How do I create a software onboarding guide for new hires who aren't very tech-savvy?

Create onboarding guides with a screenshot for every single step — including steps that seem obvious. Non-tech-savvy hires need visual confirmation that they clicked the right thing. Use a workflow capture tool to auto-generate the screenshots, then edit descriptions to use plain language instead of technical jargon. Keep each guide under 10 steps, and split complex workflows into separate guides.

What makes a guide "non-tech-savvy friendly"?

Principle	Bad Example	Good Example
Plain language	"Navigate to the CRM dashboard"	"Go to the Salesforce homepage — the page with the blue header"
Visual confirmation	"Click Submit"	"Click the green 'Submit' button in the bottom-right corner (see screenshot)"
No assumptions	"Log in and open Settings"	"Open Chrome. Go to salesforce.com. Enter your email and password. Click 'Log In.'"
Numbered steps	Paragraph of instructions	Step 1, Step 2, Step 3 with a screenshot each
Error recovery	(No mention of errors)	"If you see a red error message, click 'Back' and re-enter the amount"

How do you build these guides?

1. Record the workflow with Glyde — this auto-generates screenshots and steps
2. Do NOT delete "obvious" steps — Keep steps like "Click the Login button" that experts would skip
3. Edit descriptions for clarity — Replace "Navigate to" with "Click on" or "Go to"
4. Add visual anchors — "The button is in the top-right corner, next to the blue bell icon"
5. Include what success looks like — "After clicking Submit, you should see a green checkmark"
6. Break up long workflows — Max 10 steps per guide; link guides in sequence if needed

How do you test if the guide works?

Ask someone who has never used the software to follow the guide without help. Watch where they hesitate or ask questions. Those are the steps that need more detail or clearer screenshots. Two rounds of testing typically make the guide foolproof.

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This answer is part of our guide to screen recording to documentation.