Technical Documentation

Policy Chaos to Growth Engine: How Fast-Growing Companies Master Internal Documentation

Discover expert tips to avoid common policy management pitfalls that can hinder your company's growth and learn how AllyMatter can streamline the process for effortless scaling.

Feb 12, 2025

mins read

You've just closed your Series A, and suddenly everything's moving at hyperspeed. New team members are joining weekly, and everyone's excited about the growth ahead. But beneath the surface, a critical challenge is emerging – your internal policies aren't keeping pace with your expansion. Documents are scattered across drives, approvals are lost in email threads, and new hires are struggling to find the information they need.

You're not alone. While clear, well-managed internal policies are the foundation of successful scaling, many fast-growing companies stumble when it comes to policy management. In this post, we'll explore seven common pitfalls that can derail your growth and show you how AllyMatter's purpose-built platform helps you avoid them.

Pitfall 1: Lack of Clarity and Specificity

When policies are vague or ambiguous, confusion reigns. Consider a common "work from home" policy that simply states "employees may work remotely when appropriate." Without clear guidelines on what constitutes "appropriate," you'll face inconsistent interpretation across teams and inevitable conflicts.

This lack of specificity doesn't just frustrate employees – it creates ripple effects across your organization, from decreased productivity to potential compliance risks. The challenge intensifies as you scale, with each new hire adding their own interpretation to unclear policies.

Pitfall 2: Insufficient Stakeholder Input

Creating policies in isolation is a recipe for failure. Imagine your IT team implementing new security protocols without consulting client-facing teams. The result? A policy that looks perfect on paper but creates significant friction in daily operations, potentially hampering client relationships and team productivity.

As organizations grow, the gap between policy creators and those affected by the policies often widens, leading to guidelines that don't reflect operational realities or address real-world challenges.

Pitfall 3: Poor Communication and Dissemination

Even the most well-crafted policies fail if they don't reach the right people at the right time. In fast-growing companies, critical updates often get buried in overflowing inboxes or lost in chat threads. When your sales team can't quickly find the latest pricing policy, or your support team is working from outdated customer service guidelines, the impact on your business is immediate and costly.

Pitfall 4: Absence of Training and Education

Distribution isn't enough – employees need to understand how policies apply to their specific roles. Without proper training, even straightforward policies can lead to confusion and mistakes. This is particularly crucial for compliance-related policies where misunderstandings can have serious legal implications.

Pitfall 5: Failure to Review and Update Regularly

As your company evolves, your policies must keep pace. Yet many organizations treat policy creation as a one-time event rather than an ongoing process. When your hybrid work policy still reflects pre-pandemic thinking, or your security guidelines haven't caught up with new threats, you're exposing your organization to unnecessary risks.

Pitfall 6: Inadequate Documentation and Record-Keeping

Poor documentation isn't just an administrative headache – it's a legal liability waiting to happen. Without clear records of policy acknowledgments and updates, you're vulnerable during audits and potential disputes. This risk multiplies as your organization grows and regulatory requirements become more complex.

How AllyMatter Solves These Policy Management Challenges

AllyMatter wasn't built just to store documents – it's designed specifically to help fast-growing companies overcome these common policy management pitfalls. Here's exactly how our platform addresses each challenge:

Clarity and Specificity

• WYSIWYG Editor with Templates: Our intuitive editor includes pre-built templates for common policies, ensuring consistency and completeness. Each template includes suggested sections and sample language that you can customize for your needs.

• Version Control with Change Tracking: Every edit is tracked and highlighted, making it easy to see how policies evolve and ensuring clarity about what's changed.

• Smart Document Organization: Build structured, hierarchical documentation with clear categories and tags, making it easy for employees to find exactly what they need.

Stakeholder Input and Collaboration

• Collaborative Review Workflows: Create custom approval flows involving multiple stakeholders, ensuring all relevant perspectives are captured before policies are finalized.

• Comment and Feedback System: Stakeholders can provide targeted feedback directly within documents, with threaded discussions to resolve questions or concerns.

• Role-Based Access Control: Granular permissions ensure the right people are involved at the right stages of policy development.

