service-docs.md

copyright	lastupdated	keywords	subcollection
years 2024	2024-04-22		sell

{{site.data.keyword.attribute-definition-list}}

Documenting your service

{: #service-docs}

Documenting your service includes providing details about how to use your product. And making sure that users can find these instructions by providing a link from the {{site.data.keyword.cloud_notm}} catalog. {: shortdesc}

Creating your service documentation

{: #create-docs}

As a third party, you must host and publish your service documentation.

It is recommended that you have a topic that covers deploying your service on {{site.data.keyword.cloud_notm}}. Consider including this as part of a "Getting started" topic in your documentation. Don't redocument the user interface. Instead, guide your users where to start provisioning your service and cover any details that are not included in the UI text.

From there, make sure that the full use of your product is documented. And don't forget any self-help information like troubleshooting or FAQs. Also consider setting onboarding expectations, especially if your product onboarding is not automated from the console. For example, if onboarding is personalized or requires steps outside of {{site.data.keyword.cloud_notm}}, outline that process for the user so that they know what to expect next.

Providing the Docs link

{: #view-docs-link}

When a user clicks your service tile in the {{site.data.keyword.cloud_notm}} catalog, the catalog details page appears for the user to learn more about your product. You want to make sure the Docs related link on the page is going to your service documentation.

To add the URL where you're hosting your service documentation, complete the following steps:

1. In the {{site.data.keyword.cloud_notm}} console, click the Navigation Menu icon > Partner Center > My products and select your product.
2. Click Catalog entry.
3. Click Add your documentation URL.
4. Enter the URL and click Save.