Last Updated on December 10, 2024 by Owen McGab Enaohwo
Without a doubt, you know what having new employees feels like. And we don’t mean the feeling that makes you so glad that you’ve found a valuable addition to your team. It’s the feeling you get when you realize how much they need to be shown and taught before they can be capable on their own. And that’s why you’re hunting for the perfect employee onboarding tool.
You’ve heard of many tools available, and Lessonly and Trainual seem like the most popular, but you may be having difficulty choosing between them. In this detailed article, you’ll have the knowledge to make a sound choice for your business.
You can skip ahead and check out an extra software you weren’t surfing for. SweetProcess is a process and procedure documentation software that was built to meet your specific needs.
You can sign up for a free trial to get first-hand experience of the solution you’ve been wanting. You don’t need a credit card to sign up.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What Is Lessonly (Seismic Learning)?
Trainual vs. Lessonly: Key Differences
Trainual vs. Lessonly: Key Similarities
SweetProcess: The Trainual and Lessonly Alternative for Onboarding New Employees
Trainual vs. Lessonly: Which Is Better for Onboarding New Employees?
What Is Trainual?
Trainual is a training software designed to help users streamline their business processes and procedures and make employee onboarding pretty easy. It is an online learning management system that helps establishments have a centralized training system. It allows companies to create standard operating procedures, onboarding materials, and interactive training manuals in a centralized location.
Trainual offers some customizable features like colors and logos to give you a personal feel. Leaders can add teams, provide roles for members, and create materials, including photos, videos, and documents to aid the onboarding process and general knowledge.
This employee training manual software saves you time for onboarding and training, making knowledge transfer to new employees easy. This tool is suitable for small and mid-sized businesses.
Some of Trainual’s features include:
Streamlined Training
Trainual is streamlined to enable you to create step-by-step instructions for your staff to do as they are expected. Your employees’ daily activities can be inputted, showing a detailed step-by-step process.
Searchable and Trackable Employee Handbook
When you input policies into Trainual, they’re converted to handbooks, enabling your employees to access your business SOPs quickly. You can also track the usage of your employee handbook to find out who’s following up on them.
Task Management
Trainual has a “My Desk” area that displays all the tasks you’re working on and those assigned to you so workers can better manage their tasks. It also shows the rate of completion of tasks. It comes along with priority and due dates so employees are on the right track.
Employee Onboarding
Trainual helps you to onboard new employees efficiently. By adding new employees to the platform where information about their roles is, you can create tests to measure their follow-up rate. Tests can be given to new hires to see how much they’ve learned during the new hire process.
What Is Lessonly (Seismic Learning)?
Lessonly is a cloud-based learning management system created to help users improve team performance by equipping them with all the materials they need to perform in the workplace. Lessonly allows you to create detailed courses and close knowledge gaps between workers.
Lessonly is designed to help organizations create and deliver training content to their employees. It will enable companies to build custom learning modules, courses, quizzes, and other educational materials to ease performance in the workplace.
Some of its features include:
Content Creation
Lessonly allows users to create interactive and engaging corporate training content using various media formats like text, images, videos, quizzes, and more. It provides a series of templates and easy-to-use tools for content creation.
Learning Paths
Lessonly helps create structured learning paths that guide your employees through a series of lessons in a specific order to ensure a comprehensive learning experience.
Assessments and Quizzes
This platform aids the creation of quizzes and assessments to evaluate the learning progress and understanding of employees. This feature helps managers measure knowledge retention and understanding of the training material.
Tracking and Reporting
Lessonly provides detailed analytics and reporting tools to track employee progress, completion rates, performance metrics, and areas where improvement might be needed. Using Lessonly provides one with data that’s useful in understanding the effectiveness of training programs on employees.
Trainual Vs Lessonly: Key Differences
Trainual and Lessonly, both great LMSs, have some aspects that make them the perfect fit for your company. Or not. They have different specific focuses, features, and particular audiences. What software you pick should depend on what needs your business has.
Here are some key differences between this software.
