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Although the concept of manuals usually applies to beginners, they can also prove helpful for persons familiar with the performed task. It would allow uniformity in achieving the desired goals. Basically, a manual is a book of instructions designed to improve a performed task. Contents 1 Training Manual Templates 2 Elements of a Training Manual Template for Employees 3 Training Manual Examples 4 Benefits of Using a Training Manual 4.1 Reduces the Time Needed to Train 4.2 Guarantee the Continuity of a Business 4.3 Standardization of Procedures and Processes 4.4 Delegating is Made Easier 5 Employee Training Manual 6 Some Tips When Making Training Manual Templates 7 Serving Training Manual 8 3 Techniques for Making Your Training Manuals 8.1 Gathering and Assembling the Information 8.2 Consider Who Will be Using the Manual 8.3 Evaluating the Understanding of Your Users The use of manuals is not limited only to businesses but also to all establishments who are involved in methodologies like the military, educational bodies, and even religious institutions. A new recruit will always require a manual. So does an experienced individual who is working in a new environment. These training tools can be used to: Introduce the subject matter prior to training Serve as an outline to be followed during training Serve as a reference of subject matter after training Be general reference document Using these kinds of manual ensures consistency in the presentation of its content which includes skills, processes and other information. The manual ensures that performed tasks are always consistent in one form. Such manuals can also be designed as: Workbooks or Textbooks: They are provided during training sessions with basic information, examples, and exercises. Reference Manuals: It is readily available to trainees in providing detailed information on processes and procedures.
Self-Paced Guides: The manual is designed to facilitate instructions to trainees even without the help of trainers. Job Aids: Manuals usually always provide detailed instruction to be used in the workplace. Handouts: It provides general information to support done during the training. Involving oneself with activities relevant to the performed task will further enrich one’s knowledge and experiences. This makes it easier for one to deal with future predicaments. Training does not end with the manual. It goes beyond that. Training based on manuals in only an event, a beginning. But the importance of the manual should never be neglected. It is the cornerstone for making new employees ready to work. It has become an integral part of the training process. In analogy, it is the new employees ABC, their basic reference guide. When designing a template, take into accounts to establish a powerful core yet still flexible enough to serve varied functions and still providing a personal user experience. A good manual should include these following basic elements: The Introduction This part should be concise, attractive and clear and should provide directly to new users the main purpose of the particular training program. The Instruction The instructions are crucial as they would give the directions to the user how to navigate through the varied parts of the training program. Providing the feature at the start would immediately catch the interest of the trainee at the same time empower them to independently navigate through the manual. This would at most give them a personalized training experience to match their individual learning styles. The Objectives With the necessary instructions on how they navigate through their training program, the next step is to introduce them to your objectives. With these clearly defined objectives (goals and targets) presented at the onset, the new employees can now navigate through the program.
They will be transitioning from just trainees to new roles. The Content of the Manual This element will now define the heart of the material. The content of each manual will vary from program to program. Bear in mind that the contents are not static. In other words, the manual can use other forms of media (like videos and images) to maximize the deliverance of the content. This is extremely beneficial to the learning process. It may be independent so as to decide on its form. But it is a critical element it will determine the effectiveness of your program. It would also demonstrate if the trainees can effectively apply what they have learned. The second part of this is the importance of surveys as it would allow user feedback at the same time would serve as a gauge to trainee progress. It would shed light on where the program would need improvements. The Summary and Some Follow Up Steps Summarize the main points of the booklet in the most succinct way. You should include follow-up steps that would improve the ability of the users to reinforce what they have already learned. Lastly prepare the trainees to the next manual of the program, if any. A Timeline or Schedule Trainees have the option to organize their own time and pace themselves, for some kinds of training programs. This is more feasible than assigning them timelines which they may not be able to accomplish. Trainees may not be able to complete their training module on a rigid timetable. Flexibility should solve the problem. There are cases when training programs allow these situations and if applicable, they have to be included in the manual too. Frequently Asked Questions Most booklets now come with a list of FAQs. This would allow the trainee when confused to search for a solution to his problem. A great time saver. Any Related Sources or Supplemental Material If applicable, include any resources related to your training program as well as supplemental material.
