KB article: Publish content in the knowledge base

Category: Knowledge Management
Audience: Customer Success, Engineering, Marketing, Product, Project, Sales, and Support teams

Follow these steps if you have content to publish in the company’s knowledge base.

1. Ask yourself: Does this content belong in the knowledge base? Time-sensitive and temporary content such as announcements are better suited for email. Also ask yourself if anyone will search for this content.

2. Is this content “Googleable”? Before writing anything, search the Internet to see if the content is already available. We only publish content that is not “Googleable.”

3. Steps to publish content

1. Write your draft. Ask a team member to validate it. To validate, check or test each step in a process.
   Important: Make sure your content is technically accurate and validated before submitting.
2. Submit the draft content to your manager for approval. 
3. Make any updates or corrections.
4. Submit the validated approved content to the knowledge manager.
5. Acceptable file formats (submit editable files, not in .pdf format):
   • Emails (any format).
   • Word or text documents (.docx, .txt).
   • Visio drawings (.vsdx).
   • Excel workbooks (.xlsx).
   • PowerPoint presentations (.pptx).
   • Graphics files (.bmp, .png, .jpg).
   • Video files (.mp4).
   • Audio files (.mp3, .wav).
6. The knowledge manager edits and formats your content to fit the company style guide and contacts you to resolve questions.
7. You approve the edited version before publishing.
8. The knowledge manager incorporates any corrections, then publishes the content, and sends you the link.
9. After publication, make sure to delete all drafts from your computer.
   Important: This is a critical step to avoid multiple versions floating around.

4. Steps to update content

1. Contact the knowledge manager and request to check out the published content.
   Important: You must use the published version of the content, since this is the only approved version.
2. Turn ON track changes in the file.
3. Follow Steps to publish content.