| S/N | Trainual | Lessonly |
| Target Audience | Suitable for small to medium-sized businesses. | Designed to fit all types of companies, from small to large enterprises. However, smaller businesses won’t get as much value as larger businesses would. |
| AI Capabilities | Includes an AI feature to aid in documentation and searches. | Doesn’t primarily have AI but offers integration to AI services. |
| Pre-Built Policy & SOP Templates | Trainual comes with pre-built templates for creating standard operating procedures. | Doesn’t have a pre-built policy template, as its main focus is on training content rather than providing detailed procedural documentation. |
| Org Chart & Directory | Offers interactive and visual organizational chart features to showcase team structure and roles, aiding in understanding hierarchy and responsibilities. | Doesn’t offer such a feature. |
| Learning Gamification | Doesn’t have gamification elements in its platform. | Lessonly is built with gamification features to enhance learning through assessment. |
| Automated Coaching | Doesn’t offer automated coaching features. | Lessonly possesses an automated coaching feature that focuses on training content creation and learning pathways. |
| Skills Assessment and Practice | Trainual offers basic assessments within its training modules to test employees’ knowledge. | Lessonly has an extensive system for the creation of interactive knowledge checks and quizzes to assess learning. |
| Certification | Trainual supports certification programs to track and manage certification progress. | Lessonly supports certification tracking known as paths within its learning management system that awards certificates as learners complete portions. |
| Integrations | Offers integrations with various tools to streamline workflows and connect with other business applications. | Similarly, it provides integrations with different platforms to enhance connectivity and functionality. |
| Pricing | Trainual has a subscription pricing model that starts at $250/month | Lessonly’s prices are not publicized and vary based on your business needs, number of users, and features required. |
Trainual vs. Lessonly: Key Similarities
Trainual and Lessonly share some similarities in their functionalities and features. If these areas, to be discussed below, are what you’re looking for, then Lessonly or Trainual will be good for you.
Unlimited Documentation
Both Trainual and Lessonly allow users to create and store unlimited amounts of documentation. You can store any and all of your company’s processes, procedures, and training materials without fear of space being used up.
Chrome Extensions
Trainual and Lessonly provide Chrome extensions that enable users to access, create, or interact with training materials directly from their browsers.
Completion Tracking
Trainual and Lessonly possess completion tracking, which enables administrators to monitor and keep track of the progress of employees while they engage with training materials and courses.
Advanced Content Settings
Trainual and Lessonly have different advanced content settings that allow you to configure and manage the settings of your training content, such as granting access, visibility, and editing rights.
Customization
Trainual and Lessonly give users options to enable them to customize their training materials, content structure, and modules in ways that suit their specific organizational needs, branding, and learning objectives.
HRIS & ATS Integrations
Both platforms support integrations with various human resource information systems and applicant tracking systems to facilitate the seamless integration of your employee data, recruitment, and training processes.
Analytics and Reporting
Trainual and Lessonly offer analytics and reporting tools that allow managers to gain insights into employees’ progress, completion rates, performance metrics, and other vital data to track the effectiveness of training programs.
iOS and Android Apps
These two platforms have mobile applications for iOS and Android devices, keeping you connected wherever you may be.
Content Embeds
Both platforms allow users to embed content to incorporate various media formats such as videos, documents, links, and multimedia directly into their training materials for more effective learning and development.
Cons of Trainual
If you’re going with Trainual, here are some downsides that come with it, including customer feedback from customers.
Steep Learning Curve
Trainual can be challenging to use for beginners. Its extensive functionalities and features might pose a difficulty for those not familiar with the platform. One would need sufficient time to get used to the processes involved in setting up detailed documentation and processes. Access to modules can be confusing and hard to find deep within Trainual.
Essential Features Not Available to All Users
Some essential features needed to enhance employee onboarding are available only in higher-tier plans. This limitation prevents smaller businesses from accessing important features they may need for effective training processes and documentation. When you sign up for SweetProcess, you will have access to all of its features. Rest assured that you won’t hit a block on the way.
Limited Native Integrations
Trainual’s integration system does not support extensive integrations with other platforms. This forces users to make custom developments to integrate with specific tools or systems their organization already uses.
Limited Customization
Trainual allows little customization on its platforms, making users unable to edit their own typefaces or text sizes. When a text is copied and pasted, the format changes from the one copied.
Too Complex
Smaller and less complex organizations have found that Trainual has some features that were not needed for their growth. It created the feeling of paying too much for aspects of software they could not utilize. This is unlike SweetProcess, which was designed to meet your small business needs without distractions. There aren’t unnecessary features to complicate users’ access to it.
Cons of Lessonly
On the other hand, if you’re considering going for Lessonly, here are a few heads up for you to consider before committing.
Not a Stand-Alone Product
Lessonly does not cover every aspect of training or knowledge management that some businesses require. It lacks certain advanced features that make integrations with other specialized stand-alone products a must.
Not Ideal for Small Businesses
Lessonly is more tailored toward larger enterprises as a result of its robust nature and higher pricing. For businesses with very straightforward or minimal training requirements, Lessonly’s comprehensive features might be more than necessary. This makes it less cost-effective for smaller businesses with limited training needs and budgets.
Complex Setup
Working through Lessonly’s more advanced configuration settings may require technical expertise or additional support, which could be problematic for non-technical users. SweetProcess users constantly mention how easy it is to work through the software and how the support team is always on hand to answer questions.
Pricing Is Only Known if You Book a Demo.
Lessonly’s pricing structure is not readily available on their website without directly contacting their sales team or booking a demo. This lack of transparent pricing may inconvenience businesses looking for quick information before committing to a platform.
