All answers
What are the best practices for formatting an onboarding document so it's easy to skim and follow?
March 6, 2026·2 min read·Employee Onboarding Documentation
Format onboarding documents for skimmability with numbered steps, one action per step, annotated screenshots, bold key terms, short paragraphs, and clear section headings. A new hire scanning the document should understand each step from the screenshot and bold text alone — the paragraph text provides optional additional context.
What formatting rules make documents skimmable?
| Rule | Good Example | Bad Example |
|---|---|---|
| One action per step | "Step 3: Click Save" | "Click Save and then navigate to the dashboard" |
| Numbered steps | 1, 2, 3, 4... | Bullet points with no sequence |
| Screenshot per step | Annotated screenshot showing the button | Text-only instruction |
| Bold key elements | "Click the Settings gear icon" | "Click the settings gear icon" |
| Short paragraphs | 2-3 sentences max | 10-line paragraph explaining one concept |
| Clear headings | "How to Process a Refund" | "Section 3.2.1" |
| Tables for comparisons | Side-by-side table | Paragraph listing differences |
What document structure works best?
- Title — Clear, descriptive (e.g., "How to Process a Customer Refund")
- Summary — 1-2 sentences explaining what this document covers and when to use it
- Prerequisites — What access or setup is needed before starting
- Steps — Numbered, one action each, with annotated screenshots
- Common mistakes — 2-3 pitfalls to avoid
- Related documents — Links to related SOPs
Glyde produces this format automatically — numbered steps, annotated screenshots, and concise descriptions — so the output is skimmable by default without manual formatting effort.
This answer is part of our guide to employee onboarding documentation.