This would give the trainees more information about what they are learning. These days technology is everywhere but concrete manuals are still very much essential. The design of your training manual template should include programs tailor made to the different learning habits. It provides mostly all the information needed to perform a certain task with minimal supervision. But this will all depend on the accuracy of the content. It is therefore imperative that for processes to go smoothly with maximum benefits, the manual should be researched and written well. Here are some benefits of a well-researched and well-written manual: Reduces the Time Needed to Train A well researched and well-written manual will prove a lifeline for employees when it comes to performing their tasks. Most often, the manual will contain procedures which will enable the employee to perform his assigned task with minimum interference from the supervisor. Clearly, this will save time and effort for the employee, at the same time boosting his confidence. For example, if he were assigned to attend a conference out of state, he can refer to the manual while on his travel arrangements: what airline, what service car, how to communicate with the workshop delegates, etc. A good manual will provide all these information. Guarantee the Continuity of a Business Upon the absence of a co-worker, work does not stand still. Refer to the manual on SOPs to finds out who else can take over the absentees job to ensure there is no vacancy in the continuity of that job. Delegating is Made Easier Short job descriptions and contact details for each staff member will be contained in a good SOP manual. Such could easily provide you data on personnel who would be able to take over. The SOP is a document that is always subject to change and always for the better. It is therefore useful to have this kind of manual and to have a separate manual for training as well.
You can reap a lot of benefits with a good manual containing well-researched procedures. Benefits for the employees, for the employers and also for the clients. Some useful tips in making a great training manual template comes next. The most important tip is to make it as simple as possible so as not to confuse the users. Follow these tips to be able to make a great template: Write the Content in Plain English Use words easily understood by the average user. Technical words should be avoided unless it is part of the workplace vocabulary. In such cases, you still have to explain these in simple and understandable terms. Acronyms and abbreviations should also be spelled out. Practice Consistency in the Style and the Tone of Your Writing Avoid long sentences and paragraphs. Be wary of punctuation marks. If paragraphs become too long because of multiple thoughts, break it down and use numbered steps. It would be much easier to understand your thought process. If you Think You Need Graphics (like graphs, charts tables, pictures, screen displays) to Illustrate a Point, Include Them Remember the adage, a picture is worth a thousand words. Also, users tend to be more appreciative if visuals are used. Like everyone else, they love pictures. Write Your Table of Contents in Full Detail It would facilitate finding information.Proofread Your Whole Document A very elementary step, yet it makes a great difference. This part deals mostly with the form of the manual yet it is as important. Pay attention to all the details. Make it a habit to double check your work. In the end, it will all work out. We are now closing in on the substance part of the manual. Through it, new employees learn about the company, old employees about new systems or programs. The manual’s content is usually defined on what the company is for but there are general things that can be accomplished to help employees get the most of it.
Before making the manual, double check that you have all the relevant information that you need. Always think of your audience first, making sure that your work would make it easier for them to learn. Include in any relevant images and graphics, blank spaces for notes, some tests to review on how the trainees learn and a checklist of important tasks. Here are 3 techniques to guide you as you make your manual for training: Gathering and Assembling the Information Review and compile the information you need to cover for the manual. Examine the various processes and knowledge points which need to be covered and be sure that you are clear on each topic. Make a list of all the important information and refer to this list as frequently. Be sure to include all the issues. Pay attention to details since missing one could later on confuse your users. Always double check. Omitting a step in a procedure could lead to wrong outputs. Make an outline of the flow of the training manual. A flowchart would be a helpful visual. With your list from (1), organize your information into a logical sequence of parts. Begin with the basics and deal with the more in-depth concepts later. Think with an overview mind. Make sure that all aspects of the manual will be coherent, one aspect related to the next. Go with the flow of the manual and do not introduce sections that have not yet been taken up yet. It is possible to write self-contained sections in your manual. That is, a section that doesn’t need to build on each other. Do so but segregate it from the sections that are coherent. Include a table of contents and an index. This element is very important and handy in helping the user to navigate the contents of your manual without having to read the whole manual. Make the table as detailed as you can so it would be easier for the user to locate items that need to be reviewed. Include Chapter titles, section headings. Do the same with the index, that is, as detailed as possible.
