Cloud-based Solution

Master this essential documentation concept

Quick Definition

Software or services that are hosted on remote servers and accessed via the internet rather than installed locally on individual computers

How Cloud-based Solution Works

graph TD A[Documentation Team] --> B[Cloud Platform] B --> C[Real-time Editing] B --> D[Version Control] B --> E[Asset Management] B --> F[Publishing Engine] C --> G[Multiple Authors] C --> H[Live Comments] D --> I[Change Tracking] D --> J[Revision History] E --> K[Images & Videos] E --> L[Document Templates] F --> M[Web Portal] F --> N[PDF Export] F --> O[API Documentation] G --> P[Stakeholder Review] H --> P I --> P J --> P P --> Q[Published Documentation] M --> Q N --> Q O --> Q

Understanding Cloud-based Solution

Cloud-based solutions have revolutionized how documentation teams create, manage, and distribute content by moving traditional desktop applications to internet-accessible platforms. These solutions leverage remote server infrastructure to provide powerful documentation tools without requiring local software installation or hardware maintenance.

Key Features

  • Real-time collaboration and simultaneous editing capabilities
  • Automatic version control and change tracking
  • Cross-platform accessibility from any device with internet connection
  • Scalable storage and computing resources
  • Built-in backup and disaster recovery systems
  • API integrations with other business tools
  • Role-based access controls and permission management

Benefits for Documentation Teams

  • Reduced IT overhead and maintenance costs
  • Enhanced team collaboration across geographical boundaries
  • Automatic software updates and security patches
  • Improved document accessibility and search functionality
  • Streamlined workflow automation and publishing processes
  • Better analytics and usage tracking capabilities

Common Misconceptions

  • Cloud solutions are less secure than on-premise systems
  • Internet dependency makes them unreliable for critical work
  • Migration to cloud platforms is always complex and costly
  • Cloud-based tools lack the advanced features of desktop applications

Documenting Cloud-based Solutions: Beyond Video Tutorials

When implementing Oracle cloud-based solutions, your technical teams often record training sessions to capture complex configuration steps, integration points, and troubleshooting procedures. These recordings contain valuable knowledge about how your specific cloud environment operates.

However, video-only documentation of cloud-based solutions creates significant challenges. Cloud environments frequently update, making portions of videos obsolete. Technical staff need quick access to specific configuration details without scrubbing through hour-long recordings. Additionally, searching for particular cloud features or settings becomes nearly impossible in video format.

Converting Oracle cloud-based solution training videos into searchable documentation solves these critical problems. Your team can transform lengthy cloud implementation recordings into structured guides that highlight key configuration steps, API references, and integration requirements. When Oracle pushes updates to their cloud-based solutions, you can easily revise specific sections of documentation rather than re-recording entire training sessions. Most importantly, engineers can instantly search for exactly what they need—whether it's a specific cloud service parameter or security setting.

Learn how to transform your Oracle cloud-based solution videos into searchable, maintainable documentation →

Real-World Documentation Use Cases

Distributed Team Collaboration

Problem

Documentation teams spread across different time zones struggle to collaborate effectively on shared documents, leading to version conflicts and communication gaps.

Solution

Implement a cloud-based documentation platform that enables real-time collaboration with live editing, commenting, and notification systems.

Implementation

1. Migrate existing documentation to cloud platform 2. Set up user accounts with appropriate permissions 3. Establish collaboration workflows and guidelines 4. Train team members on real-time editing features 5. Configure notification settings for efficient communication

Expected Outcome

Teams can work simultaneously on documents, see changes in real-time, and maintain consistent communication, reducing project timelines by 30-40%.

Automated Publishing Workflows

Problem

Manual publishing processes create bottlenecks and inconsistencies when deploying documentation updates across multiple channels and formats.

Solution

Utilize cloud-based automation tools to create streamlined publishing pipelines that automatically generate and distribute content across various platforms.

