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Solution Guides

Document your process through SmartSuite Solution Guides

Emma Montgomery avatar
Written by Emma Montgomery
Updated over 2 weeks ago

These guides serve as detailed manuals for your solutions, ensuring every user understands their purpose and workflow.

Plan Availability

All plan types

Permissions

Administrators or Solution Managers: Required for creating or editing guides

Related Reading



What is a Solution?

A Solution is a grouping of tables designed to manage a common business process.

  • Solutions act as containers for related tables, making it easier to organize and navigate SmartSuite content.

  • Examples: Project management, CRM, or hiring workflows.


Purpose of a Solution Guide

Solution Guides help users understand:

  • The purpose of a solution.

  • The workflow and how to use it effectively.

Every template in the SmartSuite Solution Library includes a pre-documented Solution Guide as a starting point. Once customized, Solution Owners can edit the guide to reflect their unique processes.

Example Use Case:
A Project Management Solution Guide can train new employees on company workflows, task management systems, and specific processes.


How to Add or Edit a Solution Guide

Steps to Add or Edit:

  1. Select the Solution from the home page.

  2. Open the Solution Menu (small arrow next to the Solution name).

  3. Click Solution Guide.

  4. In the guide window, click the three-dot menu and select Edit Description.

  5. Make your changes and click Save.

Note: You must be a Solution Manager or an Administrator to edit a Solution Guide.


Creating Instructional Content

The Solution Guide editor functions like a SmartDoc field, offering rich editing capabilities.

What You Can Do:

  • Embed Elements: Use slash commands to insert:

    • Tables

    • Checklists

    • Links to records

    • Images

    • Videos

  • Add a Table of Contents: Organize the guide for easy navigation.

  • Step-by-Step Guides: Provide detailed instructions for workflows or reporting techniques.

Example: Include an embedded video explaining how to use the solution's saved views and reporting features.


Exporting Solution Guides to PDF

Easily generate a PDF version of your Solution Guide for offline use or sharing.


Steps to Export:

  1. Open the Solution Guide.

  2. Click the three-dot menu and select Export to PDF.

  3. Follow the on-screen steps to complete the export.

Result: The PDF will include all guide content, including rich text elements.


Viewing Solution Managers

Solution Managers are displayed at the top-right corner of the Solution Guide window.

  • These are the users who have permission to modify the structure of the solution.

  • Click on a Solution Manager’s icon to view their mini-profile for more details.


Smart Tips for Success

  • Keep Guides Updated: Regularly update your guide to reflect process changes or new features.

  • Use Visuals: Embed videos, images, or diagrams to enhance clarity.

  • Leverage PDF Exports: Provide team members with easy-to-distribute PDFs for training or documentation.

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