Format articles and manage their public metadata

Use a clear title, a short answer, and focused steps so readers can find and follow your Help Center articles. Owners and Admins can edit article content and settings.

Choose how to write

Open Help Center → Articles to browse collections. Open a collection or All articles to find an existing article, or select New article to start one. The editor provides Write, Markdown, and Preview modes.

• Write provides formatting controls for headings, emphasis, links, lists, callouts, code blocks, tables, and diagrams.
• Markdown lets you edit the source text directly.
• Preview shows how the current content renders. It does not save or publish the article.

Start with the answer or outcome. Use headings for tasks, numbered lists for ordered steps, and bullets for choices. Use bold for interface labels and code formatting for commands, hostnames, and literal values. Keep instructions complete in text; images can be added later where they clarify a step.

Keep formatting readable

Use one clear hierarchy rather than repeating the article title as a large heading in the body. In Markdown, ## headings work well for the main sections. Keep tables narrow enough to read on a phone and use descriptive link text rather than “click here.”

Review code blocks for accidental credentials and replace real customer data with generic examples. Check the rendered Preview after switching editing modes, especially around lists, tables, links, and code. Formatting that looks correct in Markdown still needs a visual check.

Review article metadata

Setting	What to check
Title	Describe the reader's task in specific, searchable words.
Short description	Summarize the answer for search results and article lists. If empty, Protodesk derives a description from the body.
Language	Choose the language of the content, not the language you want it translated into automatically.
Status	Keep unfinished content in Draft. Published content is intended for customers.
Collection	Search for an eligible collection with a translation in the article's language. A collection can also contain subcollections. Choose Uncategorized to leave the article unassigned.
URL slug	Use a readable, stable address. Check links before changing an already published slug.
Featured	Select it when the article should be highlighted on the Help home screen; this does not publish a draft.
Tags	Add consistent topic labels for organization. Tags are not access permissions.

The URL slug is generated from the title until you customize it. After publication, avoid changing it for a minor wording edit; do not assume old article addresses will redirect automatically.

Save the right kind of change

For a new article, review its settings and select Create article with Status: Draft if it is not ready to go live.

For an existing article, Save for review submits title, short description, and body changes for review. It does not submit changes to settings such as collection, language, URL slug, tags, or Featured. Handle those settings separately and check them before selecting Save changes.

Saving changes directly to a published article can affect the live article. Use the review path when you need someone to check content before it replaces the current public answer.

After publication, open the public article and check its title, description, formatting, links, language, and collection placement.

Related: Create and publish a Help Center article and review AI-generated articles.