This paper describes some common types of help topic and when to use each. See also my paper titled Planning an online help project .
Different applications require different mixes of help topics.
Choose the topic types that are appropriate for the application you are documenting. Typical topic types Overview Brief description of the application's purpose, intended use, and most common or important tasks. Conceptual help Information about the theory, logic or reasoning behind a task, or about fundamental concepts, components or actions in an application. Help for individual fields and controls within a window. Frequently asked questions Answers common questions that users may have when working with the application.