Effective Communication and Dissemination

• Smart Notifications: Automated alerts notify relevant team members when policies are updated, with confirmation tracking to ensure receipt.

• Centralized Access: A single source of truth for all policies, accessible through an intuitive interface that works on any device.

• Powerful Search: Advanced search capabilities help employees find relevant policies quickly, with filters for department, category, and status.

Training and Education

• Built-in Acknowledgment System: Track who has read and acknowledged each policy, with automated reminders for those who haven't.

• Version-Specific Training: Link training materials directly to policy versions, ensuring employees always have access to relevant guidance.

• Interactive Elements: Add quizzes, checklists, and interactive elements to policies to verify understanding.

Regular Reviews and Updates

• Automated Review Reminders: Set review schedules for policies, with automatic notifications when updates are due.

• Impact Analysis: Track which policies are most frequently accessed and where users might be struggling, helping you prioritize updates.

• Change Management Tools: Structured processes for updating policies, including approval workflows and automatic notification of affected employees.

Documentation and Record-Keeping

• Comprehensive Audit Trail: Every interaction with a policy is logged, from views to acknowledgments to approvals.

• E-Signature Integration: Secure, legally-binding signatures for policies that require formal acknowledgment.

• Automated Compliance Reports: Generate reports showing policy distribution, acknowledgment rates, and review status – perfect for audits and compliance reviews.

Beyond Features: The AllyMatter Difference

While individual features are important, AllyMatter's real value comes from how these capabilities work together to create a seamless policy management experience. Our platform is built for growing companies, with the flexibility to adapt as your needs evolve and the simplicity to get started quickly.

We understand that policy management isn't just about documents – it's about creating a foundation for sustainable growth. That's why we've designed AllyMatter to be more than just a repository. It's a dynamic system that helps you build and maintain the structure your growing organization needs.

Making the Transition

Ready to transform your policy management? Getting started with AllyMatter is straightforward, and we're here to help every step of the way:

1. Let our team migrate your existing policies with our white-glove migration service

2. Set up your organizational structure and user roles

3. Configure your approval workflows and notification preferences

4. Start managing policies more effectively immediately

Don't let poor policy management hold back your growth. Reserve your spot on the waitlist today, and our team of experts will reach out to schedule a personalized demo, showing you how AllyMatter can help your organization scale with confidence.

What is an HR knowledge base?

An HR knowledge base is a structured repository of HR-related information that employees can access for self-service. It serves as a single source of truth, reducing reliance on HR personnel for repetitive queries and ensuring that employees always have the latest, most accurate information.

Without a well-structured HR knowledge base software, companies face:

Repeated queries: Employees frequently ask the same questions, leading to inefficiencies.
Information silos: Important HR information is scattered across emails, shared folders, and PDFs, making it hard to find.
Compliance risks: Outdated policies can lead to misunderstandings and potential legal issues.
Poor employee experience: Employees get frustrated when they can’t find information easily.

A well-built knowledge base system resolves these challenges by offering structured, self-service access to HR-related documents, policies, and FAQs.

Key elements of an effective HR knowledge base

Without an effective HR knowledge base, employees waste valuable hours searching for information—time that could be spent on productive tasks. According to the 2022 Gartner Digital Worker survey, 47% of digital workers struggle to find the information they need to perform their jobs effectively.

A 2021 report from Wakefield Research and Elastic aggravates this concern. The report finds that 54% of US office professionals admit that they spend more time searching for information than on sending emails. 57% of them rank it a top 3 problem to solve.

Therefore, an HR knowledge base program must be more than just a document repository. It needs to be organized, up to date, and easily searchable so employees can find what they need without frustration.

1. Organizing information for easy access

A well-structured knowledge base enables employees to locate critical HR information within seconds. Here's how to organize your content effectively:

Create a logical hierarchy: Start with broad categories like "Company Policies," "Benefits & Payroll," and "Onboarding." Under each main category, implement targeted subcategories. For example, "Benefits & Payroll" should branch into specific sections covering health insurance details, retirement planning options, and compensation structures.
Implement smart navigation: Enhance searchability by:
- Developing a comprehensive tagging system (e.g., "Parental Leave," "Remote Work Policy")
- Installing a prominent search bar with filtering capabilities
- Adding breadcrumb navigation to show users their current location
- Including a dynamic table of contents that updates as content grows
Maintain consistent structure: Each document should follow a standard template with clear headings, bullet points for key information, and a summary section. Place the most frequently accessed information at the top level, reducing the number of clicks needed to reach essential content.

