Checklist for complete online Help
Do you want to make sure you have covered every feature in your software in a solid, comprehensive online Help file? Try this checklist. The recommended organization of information is based on the way Microsoft organizes their online Help information.
- Does the online Help provide one topic per command, toolbar button, dialog box, and tab on a dialog box?
Tip
- Check out the following topic for more information about organizing your Help: Organizing your online Help
- Does each dialog box topic describe every control on the dialog box? Or, do you provide What's This? Help in your interface?
- Does your online Help provide at least one procedure per command on a menu or toolbar? Or at least one procedure for a group of related commands?
- Does your online Help provide a high-level overview for each group of features in your software?
- Does your table of contents provide chapters for each group of features with the related overview topics and procedures?
Tip
- If you do not have context-sensitive Help on your menus and toolbars, you can consider creating a command reference section in the table of contents. This section provides an outline of the menu commands and associated dialog boxes.
- Does your online Help provide effective terms in the Index?
- Does each topic have a Related Topics section at the end of the topic, linking to related information? In general, an overview topic can link to related command, dialog box, and procedure topics. A command topic can link to related dialog boxes, overviews, and procedures. A procedure topic can link to related command and dialog box topics, overviews, and other procedures.
- Did you spellcheck your online Help? Spellcheck a .chm online Help file
- Did you test your online Help? Testing online Help
