Document formats supported in BlueDocs

📄 Document Formats Supported in BlueDocs

BlueDocs is built to support a wide variety of internal documentation needs — from structured procedures to training modules, policy governance, and technical knowledge sharing. This guide explains the document formats available in BlueDocs, including both standard and custom types, and the content and organization features each one supports.

📘 Standard Document Types

BlueDocs includes four primary document types, each designed with features tailored to specific use cases:

📋 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

SOPs are used to outline step-by-step processes that employees should follow for recurring tasks or operations. These documents are ideal for promoting consistency, quality control, and efficiency.

Best for: Operations, safety protocols, checklists, and task documentation
Features: Version control, approval workflows, assignments, and completion tracking
Examples: “Customer Service Workflow,” “Equipment Shutdown Procedure”

📚 Knowledge Base Articles

Knowledge base articles serve as reference materials or guides to help employees find answers quickly. These documents are typically informational and are optimized for self-service.

Best for: FAQs, how-to guides, troubleshooting, reference documentation
Features: Full rich-text support, internal/external linking, enhanced search visibility
Examples: “How to Reset Your Password,” “Product Overview”

🎓 Training Documents

Training documents are built for educational purposes, helping employees develop skills or complete required learning modules.

Best for: Onboarding, compliance training, skill development
Features: Learning path integration, progress tracking, document assignments
Examples: “New Hire Orientation,” “Data Security Basics”

🛡️ Policies

Policy documents govern rules and compliance across the organization. These often require version tracking and formal acknowledgment by users.

Best for: HR policies, security standards, legal compliance, company guidelines
Features: User acknowledgment tracking, reacceptance prompts, audit logs, version enforcement
Examples: “Code of Conduct,” “Remote Work Policy,” “Acceptable Use Policy”

🧩 Custom Document Types

If the standard formats don’t quite fit your needs, BlueDocs allows you to create custom document types. These are based on the core functionality of one of the four standard types but can be renamed and configured to suit your organizational requirements.

Key Customization Features:

Base Type Selection: Choose a foundational behavior (e.g., SOPs or Policies)
Custom Naming: Label documents with names like “Product Specs” or “Client Manuals”
Slug Generation: Each type gets a unique, URL-friendly identifier
Feature Inheritance: All standard features of the base type are retained
Permission Control: Same permission rules as standard documents
Folder & Category Support: Custom types can be grouped and filtered just like standard ones

Examples:

Quality Manuals (based on SOPs): ISO process documentation
Product Specifications (based on Knowledge Base): Technical details, release notes
Certification Programs (based on Training): Structured educational paths
Department Policies (based on Policies): HR or Finance-specific regulations

🧰 Rich Content & Formatting Capabilities

All document formats support BlueDocs’ robust rich text editor, which lets you create visually engaging and structured content.

Supported Features:

Text Styling: Bold, italic, headings, quotes
Lists: Bulleted and numbered lists
Tables: 3x3 starter tables with editable headers, rows, and columns
Images: Insert via URL (JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP up to 5MB)
Code Blocks: Syntax highlighting for languages such as:

JavaScript, HTML/CSS, Python, SQL, JSON, Bash, and more

These features are available to all document types, allowing flexible content authoring no matter the format.

🗃️ Document Organization Tools

BlueDocs makes it easy to structure your content with folders, categories, and metadata.

Folders:

Each document type has its own folder structure
Folders can be nested for hierarchy
Emojis and colors can be added for clarity and personalization
Breadcrumbs show you where you are in the folder tree

Categories:

Categories are document-type-specific
Can be created by admins or added on-the-fly
Help filter, search, and browse by topic, department, or audience

Document Status:

Draft – Editable only by assigned users
Published – Live and visible to the team
Archived – Retained for historical or compliance purposes
Filters help you sort by status across any section

🔁 Version Control & Audit History

BlueDocs automatically tracks every meaningful change in your documents.

Automatic Versioning: Each update generates a new version number (v1.0, v2.0, etc.)
Content Hashing: Ensures version integrity
Activity Logs: Track who edited, approved, viewed, or accepted a document
Policy Versioning: Includes acceptance tracking and reacceptance prompts for policy updates

📤 Importing and Exporting Content

While BlueDocs doesn’t currently support file uploads like PDFs or Word docs for full document creation, you can import and export content as needed:

Import:

Paste content from Google Docs, Microsoft Word, or other rich text editors
Insert images via URL
Export:

Print-friendly rendering
Public sharing URLs (if enabled)
Copy-and-paste structured content for reuse in other tools

⚙️ Technical Specifications

File Size Limits:

Images: Max 5MB per file
Text Content: No hard limit, but very long docs may affect performance

Browser Support:

Works with all modern browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge
JavaScript must be enabled for full functionality

Performance Tips:

Optimize images before uploading
Avoid excessive nesting in folders or tables
Break up long documents into sections or modules when possible

🧠 Best Practices

Choose the Right Format: Use SOPs for processes, Policies for compliance, etc.
Use Clear Names: Especially for custom document types — make them intuitive
Organize with Folders and Categories: Keep things clean, searchable, and team-friendly
Keep Statuses Up-to-Date: Don’t leave everything in draft or archive — use statuses intentionally
Maintain Version Hygiene: Only publish meaningful updates and archive outdated content regularly

🆘 Need Help?

Admins: Check your Settings → Document Types to manage or activate custom formats
Support: Use the in-app support widget or contact your BlueDocs administrator
Training: Refer to tutorials in the Help Center for walkthroughs on each document type


💡 Pro Tip: Stick with standard document types until you identify a clear need for a custom format. Custom types are powerful — but best used for recurring, clearly defined use cases.

BlueDocs gives your organization the flexibility to document, train, and govern with precision — no matter your structure. By understanding and using the supported document formats, you can build a workspace that scales with your team and makes content easy to manage and maintain.

Updated on: 27/05/2025