Skip to main content

Getting Started with ProjectDocsEngine

Table of Contents​

  1. Welcome
  2. Account Setup
  3. Creating Your First Project
  4. Understanding Your Documentation
  5. Making Your First Update
  6. Exporting Documentation
  7. Next Steps
  8. Quick Reference

Welcome​

Welcome to ProjectDocsEngine! This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to create your first project and generate comprehensive documentation in minutes.

What You'll Learn​

  • How to create an account and understand the credit system
  • How to create your first project using either flow
  • How to navigate and understand your generated documentation
  • How to make updates using Command Mode
  • How to export and share your documentation

Prerequisites​

  • A web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge)
  • A project idea (even a rough concept works!)
  • About 10-15 minutes for initial setup

Account Setup​

1. Creating Your Account​

  1. Visit ProjectDocsEngine.com
  2. Click "Start Free Trial" or "Sign Up"
  3. Choose your signup method:
    • Email and password
    • Google OAuth (recommended for faster setup)
    • GitHub OAuth

2. Understanding Credits​

Upon signup, you receive:

  • 3-day free trial with 150 credits
  • No credit card required for trial

Credit Usage:​

ActionBasicStandardEnterprise
Initial Generation (6 docs)12 credits24 credits42 credits
Custom Document2 credits4 credits7 credits
Command Mode UpdateVaries based on complexity and number of documents

3. Choosing Your Plan​

Two plans available:

  • Weekly Plan: $9/week - 150 credits per week
  • Yearly Plan: $299/year - 750 credits per month (save 36%)

Creating Your First Project​

Step 1: Start a New Project​

  1. Click "Create New Project" on your dashboard
  2. Choose your documentation flow:
    • Questionnaire: Structured, form-based (recommended for beginners)
    • AI Wizard: Conversational, flexible

Step 2: Select Detail Level​

Choose based on your project complexity:

Basic (12 credits)​

  • Best for: MVPs, hackathons, simple projects
  • Generates: 1,000-1,800 words per document
  • Time: 5-7 minutes

Standard (24 credits) - Recommended​

  • Best for: Most commercial projects
  • Generates: 1,500-3,000 words per document
  • Time: 8-10 minutes

Enterprise (42 credits)​

  • Best for: Complex systems, large teams
  • Generates: 2,700-4,200 words per document
  • Time: 12-15 minutes

Step 3A: Questionnaire Flow​

If you chose Questionnaire, you'll answer 4 sets of questions:

Section 1: Project Basics​

Project Name: TaskFlow Pro
Description: A smart project management tool that uses AI to automatically prioritize tasks and balance team workload
Target Audience: Small to medium software development teams (5-50 people)
Main Problem: Teams struggle with task prioritization and workload distribution

Section 2: Features​

List 5-10 core features:

1. AI-powered task prioritization
2. Real-time workload visualization
3. Sprint planning automation
4. GitHub/Jira integration
5. Predictive deadline alerts

Section 3: Technical Details​

Frontend: React with TypeScript
Backend: Node.js with Express
Database: PostgreSQL
Deployment: AWS

Section 4: Design Preferences​

Style: Modern, minimal, data-focused
Key Elements: Dashboards, Kanban boards
Mobile: Fully responsive

Step 3B: AI Wizard Flow​

If you chose AI Wizard, start with a clear introduction:

"I want to build TaskFlow Pro, an AI-powered project management tool for software teams. It should automatically prioritize tasks based on dependencies, deadlines, and team capacity. The main innovation is using machine learning to predict task completion times and prevent deadline slips."

The AI will ask follow-up questions. Answer naturally but specifically.

Step 4: Generate Documentation​

  1. Review your inputs
  2. Click "Generate Documentation"
  3. Watch the progress indicators
  4. Wait 5-15 minutes for generation

Understanding Your Documentation​

The 6 Core Documents​

1. Product Requirements Document (PRD)​

  • Contains: Features, user stories, success metrics
  • Use for: Stakeholder alignment, feature planning

2. Technical Stack​

  • Contains: Technology choices, architecture, integrations
  • Use for: Developer onboarding, technical decisions

3. User Flow Diagrams​

  • Contains: User journeys, interaction patterns
  • Use for: UX design, feature development

4. Database Schema​

  • Contains: Data models, relationships, indexes
  • Use for: Backend development, data planning

5. UI/UX Design Guidelines​

  • Contains: Design system, components, patterns
  • Use for: Frontend development, design consistency

6. Development Task List​

  • Contains: Prioritized tasks, sprints, milestones
  • Use for: Project management, progress tracking

  1. Sidebar Navigation

    • Click any document to view
    • Green checkmarks indicate completed docs
    • "LIVE" badge shows real-time updates

  2. Document Viewer

    • Clean, readable format
    • Automatic table of contents
    • Code syntax highlighting

  3. Search Function

    • Quick search across all documents
    • Helpful for finding specific features or requirements

Making Your First Update​

Using Command Mode​

Command Mode lets you update any document with natural language commands.