This organization ensures your HR knowledge base serves as an efficient self-service tool rather than becoming another obstacle for employees seeking information.

2. Keeping information up to date and accurate

Maintaining current, reliable content is crucial for HR knowledge base effectiveness and compliance. Implement these key maintenance practices:

Regular content reviews Schedule quarterly audits of all HR documentation. Focus on time-sensitive content like benefits information, compliance requirements, and policy updates. Archive outdated materials while preserving historical records when needed.
Clear ownership structure Establish a matrix showing which HR team members own specific content areas. Define update schedules and accountability measures for each section. Set up automated reminders for content reviews.
Compliance verification Process Partner with legal teams to create a verification workflow for policy updates. Document review dates and approvals. Set up alerts for upcoming regulatory changes that may impact HR policies.

Include version history and last-update timestamps on all documents to help employees identify the most current information.

3. Making it easy to search and navigate

Implement these essential search features to help employees quickly locate HR information:

Smart search infrastructure: Transform how employees find HR information through an intelligent search system that:
- Deploys AI-powered search with auto-suggestions and typo correction
- Enables filtering by date, content type, and department
- Incorporates natural language processing to understand contextual queries
- Tracks search patterns to optimize results
Strategic content connections Create a web of related content through:
- Internal links between related policies
- "See also" sections highlighting connected topics
- Quick links to frequently accessed documents
- Breadcrumb navigation showing content hierarchy

Monitor search analytics to identify common queries and adjust content organization accordingly. Update metadata and keywords based on actual employee search behavior.

Building and enhancing your HR knowledge base

A strategic HR knowledge base transforms scattered information into an organized, accessible resource. It streamlines operations while ensuring compliance and employee satisfaction.

8-step checklist to creating a knowledge base

1. Define Goals and Strategy

Establish clear objectives, such as:

Automate responses to routine HR inquiries
Enable employee self-service for common needs
Maintain regulatory compliance through documentation control

Structure content around:

Core company policies and handbooks
Comprehensive benefits information
Performance management guidelines
Frequently asked questions from employee communications

Create content that directly addresses documented employee pain points and common queries from HR interactions. Focus on high-impact resources that solve real workplace challenges.

2. Build a cross-functional knowledge network

HR teams don’t always have all the answers. Collaborate with subject matter experts (SMEs) and key stakeholders to ensure comprehensive coverage:

IT teams for security and software documentation
Legal department for compliance verification
Department heads for role-specific content
External specialists for industry best practices

Establish quarterly review cycles with each expert group to maintain content accuracy and currency. Create automated reminders for scheduled reviews and updates.

3. Make it engaging and interactive

A knowledge base isn’t just about storing information—it’s about making it easy and engaging for employees to find what they need. If it's too dense or cluttered, employees might avoid using it altogether.

Use explainer videos – Break down complex HR policies into short, digestible videos. Employees are more likely to watch a quick explainer than read through pages of policy documents.
Provide step-by-step guides – For processes like payroll setup or leave requests, use screenshots or GIFs to walk employees through each step. Visual aids make information easier to follow and reduce confusion.
Format FAQs smartly – Instead of long, static lists, use collapsible sections or chatbot-style Q&As to help employees find answers quickly without endless scrolling.

Additionally, interactive tutorials can kee learning engaging and ensure employees get the information they need effortlessly.

4. Encourage employee feedback and contributions

Your employees are the primary users of the knowledge base, so their feedback is crucial in keeping it relevant and useful. To ensure continuous improvement:

Enable a feedback mechanism – Use thumbs-up/down ratings, comments, or quick surveys to understand which articles are helpful and where improvements are needed.
Encourage employee contributions – Allow employees to suggest new FAQs based on common workplace queries, making the knowledge base more comprehensive and aligned with their needs.
Empower HR teams with edit access – Ensure HR teams can quickly update or refine information to keep it accurate and up to date.
Review and update regularly – Schedule monthly reviews of employee feedback to refine content, remove outdated information, and address any gaps.

