Documentation

Documentation software gives a service desk one searchable place for the passwords, network diagrams, server configurations, software licences and standard operating procedures a technician needs while working a ticket, rather than scattered spreadsheets, shared drives or a wiki nobody keeps current. Most products offer structured templates for common asset types, org charts and contact records per client, and version history so a technician can see what changed and when. It does not monitor devices, patch anything, or manage remote sessions; it is a reference layer that other tools read from and write into.

Pricing is usually per technician per month, sometimes with a flat rate for a small team below a set seat count. A self-hosted option, where one exists, is typically a flat licence fee instead of a recurring per-seat charge, in exchange for running and securing the server yourself.

Password storage with proper access controls and permissions is the feature most MSPs care about first, since a documentation tool often becomes the vault for client credentials. Network diagrams, custom asset templates and SOP or process templates determine how well the tool fits how your team documents work day to day. Full-text search matters more than it sounds, since the point of the tool is finding an answer fast mid-ticket, and API access matters if you want to pull documentation data into other systems. A self-hosted option is worth checking if data residency or offline access is a requirement for any client.

RMM and PSA integration are the two connections that matter most: RMM integration can pull discovered assets straight into documentation records instead of a technician typing them in by hand, and PSA integration surfaces relevant documentation inside a ticket so nobody has to switch tabs mid-call. Because documentation tools often store the most sensitive data an MSP holds, check how access controls and permissions work per client and per technician before rolling it out.

Ask about the contract term and any minimum seat count, what export options exist if you leave, since this matters more here than for most tools given the data is your clients' passwords and diagrams, and whether the self-hosted option, if offered, includes support and updates or is sold separately. Also confirm how version history is retained and whether older versions are ever purged.

A small MSP often starts with whatever templates come out of the box and grows into custom asset types later, so ease of setup and price per seat matter more than deep customisation at first. A larger MSP with more technicians and stricter access requirements usually needs granular permissions per client and per role, an audit trail of who viewed what, and API access to keep documentation in sync with other systems, which is worth paying more for at that scale.