Implementation

1. Map current publishing requirements and channels 2. Configure automated workflows using cloud platform APIs 3. Set up content triggers and approval processes 4. Integrate with existing CMS and distribution channels 5. Test and optimize automation rules

Expected Outcome

Publishing time reduced from hours to minutes, with consistent formatting and reduced human error across all distribution channels.

Scalable Knowledge Base Management

Problem

Growing organizations struggle to maintain and scale their knowledge bases as content volume increases and user demands become more complex.

Solution

Deploy cloud-based knowledge management systems with advanced search, analytics, and content organization capabilities.

Implementation

1. Audit existing knowledge base content and structure 2. Design scalable taxonomy and tagging systems 3. Migrate content with proper categorization 4. Implement advanced search and filtering options 5. Set up analytics to track usage and identify gaps

Expected Outcome

Improved content discoverability, reduced support tickets by 25%, and enhanced user satisfaction with self-service capabilities.

Compliance Documentation Management

Problem

Organizations in regulated industries need to maintain strict version control, audit trails, and approval processes for compliance documentation.

Solution

Implement cloud-based solutions with robust governance features including approval workflows, audit logging, and compliance reporting.

Implementation

1. Define compliance requirements and documentation standards 2. Configure approval workflows with designated reviewers 3. Set up automated audit trails and change logging 4. Implement access controls and permission matrices 5. Create compliance reporting dashboards

Expected Outcome

100% audit trail visibility, reduced compliance review time by 50%, and improved regulatory adherence with automated governance controls.

Best Practices

✓ Implement Robust Access Controls

Establish comprehensive permission systems that align with your organization's security requirements and team structure to protect sensitive documentation while enabling collaboration.

✓ Do: Create role-based access levels, regularly audit user permissions, implement multi-factor authentication, and maintain detailed access logs for security compliance.
✗ Don't: Grant universal access to all team members, ignore permission audits, rely solely on password protection, or overlook guest user access controls.

✓ Establish Clear Migration Strategies

Develop systematic approaches for moving existing documentation to cloud platforms while maintaining data integrity, preserving formatting, and ensuring minimal disruption to ongoing work.

✓ Do: Create detailed migration plans, test with pilot projects, maintain backup copies, train users before full deployment, and establish rollback procedures.
✗ Don't: Migrate all content simultaneously without testing, ignore data formatting issues, skip user training, or forget to validate migrated content accuracy.

✓ Optimize for Performance and Reliability

Configure cloud-based solutions to deliver consistent performance and reliability by leveraging platform features, monitoring usage patterns, and implementing redundancy measures.

✓ Do: Monitor platform performance metrics, implement caching strategies, use CDN services for global access, and establish offline backup procedures for critical documents.
✗ Don't: Ignore performance bottlenecks, rely on single cloud regions, skip regular performance testing, or neglect to plan for service outages.

✓ Leverage Integration Capabilities

Maximize the value of cloud-based documentation by integrating with existing business tools, workflows, and systems to create seamless information ecosystems.

✓ Do: Map integration requirements, use native APIs when available, implement single sign-on solutions, and automate data synchronization between platforms.
✗ Don't: Create isolated documentation silos, ignore existing workflow tools, manually duplicate data across systems, or overlook authentication integration opportunities.

✓ Monitor Usage and Optimize Continuously

Regularly analyze platform usage, user behavior, and content performance to identify optimization opportunities and ensure the cloud solution meets evolving documentation needs.

✓ Do: Set up comprehensive analytics dashboards, conduct regular user feedback sessions, track content performance metrics, and adjust configurations based on usage patterns.
✗ Don't: Set up the platform and forget about optimization, ignore user feedback, rely on assumptions instead of data, or postpone regular platform reviews and updates.

How Docsie Helps with Cloud-based Solution

See How Docsie Can Help

Build Better Documentation with Docsie

Join thousands of teams creating outstanding documentation

Start Free Trial