Name the finished task
Use a title that describes the result: create an invoice, add a user, publish a page or update a billing method.
Practical guide
How to create a step-by-step guide people can actually follow
A useful guide removes guessing. For a web process, the clearest instructions show the next action at the moment someone needs it—and keep them in the product while they work.
1Record the real workflow
Complete the task once in your browser.
2Check each captured step
Remove anything the follower does not need.
3Share one short link
Let them follow the steps on the live page.
Before you record
Define one outcome
Start with the task the reader should finish, rather than the software feature you want to explain. “Invite a teammate” is clearer than “Workspace settings.”
Choose where step one begins
Tell followers which account, page and permission they need before the first click.
Keep one guide focused
Split long workflows when they contain different outcomes or different roles.
Five steps
A repeatable way to build web instructions
- Run through the process first.
Close unrelated tabs, use safe sample data and confirm the workflow still works. - Record the shortest successful path.
Do the task the way a new user should do it, without detours. - Review the captured actions.
Delete accidental clicks and add context only where the interface is ambiguous. - Test as the recipient.
Open the guide from the same starting point and follow every instruction yourself. - Share and maintain it.
Give the guide an owner and review it when the product interface changes.
Record once, then guide on the live page
Roadbook records browser actions such as clicks and form steps. After you review the route, it creates a short link. The recipient opens that link and receives step-by-step guidance while working on the real website.
- No manual screenshot sequence
- No separate PDF beside the product
- No scheduled screen-share call
- Followers can use shared playbooks for free
Choose the format
Document, video or live-page guide?
The right format depends on whether the person needs to understand a concept, watch an expert or complete a task now.
| Format | Works best when | Main friction |
|---|---|---|
| Written guide | The process needs explanation, reference material or printable records. | The reader switches between the document and the app. |
| Video tutorial | Motion, narration or broader context matters. | The viewer pauses, rewinds and recreates steps separately. |
| Live-page guide | The goal is to complete a repeatable browser task correctly. | The underlying page must still match the recorded workflow. |
Quality check
Before you send the link
Content checklist
- The title states a concrete outcome
- Every step contains one main action
- Sample data contains no sensitive information
- Warnings appear before irreversible actions
Follower checklist
- The starting URL is correct
- Required permissions are explained
- The guide works in a clean browser session
- The final step makes completion obvious
Keep exploring
Related Roadbook resources
Turn one browser workflow into a guide
Founding Pro is $14.99 once. Followers stay free.