By actively incorporating employee insights, your HR knowledge base will remain a reliable, user-friendly resource that evolves with your organization’s needs.

5. Promote and drive adoption

A well-structured HR knowledge base is only valuable if employees actively use it. To encourage adoption:

Introduce it during onboarding – Ensure new hires are familiar with the knowledge base from day one by including it in onboarding sessions and training materials.
Leverage internal communication channels – Share key articles in company newsletters, Slack channels, or HR emails to keep employees engaged and aware of its resources.
Integrate it into daily workflows – Whenever employees ask HR-related questions, provide direct links to relevant knowledge base sections to reinforce usage.

By consistently promoting the knowledge base, you create a self-service culture where employees can easily find answers, reducing HR workload while improving efficiency.

Choosing the right HR knowledge base software

Not all knowledge base solutions are built to meet HR’s unique needs. To select the best one, consider the following key features:

User-friendly interface – Employees should be able to navigate the knowledge base effortlessly without requiring special training.
Customization options – Look for a solution that allows you to tailor categories, access controls, branding, and layouts to align with your company’s structure and policies.
Advanced search & AI-powered recommendations – Employees should be able to find information quickly through intuitive search filters, keyword tagging, and AI-driven content recommendations.
Seamless integration with HR & IT systems – The platform should work smoothly with payroll, compliance tools, HRIS (Human Resource Information Systems), IT service desks, and other enterprise applications.
Robust content management – Version control, approval workflows, and role-based editing ensure that HR policies and FAQs remain accurate and up to date.
Multi-channel accessibility – Employees should be able to access the knowledge base across multiple platforms, including desktop, mobile, and collaboration tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams.
Security & compliance – Given the sensitive nature of HR information, ensure the platform offers strong encryption, role-based permissions, and compliance with data protection regulations.
Analytics & feedback mechanisms – Insights on search trends, article performance, and employee feedback help HR teams refine content and improve the overall user experience.

By selecting a knowledge base that meets these criteria, you create a centralized, efficient, and user-friendly HR resource that enhances employee experience and streamlines HR operations.

A smarter approach to HR knowledge management

A well-structured HR knowledge base isn’t just an information hub—it’s a powerful tool that enhances employee experience, improves HR efficiency, and ensures compliance. By prioritizing organization, searchability, content accuracy, and engagement, companies can build a sustainable knowledge base program that truly adds value.

Need help streamlining your HR knowledge base? Contact us to learn how to simplify knowledge management for your organization.

Feb 13, 2025

mins read

Everything You Need to Know About Building a Knowledge Base for HR

Knowledge Management

The true value of a knowledge management system lies in its ability to evolve as your organization’s needs change. As companies scale, the complexity of managing information grows, and the tools you initially choose may no longer be sufficient to support new demands. The key is finding solutions that allow for both the organization of vast amounts of knowledge and the flexibility to adapt to new challenges as they arise.

In the previous editions of this series, we’ve explored a wide range of knowledge base platforms, each offering distinct features and capabilities. In Part 5, we’ll dive into the final set of tools, focusing on platforms that are designed to handle the intricacies of larger, more established organizations. By analyzing these solutions, we’ll guide you in selecting the knowledge management system that best fits your organization’s future growth, ensuring that your documentation remains streamlined, accessible, and scalable in the long term.

Our Analysis Scope

We cast a wide net when surveying knowledge base solutions, including dedicated documentation platforms and broader tools that offer knowledge base functionality. This article is part 5 of our four-part series analyzing global knowledge bases. Our core filter was straightforward: does the tool allow teams to create, organize, and share internal documentation?

This inclusive approach covered:

Standalone knowledge base platforms
Wiki-style tools
Documentation features embedded in larger workplace solutions

We included specialized documentation tools as well as broader collaboration platforms, tracking everything from simple document repositories to advanced systems with workflow automation and AI capabilities. This broad perspective provides context about where each tool fits in the wider knowledge management landscape.