It would be so beneficial to easily locate items in a detailed index. Write informative chapter previews. Allow two to three paragraphs of preview for each chapter. The preview will include the list of objectives for the chapter. You can also go further by indication the keywords which could help users in their search for answers. Supply each chapter end with a summary. Make it concise, touching on the most important information of the chapter. Repeat the objectives of the chapter again so as to give the users the opportunity to evaluate if they learned or not what they were supposed to. Writing a manual would require collaboration and cooperation. It would be a more time saving and prone to fewer mistakes. Gather people to help you. Some advantages in group work: facilitate checking for errors, having second opinions on the how understandable the content is and making sure that all aspects are covered. Consider Who Will be Using the Manual Write for and to your audience. It is a requirement to know who your audience is, whether they already have a knowledge base or are starting from zero. This will lay the foundation on how broad or specific you will be throughout the manual. Take the case of new software that no one has yet seen. It is therefore safe to assume that they know nothing about it. Or in a case where you are training sales techniques at a clothing store, here you need not explain what pants and shirts are. These examples will illustrate whether you should be broad or specific in your discussions in the manual. Do not patronize by expounding too much on simple concepts. Neither should you assume that your audience knows something that they may not know. Include problem-solving scenarios and discussion topics. Reading the manual is not enough to learn the processes in it. Include ways for users to apply what they have read so they can get hands on experience. Create a situation where the reader can try to solve a problem using his readings.
Allow for group discussions to obtain various possibilities for solutions. Remember, there could be more than one solution to a problem. Enhance the manual with videos or audio recordings. A written manual is the basic instrument that users read to learn about company policies. But it is encouraged that this is supplemented with extra materials such as videos and audio recordings. Evaluating the Understanding of Your Users Include a section for user notes. Each section of the manual should provide for blank spaces. This has a great purpose: it encourages users to jot down what they are learning, thereby increasing the amount of information that they retain. You can further leave blank spaces for each chapter at the end of the manual for notes that may serve the user accordingly. Utilize images and graphics. To take advantage of this, use visuals when you can but avoid cluttering it with too much. Charts of important data are good visuals and easily understandable. Pictures of machineries that the user will encounter at work are also good. You can use many visuals but have in mind what you are training for and what would be most helpful for the user to see. Include checklists of important steps. Manuals usually have various processes with multiple steps. It would be a good idea to make a checklist of these processes as it would make it easier for a user to refer to this when he needs to. A greater idea is to make these pages easy to tear so the user could keep the checklist handy when working on tasks. Checklist could also include aside from the step: materials needed, sections for before, during and after completion of work, or how to evaluate work once ii is accomplished. Include Activities and Quizzes that Measure Learning. Activities and Quizzes are an important gauge in measuring the progress of the users. You can include these in your manual, together with the corresponding answers located on a separate spot on the manual.
These quizzes are not part of the official testing to be given to employees at the end of their training. This is just a way to assist them along the way, gauging how much they have learned and where they would require supplementary help. TemplateLab is not a law firm or a substitute for an attorney or law firm. Use of TemplateLab is subject to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Instantly download high-quality corporate training materials that you can customize and deliver as your own. Instantly download high-quality corporate training materials that you can customize and deliver as your own. Amazing continuity and quality across all your training programs. All corporate training courses can be easily modified to suit and training situation or environment. You are always well prepared for the next class with Velsoft corporate training manuals. Velsoft offers the best corporate instructor-led training manuals developed by professional authors, editors and subject matter experts. This content can be opened into MS Word, Google Docs, WordPerfect or any other word processing program so that you can easily make any changes you require. Velsoft offers the best corporate instructor-led training manuals developed by professional authors, editors and subject matter experts. This content can be opened into MS Word, Google Docs, WordPerfect or any other word processing program so that you can easily make any changes you require. Right down to taking our name off and replacing it with yours. Once you purchase, all training materials are yours to keep. Right down to taking our name off and replacing it with yours. Once you purchase, all training materials are yours to keep. No waiting for delivery. For every hour in the classroom it takes 40 hours to prepare for this. A two-day training courses at 7.5 hours per day could easily require 600 hours of prep time.
