A training manual template your agent fills from your notes
Every new hire learns the job by shadowing whoever has time, and each one learns it a bit differently. A training manual fixes that, but writing one feels like a month-long project. Send your agent your rough notes, screenshots or a screen recording and it turns them into a structured manual with procedures, checklists and a short quiz.
The prompt
- Create a training manual for [ROLE OR PROCESS] at [COMPANY NAME] from the attached [SOURCE MATERIAL]. Structure: cover page, how to use this manual, learning objectives, a glossary, then one module per task with purpose, step-by-step numbered instructions, screenshots from my material where they help, common mistakes, and a checklist. Add a [TRAINING LENGTH] training schedule, a 10-question quiz with answer key, and a sign-off page for trainer and trainee. Write for someone in their first week, short sentences, no jargon without explaining it. Deliver it as an editable Word file and a PDF with page numbers and a table of contents.
What to change
- [ROLE OR PROCESS]: What the manual teaches, e.g. "front desk receptionist", "closing the store", "processing refunds in Shopify".
- [COMPANY NAME]: e.g. "Copper Kettle Cafe".
- [SOURCE MATERIAL]: Attach notes, existing SOPs, screenshots or a screen recording video. Rough is fine.
- [TRAINING LENGTH]: e.g. "5-day", "2-week" or "30-day".
Example result
- Copper Kettle Cafe: Barista Training Manual
- How to use this manual
- Work through one module a day with your trainer. Tick each checklist item only when you can do it without help.
- Learning objectives
- By the end of week one you will be able to:
- • Open and close the espresso station safely
- • Pull a correct espresso shot (18 g in, 36 g out, 25 to 30 seconds)
- • Steam milk for lattes and cappuccinos
- • Take orders and payments on the till
- Glossary
- • Dose: the weight of ground coffee in the basket
- • Yield: the weight of liquid espresso in the cup
- • Purge: a short burst from the steam wand to clear water and milk
- Module 2: Pulling an espresso shot
- Why it matters: espresso is the base of 80% of our drinks.
- 1. Purge the group head for 2 seconds.
- 2. Grind 18 g into the dry portafilter and level it with one tap.
- 3. Tamp level with firm, even pressure.
- 4. Lock in, place a cup on the scale and start the shot right away.
- 5. Stop at 36 g. Check the time: 25 to 30 seconds is right.
- Common mistakes
- • Shot under 20 seconds: grind finer
- • Shot over 35 seconds: grind coarser
- • Uneven tamp: causes a sour, watery side
- Checklist
- • I can dial in the grinder with my trainer
- • I can pull 3 shots in a row within the time range
- 5-day schedule
- • Day 1: welcome, safety, Module 1 opening
- • Day 2: Module 2 espresso
- • Day 3: Module 3 milk
- • Day 4: Modules 4 and 5 till and service
- • Day 5: Module 6 closing, quiz and sign-off
- Quiz (sample)
- 1. What is our espresso recipe? (Answer: 18 g in, 36 g out, 25 to 30 seconds)
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and replace the brackets with the role, company, material and length.
- Paste it into todo.is and attach your notes, old SOPs or a screen recording.
- Your agent writes the modules, checklists, schedule and quiz, and builds the Word and PDF files.
- Ask for changes per module, or ask for a Spanish version or a short narrated video of one module.
Tips for a better result
- Record yourself doing the task once and attach the video. It captures steps you forget you do.
- One module per task, each with a checklist. Trainees and trainers both know when a skill is done.
- Put the common mistakes right after the steps. That is where new hires actually get stuck.
- Ask your agent to remind you every 6 months to review the manual so it does not fall out of date.
training manual template: FAQ
- What should a training manual include? Learning objectives, a glossary, step-by-step procedures per task, common mistakes, checklists, a training schedule and a way to check learning, like a quiz or sign-off.
- What is the difference between a training manual and an SOP? An SOP describes how one process is done. A training manual teaches a person a role, usually combining several SOPs with objectives, a schedule and assessments.
- Can it use screenshots from my video? Yes. Your agent can pull still frames from a screen recording and place them next to the matching steps.
- Can I get it in another language? Yes. Ask for a translated copy in Word or PDF, and have a native speaker check safety-critical parts.
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