Writing Application/Software Manuals - Resources?

Both Apple and Microsoft have Software publishing guidelines. Apple's is a free .pdf:

Apple Publication Style Guide

Microsoft used to have theirs online too, but I'm not finding it. The book is available.

And IBM's is here, also free.

I'd look at some consumer books for software -- a couple of the Dummies Guides, (Tom Negrino and Michael Cohen are both good but I'm biased) and also some of the Teach Yourself Visually and Peachpit Quick Start and Quick Project books.

It's important to use the proper vocabulary for UI elements, to be specific, and to use bullets and numbered steps where appropriate.

If you can find old manuals from Apple, from the days of printed manuals, they really are excellent models, no matter what OS you're writing for.

The template (look and feel) I use is a very basic one

As for the content and organization ... that depends on what the SW does and who the audience is. Cookbooks are a good model.

I tend to do task-based manuals, split along user roles. For example, I would take an inventory control package and explain USER level first:
1 - logging in
2 - adding items
3 - removing items
3 - searching for items

Then the MANAGER level:
1 - logging in
2 - adding users
3 - removing users
4 - creating reports

Im my experience, users like LOTS of screen shots to let them know what to expect.

Start with a brief intro: what the task entails, when they should be doing the task, and any prerequisites for doing the task.

Then the steps:

4. Click the REPORTS button
(screen shot of the report menu here)
5. Select the "Missing Inventory" report
(screenshot of the report after it opens, followed by an explanaiton of the fields and what the user has to do with them)
6. blah

Have you talked with a representative sample of the network techs that will be using it? They might be able to give you more insight on how the docs will be used and that could help you out with style and organization.

Medievalist, thanks for those links. Coincidentally, the timing is perfect for us.

Technical Writing For Dummies
By Sheryl Lindsell-Roberts
ISBN: 978-0-7645-5308-0

I am a deep technical person being in computer R&D for 30 years now but I have an admiration for the Dummies series. They form a strong template and stick to it. I am not familiar with this exact book but were I in your position, I would look at this book.