Creating knowledge base articles

A well-structured knowledge base is the cornerstone of any high-performing team. In BlueDocs, knowledge base articles help centralize internal knowledge, streamline onboarding, answer common questions, and serve as a reliable resource for employees across departments. This guide explains the full process of creating, organizing, and maintaining effective knowledge base articles in BlueDocs.

🧠 What Are Knowledge Base Articles?

Knowledge base articles in BlueDocs are informational documents designed to:

• Capture and share institutional knowledge
• Document best practices, FAQs, and how-to guides
• Support employee onboarding and training
• Store procedural and reference information in an accessible format

Unlike SOPs, which focus on strict process adherence, knowledge base articles are flexible in format and purpose. They prioritize clarity, discovery, and usability over rigidity, making them ideal for everyday guidance and collaborative learning.

🚀 Getting Started

Accessing the Knowledge Base

To create or browse articles:

1. Go to the “Knowledge Base” section in the left sidebar.
2. Review existing content to understand structure, categories, and tone.
3. Make sure your user role (e.g., Contributor, Editor, Admin) allows content creation.

Creating Your First Article

1. Click the “Create Article” button in the top-right corner.
2. If you're inside a folder, the article will be placed there automatically.
3. Enter a clear title and begin crafting your content in the rich text editor.

🏗 Article Structure and Components

Every effective knowledge base article should contain the following:

📝 Title

• Use action-driven titles when appropriate (e.g., “How to Set Up Two-Factor Authentication”)
• Keep titles concise but descriptive—aim for something searchable and scannable
• Include keywords that your audience is likely to use

🏷 Category

• Assign a category to group related articles
• Use consistent naming conventions
• Create new categories if none apply, but avoid excessive fragmentation

📄 Content

• Organize using headers (H1, H2, H3)
• Use bullet points and numbered lists
• Add visuals: screenshots, diagrams, videos
• Link to relevant documents, policies, or training materials
• Write in a tone appropriate for your audience (clear, helpful, approachable)

🔄 Status

• Draft: For articles in development
• Published: Live and visible to users
• Archived: Retained for record but hidden from active search

✍️ Writing and Formatting Content

Structure for Readability

Use a consistent structure that readers can follow quickly:

• Introduction/Overview: A brief summary of what the article covers
• Main Content Sections: Step-by-step guides, tips, or detailed explanations
• Examples or Visuals: Screenshots, sample forms, or workflows
• Conclusion or Next Steps: Wrap up with related resources or actions

Rich Text Features

The BlueDocs editor supports:

• Headings (H1, H2, H3) for hierarchy
• Bold, Italics, Underline for emphasis
• Links to internal documents or external resources
• Tables for structured data
• Code Blocks with syntax highlighting
• Image Uploads (cover and inline images)

🗂 Organizing Your Content

Using Folders

• Create folders by topic, department, or function (e.g., “HR Resources” or “Product FAQs”)
• Use nested folders for multi-level organization
• Maintain naming consistency and clarity
• Set appropriate permissions per folder (e.g., team-specific access)

Managing Categories

• Use broad and evergreen names such as “Troubleshooting,” “Best Practices,” or “Onboarding”
• Avoid overly narrow categories unless necessary
• Document your category structure so others understand how to apply them

🤝 Collaboration and Review

Draft Workflow

• Save articles as drafts while writing
• Share drafts with subject matter experts for input
• Use inline comments or shared editing workflows for revisions

Review Process

• Assign team members or department leads to review content
• Set internal review deadlines to keep the process moving
• Maintain version control with update notes

Approval (If Enabled)

• Submit for approval via the workflow button
• Reviewers can accept or send back with comments
• Once approved, articles are automatically moved to “Published”

🔍 Making Articles Searchable

Search Optimization

• Include high-value keywords in the title and body
• Use plain language that matches how users describe tasks or issues
• Use synonyms and variations of terms for discoverability

Internal Linking

• Link to other knowledge base articles, SOPs, and policies
• Create a “See Also” section to suggest related topics
• Use headings and anchors to improve internal navigation

🔄 Maintenance and Updates

Scheduled Reviews

• Review articles quarterly or biannually
• Check for outdated content, broken links, and system changes
• Archive irrelevant articles and revise ones with updates

Version Tracking

• Use “last updated” notes in the footer or intro
• Log major changes in a changelog section if applicable
• For critical content, keep an archived backup before significant edits

Analytics

Use the Analytics Dashboard to:

• Track article views and engagement
• Identify underused or outdated content
• Discover popular topics or content gaps

🧩 Common Article Types

How-To Guides

• Step-by-step instructions with screenshots
• Designed to be followed in real time

Reference Materials

• Definitions, overviews, and product info
• More static, but highly structured

FAQ Articles

• Address common questions by topic
• Should evolve based on real user inquiries

Best Practices

• Team standards, processes, or tips
• Useful for onboarding or consistency

🛠 Troubleshooting & Advanced Tips

Issues with Visibility

• Confirm the article is published, not in draft
• Check folder and category permissions
• Verify it’s tagged correctly and appears in filtered search

Formatting Problems

• Use the preview tool before publishing
• Double-check images, tables, and code formatting
• Use plain formatting if errors persist

Template Creation (Workaround)

• Create a draft article labeled “\[TEMPLATE] Article Name”
• Structure it with placeholders and headings
• Store all templates in a dedicated “Templates” folder for reuse

Batch Creation

• Create outline documents with links to subtopics
• Cross-reference new articles in each other
• Use consistent formats across related articles

📌 Final Thoughts

Creating a valuable knowledge base is about more than just writing—it’s about clarity, structure, discoverability, and collaboration. Start with what your team needs most, and expand based on feedback and analytics. With each well-written article, you strengthen your team’s ability to learn, troubleshoot, and stay aligned.

Keep your knowledge base current, well-organized, and connected to the rest of your documentation ecosystem. The better your internal content, the fewer support questions your team will face—and the more time you’ll save across the organization.

If you need help creating, formatting, or managing your knowledge base, check your internal documentation guidelines or contact your BlueDocs administrator.

Updated on: 02/06/2025