Business Background

OpenTAS GmbH, based in Germany, is an industry pioneer in digitizing the energy and chemical supply chain. With 40 years of industry expertise, they provide comprehensive terminal management solutions. OpenTAS automates complex processes like truck loading and pipeline operations, streamlining workflows for refineries and stations. With a strong focus on AI and intelligent automation, their solutions aim to optimize efficiency while meeting the highest industry standards.

Business Requirement

OpenTAS had been documenting processes for the downstream oil and gas industry for many years, but their knowledge base was fragmented. They primarily used local storage, SharePoint, and wiki-like tools to store and manage documentation, including user guides, process descriptions, and training materials, some of the above were also customized for their customers.

However, the above system presented OpenTAS with multiple challenges:

• Customer documentation was shared via email as PDF files. Tracking document delivery for each customer became difficult.
• The customers were required to have an internal OpenTAS email to access SharePoint, which complicated the process.
• Ensuring customers had the latest document version was a struggle, as updates were not easily trackable.

Gilbert Awassi, Team Lead Documentation says,

It was difficult to maintain a mixed knowledge base—standard documentation for all customers and customized documentation for specific ones.

These issues led to OpenTAS looking for a web-based documentation system, which was slowly becoming the trend across industries.

They also evaluated multiple tools like Freshdesk, MadCap Flare, WordPress, ClickHelp, Adobe FrameMaker, and Confluence, but they either lacked import capabilities, were too complex, or did not fit their needs.

For example, Freshdesk required manual copy-pasting, making it unsuitable for importing OpenTAS’ large volume of existing documents.

Business Solutions

After looking at a few more knowledge management tools in the market, OpenTAS opted to create their knowledge base on Document360. Document360 was a perfect fit for OpenTAS, with the following features:

• The Word Document Import feature allows them to import Word documents and PDF files directly into articles without needing manual copy-pasting.
• The Article Revision feature helps OpenTAS track document updates, ensuring their customers always have access to the most accurate and up-to-date information.
• Ask Eddy AI Assistive Search feature enables their customers to find relevant content quickly, improving knowledge base navigation and accessibility.
• OpenTAS utilizes the Sandbox feature to test new content and configurations without affecting their live knowledge base, ensuring accuracy before publishing.

Gilbert says,

With Document360’s Conditional Content Blocks, we can tailor information for different customers, ensuring they see only what’s relevant to them.

• With the help of the Analytics feature, OpenTAS tracks which articles are most read, what customers search for, and how they engage with the knowledge base, helping refine content strategy.

Gilbert adds that,

Document360’s AI Writer makes content refinement effortless—shortening sentences, splitting long ones, enhancing clarity, and optimizing our FAQ section.

• OpenTAS uses style guides, Custom Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and JavaScript in Document360 to ensure consistent formatting. Imported documents automatically adopt the correct style on the front end, eliminating manual adjustments.
• The Advanced Search functionality allows their internal users to find content across multiple workspaces, languages, and even within attached PDFs.

Business Impact

Since implementing Document360 in September 2023, OpenTAS has streamlined its documentation process, improving accessibility and sales.

With a structured knowledge base, OpenTAS has enhanced internal workflows and customer interactions, making documentation management more efficient.

OpenTAS witnessed a 20% increase in knowledge base page views over two years, driven by the increasing ease of use that Document360 enables.

They also consistently received positive feedback from customers, colleagues, and managers regarding ease of use and accessibility.

Gilbert says,

Before using Document360, things felt a bit chaotic. Now, everything runs much smoother, making it easier for us to share and sell our documentation.