The resulting analysis covers everything from focused documentation tools like Slab and Outline to more comprehensive platforms like Confluence and ClickUp, which include knowledge base features as part of their broader offerings. Rather than making assumptions about what you need, we lay out what each platform offers so that you can match capabilities to your requirements.

Understanding Our Analysis

For each platform, we gathered key information across several dimensions to help guide your decisions:

Feature Alignment

We assess the feature set of each platform to see how closely it matches core knowledge base needs. Some tools focus primarily on documentation, while others bundle knowledge base capabilities into a broader toolkit. Recognizing this helps you avoid paying for unneeded features or ending up with an overly complex solution.

Content Quality Support

We evaluate how each platform supports content creation and maintenance, including its editing interface, template systems, and tools for keeping documentation up to date. We also examine how well each platform organizes content—an essential factor when your documentation expands beyond basic needs.

Pricing Structure

We look at base costs, per-user fees, and any significant pricing tier jumps. We pay close attention to how pricing scales and whether features like Single Sign-On (SSO) require premium tiers—often a hidden cost in many solutions.

Technical Implementation

We review:

Whether the solution is open source
Available integrations
Browser extension availability
AI capabilities
Design quality and user interface
Sharing and collaboration features

We also provide general notes on unique features, limitations, and specific use cases where each tool shines or might fall short. Rather than making direct recommendations, we present this information so you can determine which features align with your needs and growth trajectory.

Knowledge Base Tools – Global List

Here’s part 5 of the list of tools that can serve as the backbone of a knowledge base in your organization.

Knowmax

Knowmax is a knowledge management platform tailored for contact centers and support teams. It offers features like decision trees, articles, and visual guides for quick and consistent customer service.

Key Information

Open Source? No, Knowmax is proprietary.
Standalone KB Tool? Yes, designed to be a dedicated knowledge management system.

Why You Might Like It

Decision trees for troubleshooting and guided resolutions
Visual guides enhance step-by-step support instructions
Analytics to identify usage patterns and performance improvements
Omnichannel—content accessible via chatbots, web, mobile

Potential Considerations

Focus on contact center might be more specialized than general KB needs
Pricing can be enterprise-focused but is not publicly available
Limited project management or extensive wiki features

HappyFox

HappyFox is a help desk and customer support platform that includes a knowledge base feature to provide self-service support. Articles can be organized by category, and the platform integrates with ticketing for context-based resolutions.

Key Information

Open Source? No, HappyFox is proprietary.
Standalone KB Tool? Not purely—part of a help desk suite but can be used to host a KB.

Why You Might Like It

Unified ticketing + KB for consistent support experiences
User-friendly editor and drag-and-drop organization
Analytics to see which articles help deflect tickets
Branding options for a customized knowledge center

Potential Considerations

Focused on external customer support—limited purely internal features
Cost can escalate with help desk seat licensing. Pricing is based on a per agent basis.
Less suitable for complex internal documentation or large wikis

Docmost

Docmost is a documentation and knowledge sharing tool that focuses on a clean, minimal interface and easy organization of topics. It offers real-time collaboration, tagging, and version control to maintain a dynamic repository.

Key Information

Open Source? Docmost is open source and is offered under a GNU Affero General Public License.
Standalone KB Tool? Yes, it’s designed as a knowledge base/documentation platform.

Why You Might Like It

Minimal, clean UI for distraction-free writing
Collaboration with inline comments and shared editing
Tag-based organization to help users find content quickly
Version history to track changes over time

Potential Considerations

Less known than major KB vendors—fewer integrations might be available
Pricing - Free to use.
Lacks specialized features (like workflow approvals or advanced analytics)

MadCap Software

MadCap Software specializes in technical communication and content development tools. Its flagship product, MadCap Flare, is used to create online help, manuals, and knowledge bases with single-sourcing and multi-channel publishing capabilities.

Key Information

Open Source? No, MadCap is proprietary.
Standalone KB Tool? Yes, MadCap Flare can produce comprehensive documentation portals.

