Capturing procedures without expensive recording tools
You don’t need paid tools like Scribe, Trainual, or iorad to document your procedures. Free screen capture tools combined with Tallyfy’s rich text editor give you everything needed to create comprehensive step-by-step instructions. The real value isn’t in capturing steps - it’s in tracking completion, automating workflows, and ensuring procedures actually get followed.
Why paid capture tools aren’t necessary
Services like Scribe, Trainual, or iorad lock your content into proprietary formats. Once you document a process with these tools, you’re stuck paying monthly fees just to access your own procedures. Plus they only solve the easy part - capturing steps. They don’t help you:
Track who completed which steps
Automate task assignments
Set deadlines and send reminders
Collect data during execution
Analyze process performance
That’s where Tallyfy shines. Focus on free capture, then use Tallyfy for the hard part - making procedures actually work.
Free tools for capturing procedures
Windows options
Steps Recorder (PSR) - Built into Windows, automatically captures every click with screenshots and descriptions. Outputs to .MHT file which you can convert to HTML + images.
Run psr.exe from Start menu
Click Record, perform your steps, click Stop
Save as Web Page (HTML) to extract images
Copy step text into Tallyfy, insert extracted images
ShareX (open-source) - Powerful screenshot and recording tool with automatic upload
Capture screenshots with annotations
Auto-upload to Imgur for instant URLs
Record GIFs for short step demonstrations
Insert images into Tallyfy using URLs or uploads
Xbox Game Bar (Win+Alt+R) - Built-in screen recorder
Note: Tallyfy strips most HTML formatting when pasting to maintain consistency.
What makes Tallyfy different
Beyond documentation - actual execution
While capture tools stop at documentation, Tallyfy ensures procedures get done:
Assignment automation - Routes tasks to the right job titles or groups
Deadline management - Sets due dates and sends reminders
Progress tracking - See who’s stuck and where bottlenecks occur
Data collection - Form fields capture information during execution
Conditional logic - Automations adapt procedures based on responses
Completion verification - Approval steps ensure quality control
Real examples of Tallyfy vs documentation tools
Employee onboarding
Scribe/Trainual: Static checklist with screenshots
Tallyfy: Automatically assigns IT setup to tech team, schedules training based on start date, collects equipment confirmations, tracks completion across departments
Customer support procedures
iorad: Interactive tutorial for agents to review
Tallyfy: Routes tickets by type, escalates if SLA breached, collects resolution data, triggers follow-ups
Quality inspections
Dozuki: Work instructions with images
Tallyfy: Enforces inspection schedule, captures defects with photos, routes issues to quality team, generates compliance reports
Avoiding vendor lock-in
Problems with paid documentation platforms
Scribe - Exports only as PDF or requires paid team access. Lose interactivity and ability to update.
Trainual - Content lives in their system. Canceling means rebuilding everything elsewhere.
iorad - Tutorials break if UI changes. Expensive to maintain for large teams.
Dozuki - Requires annual contracts. Migration is complex and often incomplete.
WorkRamp - Learning content trapped in their LMS. No easy bulk export.
Keep your content portable
Store your source materials independently:
Keep original screenshots in cloud storage
Save screen recordings as standard MP4 files
Maintain text instructions in documents
Use open formats (HTML, Markdown) when possible
This way you can move between platforms without losing work.
Quick start guide
Capture your first SOP in 10 minutes
Choose your capture tool
Windows: ShareX for screenshots or Xbox Game Bar for video
Mac: Built-in screenshot tool or Kap for recordings
Already have procedures hosted elsewhere? Embed them directly:
Google Docs/Sheets: Publish to web, embed URL
YouTube/Vimeo videos: Paste link into Embed URL
Miro/Mural boards: Share public link, embed
Figma prototypes: Get embed code, insert
SharePoint pages: If publicly accessible, embed URL
Converting existing documentation
From Word/Google Docs:
Copy text content
Paste into Tallyfy (formatting stripped)
Rebuild structure with editor tools
Insert images individually
From PDFs:
Extract text and images using free tools
Recreate as structured Tallyfy steps
Attach original PDF as reference if needed
From wikis/knowledge bases:
Export as HTML or Markdown
Copy section by section
Convert to step-based format
Add automation and tracking
Best practices for procedure capture
What to document visually vs text
Use screenshots for:
Complex UI with many options
Specific button locations
Form field examples
Error messages
Configuration screens
Use video for:
Multi-step sequences
Drag and drop actions
Timing-sensitive procedures
Processes with motion/animation
Verbal explanation needed
Use text only for:
Simple linear steps
Conceptual information
Policies and rules
Decision criteria
Background context
Optimizing file sizes
Keep procedures loading fast:
Resize images to max 1920px wide
Use JPEG for photos, PNG for screenshots
Compress images with free tools (TinyPNG)
Keep videos under 5 minutes per step
Use YouTube/Vimeo for longer videos
Maintenance and updates
Make procedures easy to maintain:
Capture at lowest UI detail needed
Focus on workflow not exact pixels
Use generic examples not real data
Date your screenshots for version tracking
Link to external systems rather than duplicating
Moving beyond documentation
Documentation is just the beginning. The hard part is ensuring procedures get followed, measuring performance, and continuously improving. That’s what Tallyfy does that capture tools can’t:
Stop paying for expensive documentation tools that only solve the easy part. Use free capture tools for recording steps, then leverage Tallyfy for what really matters - making sure work gets done right, every time.
Building an operations manual requires transforming static documentation into dynamic digital workflows with clear ownership logical organization rich media content and continuous improvement mechanisms to ensure consistent quality and effective execution across teams.
Tallyfy transforms business processes into self-driving workflows without coding using AI to create templates that automatically assign tasks track progress and delegate work to people or automation while solving workflow inefficiencies that waste 20-40% of work time.
Tallyfy tutorials provide step-by-step guidance to create templates launch automated workflows and master essential features within 15-30 minutes helping teams transform their business processes from setup to implementation.
Templates are reusable blueprints that transform business processes into self-driving workflows by capturing every step and decision point while automatically assigning tasks sending reminders and tracking progress to eliminate process variations and reduce completion time by 40%.