At Velsoft we've done this work for you so that all you need to do is make any edits you require to localize your training. Let us focus on the training manuals. For every hour in the classroom it takes 40 hours to prepare for this. At Velsoft we've done this work for you so that all you need to do is make any edits you require to localize your training. Let us focus on the training manuals. Our Instructor Guides lay out the training in simple, easy-to-follow instructions. You can also customize the Instructor Guides in order to personalize your training. In case you want to do this Velsoft offers you an Exercise Workbook (also customizable) that is specific to the course you are offering. This includes the PowerPoint versions of all the courses, prepared for you in advanced. Each Quest Reference Guide summarizes the most important elements in each courseware title down to two pages. They are written in an easy-to-follow format, and can easily be personalized for various industries, and groups. I particularly like the advertorials, as they include all the course contents, and again are easy to modify with your own material, photographs etc. Thoroughly recommend. A great return on a modest investment. The arrangement of the materials are so well organized that it makes my training very easy. I love the staff there as well, because each time I need assistance with something they are always willing to help and the response time is remarkable. One of the best things I came across on the Internet is Velsoft.com Computer Training Software. I plan to continue my business relations with them. It’s a great company with great people. I think we got value for money which is what really counts and don’t know if I would have been able to do a better job myself. It certainly saved me several weeks of effort, which is well worth it. I appreciate the openness, patience, support and honesty I received throughout and will recommend Velsoft to anyone else in need of courseware.
For more information, take a look at For more information, take a look at For more information, take a look at For more information, take a look at For more information, take a look at For more information, take a look at For more information, take a look at. They provide the content and information about how the employees should go about their work. Organizations also consider this a critical document because it ensures smooth work flow and when employees leave their jobs and new employees take over it enables them to understand their jobs thoroughly through the manual. Apple (MAC) Pages, Google Sheets (Spreadsheets), Microsoft Publisher, Apple (MAC) Numbers, Adobe Illustrator (AI) Templates are available for free or for a fee online. You can search for the best templates online.You may also see security manuals. With this template, you can create an awesome training manual for your employees.You may also see employee manual templates It is important for the employees to understand the process thoroughly. With this template, you can do that properly.You may also see it manual templates When people have less time they need to use this kind of manual to help the new employees to cope up with the work process and give their best.You may also see accounting manuals. It makes the process much easier and they can feel more comfortable in the training process. Create a top quality training manual with the help of this sample template in a matter of second.You may also see procedure manual samples A training manual lets your new employees have an idea about their responsibility and the process in details.You may also see operation manual templates. You just need to download and put your own details and take a print out for using. You can also see procedure manuals. You can also add some additional important things in this as well.You may also see quality manual templates But time is the essence in making the training manual because it can take a lot of time.
But using a template you can do it easily and in a jiffy. Along with that, you can get the proper format, so you can avoid the chance of making mistakes too.You may also see technical manual templates. However, every now and then the engine requires some fine-tuning and oiling to continue running smoothly. This fine-tuning is what training is all about. Employees, whether new or old, need continuous training to be in-tune with the latest skill sets. It’s important for them to keep evolving and understanding the latest practices, technology, and cutting-edge tools to perfect their craft. You don’t have to take our word for it though, take a look at the results of a study conducted by “The American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) “, which collected training information from over 2500 firms and found that companies that offer comprehensive training: Have a 218% higher income per employee than those with less comprehensive training Have a 24% higher profit margin than those who spend less on training Generate a 6% higher shareholder return Not only does training help employees continuously grow and get better at their jobs, but it also directly affects the company’s bottom line. Training can help increase employee efficiency, proficiency, productivity, and overall profits. But what role does a company training manual play in the overall training of employees. Let’s dive in and find out. Why Training Manuals are Important. Training manuals play a critical role in employee training by teaching new employees about a company and its processes. Existing employees grow and learn about new systems, tools, or software. Employees who are not constantly learning or new hires who are not familiar with the tools, apps, software, or machinery used by their company can become disengaged in their work. This disengagement often leads to poor job satisfaction and higher employee turnover. In the end, both the employee and the employer gets hurt.