Step 1: Click "Command Mode"​

Located in the top toolbar of your project workspace.

Step 2: Write Your Command​

Example Commands:

Simple Update:

"Add dark mode support to the UI/UX guidelines"

Specific Update:

"Add user authentication using JWT tokens with refresh token rotation to the Technical Stack document"

Complex Update:

"Update the database schema to include a 'teams' table with many-to-many relationship to users, and add corresponding API endpoints to the Technical Stack"

Step 3: Review and Confirm​

  1. AI Analysis: Shows which documents will be updated
  2. Credit Cost: Displays the credit cost
  3. Confirm: Click to proceed with updates

Step 4: Monitor Progress​

  • Progress bar shows update status
  • Document badges show "Updating..."
  • Typical time: 2-5 minutes

Command Mode Best Practices​

✅ DO:

  • Be specific about what you want
  • Reference document names when needed
  • Include technical details
  • Batch related updates

❌ DON'T:

  • Use vague commands like "improve everything"
  • Make conflicting changes
  • Update all documents unnecessarily

Exporting Documentation​

Export Options​

1. ZIP Export​

  • Includes: All documents in Markdown format
  • Use for: GitHub repositories, wikis, sharing

2. Copy Individual Documents​

  • Format: Markdown with formatting
  • Use for: Slack, emails, documentation tools

How to Export​

  1. Click "Export" button in toolbar
  2. Wait for export preparation (30-60 seconds)
  3. Download the ZIP file
  4. Extract and use in your preferred tool

Export Contents​

project-docs-export/
├── README.md
├── product-requirements.md
├── technical-stack.md
├── user-flow-diagrams.md
├── database-schema.md
├── ui-ux-guidelines.md
└── development-tasks.md

Next Steps​

1. Explore Advanced Features​

Q&A Mode​

  • Ask questions about your documentation
  • Get instant answers with references
  • Perfect for large projects

Custom Documents​

  • Add specialized documentation
  • API docs, deployment guides, etc.
  • Same AI-powered generation

Team Collaboration​

  • Share projects with team members
  • Control access permissions
  • Track change history

2. Optimize Your Workflow​

Use Templates​

Save time by creating templates for similar projects

Batch Updates​

Group related changes in single commands

Regular Updates​

Keep documentation current with your development

3. Join the Community​

Quick Reference​

Keyboard Shortcuts​

  • Ctrl/Cmd + K: Quick search
  • Ctrl/Cmd + E: Export documentation
  • Ctrl/Cmd + U: Open Command Mode

Common Commands​

Add a Feature:

"Add real-time chat feature using Socket.io to the PRD and update the technical stack accordingly"

Change Technology:

"Replace PostgreSQL with MongoDB in all relevant documents"

Add Security:

"Add comprehensive security section covering authentication, authorization, and data encryption"

Update for Mobile:

"Add React Native mobile app documentation as a custom document"

Troubleshooting​

Generation Taking Too Long?​

  • Normal time: 5-15 minutes
  • Check your internet connection
  • Refresh page after 20 minutes

Command Not Working?​

  • Be more specific
  • Check for typos
  • Break into smaller commands

Out of Credits?​

  • Check usage in account settings
  • Weekly plan renews every 7 days with 150 credits
  • Yearly plan renews monthly with 750 credits
  • Purchase additional credits: $45 for 750 credits (valid 90 days)

Summary​

Congratulations! You now know how to:

  • ✅ Create projects with ProjectDocsEngine
  • ✅ Navigate and understand your documentation
  • ✅ Make updates using Command Mode
  • ✅ Export and share your docs

Your Journey​

  1. Start Small: Create a simple project first
  2. Experiment: Try different commands and features
  3. Build Confidence: Each project gets easier
  4. Share Knowledge: Help others in the community

Remember​

  • Quality Input = Quality Output: Be specific and detailed
  • Iterate Often: Use Command Mode to refine
  • Ask for Help: Community and support are here

Welcome to ProjectDocsEngine! We're excited to see what you'll build.

Ready to create your first project? Start Here →