Why You Might Like It

Single-sourcing: Author content once, publish to multiple formats (HTML, PDF, etc.)
Robust authoring environment with conditional content and variables
Advanced features like topic-based authoring, snippets, and CSS styling
Integration with source control (Git, Subversion) for team workflows

Potential Considerations

Steep learning curve for new authors and advanced features
Desktop-based software—collaborative editing requires additional setup
Pricier compared to simple web-based KB solutions. Starts at $234 per user per month when billed annually but that is for Authors.

Typemill

Typemill is a lightweight, flat-file CMS designed for documentation and websites. It uses Markdown files and offers a clean UI for editing and organizing content, making it suitable for small-to-mid-sized knowledge bases.

Key Information

Open Source? Yes, Typemill is open source but do read the license before implementing.
Standalone KB Tool? Yes, but you must self-host the generated site.

Why You Might Like It

No database required—flat-file storage simplifies hosting
Minimalist editor for Markdown content
Customizable themes for a polished look
Version management through Git or manual file backups

Potential Considerations

Setup requires hosting and some technical skill
Fewer plugins/extensions compared to larger open-source CMSs
Less suited for enterprise or multi-team collaboration
Additional plugins are charged. The ‘Maker’ and ‘Business’ Licenses are 22 and 122 Euros per year.

Apryse

Apryse (formerly PDFTron) provides document processing and collaboration solutions, focusing on PDF editing, annotation, and digital workflows. While it’s not a traditional KB platform, organizations can store documentation and collaborate on documents within Apryse’s environment.

Key Information

Open Source? No, Apryse is proprietary.
Standalone KB Tool? Not really—primarily a document processing/SDK platform, but can host docs.

Why You Might Like It

Advanced PDF manipulation for forms, annotations, conversions
Collaboration features like real-time marking and commenting
Cross-platform SDKs for integrating doc workflows into apps
Security features (redaction, encryption) for sensitive docs

Potential Considerations

Not built for a typical knowledge base structure
Pricing and licensing complexities for SDK usage
Requires development if you want custom integrations or workflows

Heretto

Heretto is a content management system for structured authoring, particularly using DITA (Darwin Information Typing Architecture). It’s popular in technical writing teams needing advanced capabilities for structured documentation.

Key Information

Open Source? No, Heretto is proprietary.
Standalone KB Tool? Yes, though specialized for structured (DITA) documentation.

Why You Might Like It

DITA-based structured content for consistency and reuse
Single-sourcing across multiple outputs and channels
Collaboration features for teams of technical writers
Workflow with content reviews, approvals, and versioning

Potential Considerations

Requires knowledge of DITA and structured authoring practices
Overkill if you just need simple KB pages or articles
Higher cost typically targeting enterprise-level documentation teams

Elium

Elium is a knowledge-sharing platform for teams and organizations, offering a central library of documents, wikis, and discussions. It supports rich media content, tags, and permission controls, aiming to foster collaborative knowledge building.

Key Information

Open Source? No, Elium is proprietary.
Standalone KB Tool? Yes, it’s designed as a dedicated knowledge-sharing solution.

Why You Might Like It

Modern, intuitive UI to encourage user engagement
Tagging and filtering for quick content discovery
Version history and editorial features for team collaboration
Integration with tools like Slack, Microsoft 365, and Google Workspace

Potential Considerations

Less known than major players, so fewer third-party integrations
Pricing depends on team size and feature requirements. Starts at 18 Euros per user per month for a minimum of 10 users. Offers a corporate and enterprise plan as well.
Not specialized for developer docs or complex workflows

LabiKnow

LabiKnow is a platform focused on delivering in-app guides, tooltips, and a knowledge base for SaaS products. It aims to reduce support tickets by providing just-in-time help to users within the application interface.

Key Information

Open Source? No, LabiKnow is proprietary.
Standalone KB Tool? Yes, it can serve as a KB, especially for customer-facing SaaS support.

Why You Might Like It

In-app guidance for onboarding and feature discovery
Knowledge base integration with tooltips and widgets
Analytics on user engagement with help content
Non-technical setup with a visual editor for tooltips and guides

Potential Considerations

Primarily external, SaaS user focus—less for internal usage
Pricing starts at $39 per month. Has $159 and $399 per month plans available
Limited advanced documentation capabilities outside in-app help

LayupLabs.ai

A screenshot of Layup homepage. — A screenshot of LayupLabs homepage.