The stats are there to prove it: 40% of employees with poor training leave their jobs within the first year. 74% of employees feel that they weren’t achieving their full potential at work due to a lack of development opportunities. 72% of employees even think of financially contributing to their own training. 68% of workers claim that training and development is the most important company policy. Only 15% of employees worldwide are engaged. The stats are never-ending. The problem is real. Employees want to grow and hone their skill sets through regular training and developmental opportunities. A good way for companies to start this much-needed process is by crafting an awesome company training manual or training guide. Let’s get straight to the point and see what are the most important elements of a perfect training manual. Read more: How to Write A Stellar Instruction Manual Create the Perfect Training Manual By Following these Steps: In order to create a training manual that is not only informative but interesting to read, you need to have a plan in place. We have put together some key points you need to keep in mind to create the best training manual. 1. What’s the objective. The first step in creating an effective training guide is to have a clear objective in mind. What’s is the purpose of creating the training manual. What business goal is supported by the training manual. What activities should be included in the training manual. Answers to questions like these will help you figure out the main objective of creating the training guide. After the training is complete, the employees must be able to carry out the tasks for which the training manual is being created. 2. Get yourself some help. Writing a training manual is not an easy task. You can’t be casual about it. Your employees are counting on you for help as their entire work might depend upon the information present in the training manual.
A good way of making sure you don’t miss out or miswrite some critical information is to get some help. Gather your peers around and start working on a training manual collaboratively. One person could be in charge of writing it while others search for the information, organize the information, or create visual assets for the manual. Read more: How to Create a Customer Service Training Manual Easily 3. Think about what you want to include. In order to create an effective training guide, you need to have a good idea of what type of content you want to include in it. Compile all the information, knowledge, process, checklists, etc that needs to be included in the training manual. Make sure you are thorough with every point and have everything you need to write the training manual. Never, ever, rely on your memory. Even skipping a small step may lead to confusion amongst the readers. For example, skipping to tell the reader about an important switch in the new machinery can not only be misleading but can also be dangerous. Read more: How to Write an Effective Creative Brief 4. Keep your audience in mind. A common mistake company’s make while crafting their training manuals is ignoring its intended audience. The content of the training manual directly depends upon the type of audience reading it. If your training your employees on new software that no one has used before (or training new hires), then going in deep with explanations and describing the steps precisely and clearly can help them grasp the knowledge quickly. However, if you are teaching them some additional features of software they already use, no need to go all-in from scratch. Keeping your audience in mind will give you an idea of how broad or specific you need to be throughout the manual. 5. Get organized! Once you have an idea of what all information you want to include in the training manual, its time to organize that information.
Outline the flow of the training guide into chapters, sections, or parts. Make sure that the training manual is in a smooth flow and covers all the time in-depth from start to finish. Organizing the information is important to avoid confusion amongst the readers and make it an easy read for them. 6. Add a table of contents. Adding a table of contents to your training manual is a must. If your training manual is heavy on pages, the importance of having a table of contents increases exponentially. Table of contents act provides navigation to the reader and helps them go to a particular topic quickly. This is especially useful when employees need to go back to the training manual to refresh their memory on a particular topic, helping them save time and effort. Using a document editor that automatically creates a table of contents along with subheadings is a good way to do it. 7. Summarize each section. Ending each section of the training manual with a summary can do wonders for your employees. They can quickly get a recap of whatever they have learned so far, which helps save them a lot of time and effort. Read more: How To Create An Interactive PDF In Minutes How To Make You Training Manuals Interactive. Let’s face it. Training manuals are well, boring. They are filled with text and are not very engaging. On top of that, visuals are processed 60,000 times faster in the brain than text. It’s clear- images and videos convey a richer communication experience than text-heavy content alone. Making your training guides interactive with training videos and audio lessons can be a great way to enhance engagement and generate interest amongst employees. However, most document editors don’t allow you to add a video or audio to your documents. Keep on reading! 1. Add quizzes at the end. At the end of each major section of the manual, add a short quiz or learning activity to measure employee learning and retention.