visible in the screenshot | 10 seconds |
| Remove extra steps | Delete a step where you corrected a typo | 5 seconds |
| Add decision logic | "If the order is over $500, go to step 12" | 30 seconds |
Total editing time for a 15-step SOP: 3-5 minutes. Compare this to the 60-90 minutes needed to create the same guide manually. Auto-generated documentation with light editing is the most efficient approach for teams that create SOPs regularly.
This answer is part of our guide to screen recording to documentation.