LayupLabs.ai (also referred to as “Layup Labs”) appears to be a platform offering AI-driven solutions for content and knowledge management. (Note: Public info is limited, so please verify details.)

Key Information

Open Source? No.
Standalone KB Tool? Possibly, depending on how their AI-based knowledge management is structured.

Why You Might Like It

AI-driven approach to organize or generate documentation
Potential integrations with existing knowledge repositories
Focus on automation could reduce manual content creation overhead
Could be specialized for certain industries or content types

Potential Considerations

Limited public details—requires direct contact or trials for clarity
Might be new or in early-stage development
Pricing and feature set unclear without more vendor info

IT Glue

IT Glue is a documentation platform designed for Managed Service Providers (MSPs). It organizes client data, procedures, passwords, and other assets in a structured, secure manner.

Key Information

Open Source? No, IT Glue is proprietary.
Standalone KB Tool? Yes, but heavily specialized for IT and MSP scenarios.

Why You Might Like It

Centralized asset management: track networks, credentials, software licenses
Automation: integration with RMM and PSA tools for real-time updates
Security: granular access controls and version history
MSP-oriented for quick onboarding of client data

Potential Considerations

Niche focus—less relevant outside IT service contexts
Pricing can be premium in the MSP market segment. $29, $36 and $42 for Basic, Select and Enterprise versions respectively.
Learning curve for teams unfamiliar with MSP workflows

ConvergePoint

ConvergePoint offers compliance and policy management software built on Microsoft 365 and SharePoint. While not strictly a KB tool, it helps companies manage policies, procedures, and related documents in a centralized repository.

Key Information

Open Source? No, ConvergePoint is proprietary.
Standalone KB Tool? Partially—focused on policy management within Microsoft 365.

Why You Might Like It

Compliance tracking: ensures policies are reviewed and acknowledged
Automated workflows for policy creation, approvals, and revisions
SharePoint integration leverages existing Microsoft ecosystem
Audit trails to track changes and user acknowledgments

Potential Considerations

Policy management approach may be too specialized for general KB needs
Requires SharePoint—not suitable if you don’t use Microsoft 365
Complex for simple documentation or non-regulated environments

BetterDocs

BetterDocs is a platform (or service) that helps create and manage documentation on WordPress and Shopify.

Key Information

Open Source? No.
Standalone KB Tool? Potentially, if it offers a full doc management solution.

Why You Might Like It

Could offer a structured approach to organizing and publishing docs
Focus on ease-of-use could shorten setup time
Possible templating for consistent formatting

Potential Considerations

Pricing starts at $52 for a single license. Has a $112 and a $224 plan as well for additional sites.

Dualo

Dualo (or “Dualo.io”) is described as a platform for digital adoption, offering in-app guides and training. It may also provide a knowledge portal for product instructions or onboarding materials.

Key Information

Open Source? No, Dualo is proprietary.
Standalone KB Tool? Primarily digital adoption/in-app guides, but can have KB functions.

Why You Might Like It

In-app training and step-by-step guidance
Knowledge repository for users to find detailed instructions
Provides onboarding and launch strategy support
Analytics to see user engagement with guides
Potential integrations with existing web apps

Potential Considerations

Not a classic KB—focuses on user onboarding and training
Pricing might scale with usage or seat count
Requires user buy-in to utilize embedded guides effectively

HelpKit

HelpKit is a tool that transforms Notion pages into a help center or knowledge base. It syncs content from Notion automatically, so updates in Notion reflect on the live help site.

Key Information

Open Source? No, HelpKit is proprietary.
Standalone KB Tool? Operates as a layer on top of Notion, so somewhat dependent on Notion.

Why You Might Like It

No extra editing interface—just use Notion, which many teams already do
Automatic syncing keeps published docs updated in real time
Custom branding options to match your site’s look and feel
Search function that indexes Notion content

Potential Considerations

Must have Notion—not ideal if you don’t already use it
Limited advanced features (like version history, approvals) beyond Notion’s native capabilities
Pricing adds to any existing Notion subscription costs. Starts at $15 per site per month. Also has a $31 and $63 pe site per month for additional team seats and articles and features.

