Single Source of Tech Doc: What's the Point of a Digital Catalog System? Can a Digital Catalog System Help?

Technical documentation is not only an obligation in mechanical and plant engineering, but also a sign of high service quality. The better the information on components and devices is prepared, the more smoothly users can work with it. And the faster the information is available, the shorter the time to market for new products. 

Technical documentation is only as good as its database and the technical writing processes. Due to various trends in the industry and beyond, both are becoming increasingly complex.  

That's why efficient data management, a well thought-out information architecture, automated processes and the use of appropriate digital tools are indispensable for modern technical writing departments. 

With the help of software, technical writers and their supervisors can  

• boost their productivity,  
• reduce the risk of errors and  
• deliver first-class results that make work easier for colleagues and customers. 

Although spare parts documentation and catalogs play an important role in mechanical and plant engineering, many software solutions are not tailored to the needs of their creators.  

The digital service information system Quanos SIS.one changes that: It allows technical communication experts to create catalogs for different channels and in any number of languages from one software in no time at all.  

The tedious collection and harmonization of data from the company's source systems is automated. This allows catalog creators to concentrate on the quality of the spare parts documentation instead of stressfully awaiting the deadline. This reduces the time needed to create spare parts catalogs, as well as the number of potential sources of error. 

With Quanos SIS.one, technical editors also benefit from the following advantages: 

• Central data integration: With Quanos SIS.one, technical writers bundle spare parts, service and product data from various data sources. All data and documents can be incorporated directly via interfaces or entered manually depending on the requirements. The data is therefore always maintained in ONE central location for the Single Source Publishing of spare parts catalogs and/or service information systems. The software even makes it possible to digitize old PDFs or supplier documents. 
• Easy configuration of content - without any programming knowledge: Catalog creators configure the visual representation and their company/customer-specific layout, the content of the catalogs, search options, the shopping cart, and languages for displaying the data. They even create customer, machine, or user-specific catalogs that, based on an authorization concept for each individual user, only show information that the user is allowed to see and needs for their work. 
• Automated catalog creation: Catalog creators can shorten the time it takes to create catalogs and avoid errors caused by manual data entry and revision. With Quanos SIS.one, spare parts catalogs and technical documentation can be intelligently networked - and transformed in no time into clear, user-friendly, and digital service information systems that offer users great added value. 
• Multilingual support: Quanos SIS.one facilitates translation and local adaption of content.  
• Intuitive user interface: The software is user-friendly and intuitively designed. A variety of functions especially for technical editors and a WYSIWYG editor facilitate work in the system and increase the quality of the digital spare parts catalogs. 
• Updates in real time: With a service information system, technical editors can ensure that their technical information is always up to date. Changes to products or spare parts can be quickly mapped in the catalog and are immediately available in all channels after publication. This means that outdated information no longer poses a threat to the processes of colleagues and customers. 
• Efficient workflows: Quanos SIS.one offers various functions that improve the entire creation and publication process of spare parts catalogs and service information systems. 
• Preview function for fast, error-free publication: The preview of the catalog including structure tree, parts list, drawing with hotspots and search visualizes the current status of the catalog. This allows technical editors to see how the spare parts catalog will look to the end user prior to publication, allowing you to identify any errors straight away and correct them directly in the catalog. This saves considerable time and effort, especially for very large catalogs that can take some time to publish. 

With Quanos SIS.one you improve the creation of technical documentation and achieve even better and consistent results. As an expert in technical communication, you deliver convincing results with Quanos SIS.one, underlining that you are indispensable for your company and a functioning knowledge transfer. 

Digital workflows and networked information in technical documentation offer decisive advantages not only to technical editors - they ensure the competitiveness of the entire company.  

Spare parts documentation is an integral part of the product. Improving and further digitizing it means, among other things, creating the basis for service optimization and new business models. In addition, greater efficiency in technical documentation improves the following factors throughout the company: 

• More efficiency in technical editing saves resources and counteracts the shortage of skilled workers. 
• Digitizing service and spare parts documentation enables significant cost savings.  
• Accurate and comprehensive technical documentation is crucial for the user-friendliness and quality of products - throughout the entire service life of the machines and systems.  
• By using a spare parts catalog system, companies can provide their customers with accurate and detailed information about their products - strengthening customer loyalty and improving customer satisfaction. 

Digital processes simplify the work of technical writing departments by enabling the creation of high-quality, error-free service documentation and the updating of information in real time across all channels.  

For technical writers, Quanos SIS.one leaves nothing to be desired and offers: 

• Efficiency: maintain data without errors and create spare parts catalogs faster  
• Interfaces: transfer existing data and graphics automatically  
• Quality: WYSIWYG editor simplifies content production and shortens feedback loops 
• Reduced workload: automated support and thus more time for core tasks 
• Single-source publishing: create catalogs for different machines, customers, media and markets in one system 

Quanos SIS.one is a powerful tool tailored specifically to the needs of technical writers. It offers a user-friendly interface, extensive functions, and seamless integration into existing systems.  

Make the creation of technical documentation even more efficient 

The platform enables technical writers to streamline their workflows, save time and money, and create high-quality service information.  

Would you like to see for yourself what a finished service information system looks like? Then put yourself in the shoes of a service technician and experience in our online demo how easy it is to identify spare parts in Quanos SIS.one and view the corresponding section of the technical documentation: