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Julie F. Hesselgesser asked about docs for interim releases.
If I understood you correctly, the paper manuals refer to the previously
released version (say 3.0) and you are sending out an updated version
(say 3.1), but not reprinting the docs. Here's what we do:
1. We update the online Help to include all of the changes for the
interim release so they match.
2. We send a technical bulletin (on paper) with each release that
provides high-level info on the changes. For example, we would tell
them that we added the Number and Interval fields on the Vaccine
Definitions form, and explain briefly what info goes in the fields. Or
we would provide a one-paragraph description of a new report. We also
give them the topic names in the Help system that they can read for more
complete information on the new fields, forms, reports, or procedures.
The technical bulletin does not contain screen shots or detailed
procedures (we want to train them to use the Help to find this
information). For the new product I've just started working on, I'm
planning on also providing this information as a Readme file in WinHelp
format for the next release (didn't have time this go-round). Then the
links to the Help could be "live."
3. We update the paper docs so they'll be correct for the next
printing. We only reprint for major releases, not interim ones (interim
releases mostly contain fixes, not enhancements). We also include our
manuals in PDF form on our release CDs, but normally we don't re-PDF a
manual for an interim release. If the changes are major, this could be
an option for you.
Hope this helps!
*************
Kim Cramer
kcramer -at- ncslink -dot- com
Sr. Information Developer
NCS Education, Mesa AZ
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