Tango

Tango is a browser extension and desktop application that automatically generates step-by-step guides by recording users’ on-screen actions. It’s designed to simplify the documentation of processes and procedures, turning workflows into clear tutorials without manual screenshots or text descriptions.

Key Information

Open Source? No, Tango is proprietary.
Standalone KB Tool? Yes, you can use Tango’s generated guides as standalone documentation, though you may integrate them into an existing knowledge base or wiki.

Why You Might Like It

Automated documentation: Instantly captures workflows as you perform them
Step-by-step guides with annotated screenshots and instructions
Editing tools allow you to refine or remove steps, add notes, and customize visuals
Easy sharing: Export guides as PDFs, links, or embed them in other platforms

Potential Considerations

Limited “traditional” KB features (e.g., advanced search, hierarchical organization)
Primarily process-focused rather than an all-encompassing knowledge repository
Pricing may vary based on team size and advanced feature requirements. Has a free version, otherwise $20 per pro user per month for more than 15 workflows and desktop capture.

Antora

Antora is a static site generator designed specifically for creating multi-repository docs sites using AsciiDoc. It’s popular in technical circles for producing well-structured documentation and versioned component sites.

Key Information

Open Source? Yes, Antora is open source.
Standalone KB Tool? Yes, you self-host the generated site, typically from Git repos.

Why You Might Like It

AsciiDoc-based for rich, semantic documentation
Multi-repository approach letting you organize large doc sets by component
Versioning built in to handle docs for multiple product versions
Theme customization for branding and layout

Potential Considerations

Developer-centric with a learning curve for AsciiDoc and build pipelines
No built-in real-time collaboration—docs stored in Git or other VCS
Overkill for small teams or non-technical doc needs

Next Steps

Identify Your Core Needs
Before diving into any platform, map out your organization’s most pressing documentation needs. Consider growth projections, department-specific requirements, and any compliance or security concerns.
Evaluate Feature Sets
Compare your needs against the capabilities of each tool. If simple documentation is your primary goal, you might opt for a focused platform. If you require broader project management or collaboration features, a more comprehensive suite like Confluence may be a better fit.
Plan for Scale
Avoid selecting a tool that meets today’s needs but will be cumbersome or too small-scale in a year. Look for flexible pricing models and feature sets that can grow with your company.
Develop Clear Governance
No matter which tool you pick, implement guidelines for content creation, review, and updates. A strong governance structure ensures your knowledge base remains current and avoids sprawling into chaos.

By choosing a knowledge base solution that balances structure with flexibility—and by planning for both immediate and future growth—you’ll set up a system that can evolve alongside your organization. As you continue exploring the platforms featured in this global guide, keep your unique workflows and culture in mind. A well-implemented knowledge base does more than store information; it becomes a living resource that supports and scales with your company’s success.

Feb 11, 2025

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Global Guide to Knowledge Bases (2025) - Part 5

Knowledge Base Software

Building a knowledge management system that scales effectively requires more than just the right tools—it requires tools that can evolve with your business while supporting growing teams and more complex workflows. As your organization continues to expand, the challenge is ensuring your knowledge base remains organized, accessible, and functional without slowing down your progress.

In Parts 1, 2 and 3 of this series, we reviewed a variety of knowledge base solutions, highlighting key features and their capabilities. In Part 4, we continue our exploration, focusing on a new set of tools that offer unique features designed to support larger teams and more dynamic content management needs. By examining these platforms, we’ll help you identify which solutions can best streamline your documentation process, foster better collaboration, and grow with your company’s expanding needs.

Our Analysis Scope

We cast a wide net when surveying knowledge base solutions, including dedicated documentation platforms and broader tools that offer knowledge base functionality. This article is part 4 of our four-part series analyzing global knowledge bases. Our core filter was straightforward: does the tool allow teams to create, organize, and share internal documentation?

This inclusive approach covered:

Standalone knowledge base platforms
Wiki-style tools
Documentation features embedded in larger workplace solutions