ClickHelp’s Blossom Release: A Look at Markdown Import and Multi-Tag Topic Preview
by Bradley Nice, Content Manager at ClickHelp — all-in-one help authoring tool
As someone working in technical communication, I fully appreciate the importance of creating documentation that’s not only high-quality but also user-friendly and visually appealing. That’s why I’m so delighted to share with you the ClickHelp’s Blossom Release. The update seems to have made the documentation process so much smoother and more efficient. A couple of features I’m particularly excited about are the improved support for importing content from Markdown, and the multi-tag topic preview, which is a breakthrough when it comes to creating conditional content.
Of course, there are other neat features, like enhancements to Confluence import and OpenAPI import, PDF export, interactive screenshots, and even more. Let’s get a closer look.
Markdown Import
As a technical writer, you are likely familiar with Markdown, but for those who aren’t, it’s a commonly used markup language for creating documentation. Many developers and writers prefer it because it’s easy to learn and use. For coders, it's convenient cause they can write in a source code. So, it was an awesome revelation to get the opportunity to import content from Markdown to my ClickHelp platform.
As a tech comm specialist, I already had a set of documentation written in Markdown, but I couldn’t work with it in ClickHelp. I had to use third-party converters and check if all the styles remained intact. Now, with the Markdown import feature, I was able to upload all my files in just one easy step. This may not seem like a big deal, but it’s a huge time-saver, especially when collaborating with others who are working on content in Markdown. Overall, the Markdown import feature is a great addition to the other useful features that I regularly use in ClickHelp.
The migration process is fairly simple. You click Import → choose Markdown, name your document → upload the file → and enjoy the result!
Multitag Topic Preview
I’ve seen firsthand how challenging it can be to manage highly dynamic content under a lot of conditions. This is especially true when you need to see what your content looks like for a specific set of output tags without publishing it.
Thankfully, the new multi-tag topic preview feature in ClickHelp makes it easier than ever to preview your content. The Preview tab of the topic editor now offers multiple output tag selections, allowing you to see what your content will look like for different scenarios before you publish it.
I remember struggling with this issue when I was working on a project that required conditional content. We had content that was specific to different industries, and even individual customers. We needed to make sure that each customer saw the right content, while still keeping the documentation manageable.
We had to publish each topic with a set of certain tags in private mode to see how it will look like and to ensure that the right content was displayed to the right audience. However, it was difficult with all the documentation we had.
With ClickHelp’s multi-tag topic preview feature, this issue is now a thing of the past. You can easily preview a topic by applying several output tags, and with just a few clicks, you can get a better understanding of what the final output will look like for a specific country, industry, or output type.
It’s a simple but powerful feature that can help you create documentation that’s both accurate and user-friendly, without the stress and hassle of multiple rounds of publishing and revision.
Other Enhancements in ClickHelp’s Blossom Release
In addition to the features I mentioned, ClickHelp’s Blossom Release also includes other improvements that make creating and managing documentation even easier.
OpenAPI is a standard feature for API documentation tools which I also missed in ClickHelp back in the day, now the platform suits creating API docs even more. And OpenAPI import improvements add value with seemingly insignificant improvement of demonstrating distinct labels displayed within the TOC panel but this is another move towards API doc tools.
Another optimization is the updated Confluence import functionality. If you’ve ever had to transfer documentation from Confluence, you know that this process can be time-consuming and frustrating. But with the new and improved Confluence import feature, you can quickly and easily transfer your Confluence content to ClickHelp.
The enhanced PDF export functionality is also of great use. You can create high-quality PDFs that look good and are easy to read. Plus, you can customize the layout and design to match your brand and style.
It’s important to keep up with changes in analytics tools. As you know Universal Analytics will soon be replaced by Google Analytics 4 (GA4) starting July 1st, 2023. However, this shouldn’t be a concern for ClickHelp users as GA4 is already integrated with the platform, providing even more valuable insights into how your documentation is being used. This integration enables you to track key metrics like page views, time on page, and user behavior, directly from within ClickHelp.
Interactive screenshots are what readers will like — they can click on the image to expand it to full screen, providing a more detailed view.
Summing Up
Overall, ClickHelp’s Blossom Release brings a range of exciting new features and improvements that make documentation creation and management faster, easier, and more efficient. From the markdown import feature that makes it easy to transfer existing content into ClickHelp, to other improvements like enhanced Confluence import, PDF export, and GA4 integration — the Blossom Release has something for everyone. Whether you’re a technical writer, documentation manager, or software developer, these updates are sure to make your life easier and your documentation better.
I can’t wait to see how these new features will help us all create better documentation in less time! So why not give the Blossom Release a try and see how it can help you take your documentation to the next level?
Have a nice day!
Bradley Nice, Content Manager at ClickHelp.com — best online documentation tool for SaaS vendors