No Version History
Lessonly doesn’t have access to older drafts once you click to publish. When you use SweetProcess, you can see any version of changes made to a document or material.
SweetProcess: The Trainual and Lessonly Alternative for Onboarding New Employees
SweetProcess is an intuitive SOP software that helps businesses seamlessly onboard new employees and ensure that tasks are performed effectively and efficiently. SweetProcess is designed for companies of all sizes to document, manage, and optimize their standard operating procedures (SOPs).
This software provides businesses with a platform to create detailed step-by-step procedures, workflows, and instructional guides for various organizational tasks and processes.
Critical features of SweetProcess that make it the favorite software for thousands of businesses include:
Procedure and Process Documentation
SweetProcess enables businesses to document their processes, policies, procedures, and workflows in a structured and systematic manner. All these are done in easy steps that employees can access without hassle. Users can create detailed step-by-step instructions, including text, images, and videos. You can be assured that your employees will use your materials against other overly complex onboarding software.
Collaboration and Sharing Facilitation
Teamwork is an important work ethic SweetProcess knows can never be overlooked in a healthy work environment—hence, the thoughtful inclusion of collaborative features in its software. When you use SweetProcess, your team members can contribute, review, and update procedures (access can be restricted).
Collaborative features like feedback, comments, and version control ensure everyone is involved in your business.
Task Automation and Reminders
SweetProcess allows users to automate workflows and tasks and send reminders to team members, ensuring that employees stay on track with their assigned procedures and tasks.
Integration Capabilities
This software integrates with various tools and applications needed to enable seamless connectivity and workflow integration within your organization (over 1,000 apps). It connects with any other app directly via API or Zapier.
Export and Import Documents in Different Formats
SweetProcess allows you to print documents for offline viewing. This way, you can turn your SweetProcess procedures and policies into an offline manual by exporting them to PDF, DOCX, or HTML documents. Also, if you already have existing procedures and policies for your company, there’s no need to start from scratch as SweetProcess allows you to incorporate them into our platform using the import feature seamlessly.
Access and Search
SweetProcess will enable you to quickly and easily navigate to the list of procedures or whatever documents you’re searching for using the search feature.
Version Control
SweetProcess automatically tracks versions of documents, allowing you to revert to previous versions if needed. You can see tracked highlighted changes for every change made to every procedure, process, and policy.
Create Process Maps and Flow Charts Automatically
SweetProcess makes your procedures more engaging by helping you create diagrams and flowcharts that are visually appealing to employees. It adds color to your materials and increases the excitement for learning.
Pricing
SweetProcess has a simple pricing system that costs $ 99/month for a team with up to 20 active members and charges $5/month for each additional active member. You won’t get charged for a member who is not actively using SweetProcess.
It is easy to use SweetProcess to manage your SOPs. First, you log in to your SweetProcess account and access the dashboard. Click on “Procedures” to start a new procedure. Give your procedure a title and description.
Next, add individual steps by clicking on the “Add a Step.” For each step, enter a title and detailed instructions. For clarity, you can include text, images, videos, or links to external resources.
When you’re done, click on “Review” to check the entire procedure for accuracy and completeness.
Finally, publish the procedure to make it live and accessible to your team. The same applies to creating documents, processes, knowledge bases, etc.
As easy as this sounds, it is even easier when you begin using SweetProcess.
When you make use of SweetProcess, here is what you stand to gain:
Streamlined Operations
Many organizations have noted a significant improvement in streamlining their operational procedures when they began using SweetProcess.
Enhanced Efficiency
By having well-documented procedures and workflows, businesses have reported increased efficiency in task execution. This leads to fewer errors, standardized processes, and reduced time spent on training new employees.
Jamie Ramsden, business intelligence and lean Six Sigma champion at Turkstra Lumber, has a long-standing history of offering building-related services and has experienced first-hand what it means to lead a team without an effective documentation system.
As far as job expertise was concerned, Jamie and his team were up to the task, but they performed tasks in different ways, creating inconsistency across the organization. He says, “One of the things that prevents you from being correct and doing things better than you do now is when you don’t know what your processes are if everybody isn’t on the same page.”
Discovering SweetProcess has been a game changer in the organization. He can tell for free how the system has helped streamline their operations and boosted employee efficiency.
Improved Collaboration
SweetProcess facilitates better collaboration among team members by allowing them to contribute, review, and update procedures. Comments and feedback features enable more transparent communication and foster collaboration.
Effective Documentation
Documentation is vital for all business operations if you want your employees to deliver what they ought to deliver. Poor documentation systems will have a negative impact that’s hard to miss. A system like SweetProcess ensures all of your procedures and processes and relevant documents are documented correctly and efficiently.
Amy Walls, the president and financial advisor at Thimbleberry, couldn’t overlook the space an ineffective documenting system created in the business.
The realities of ineffective documentation became more glaring when the organization started having turnover, and team members couldn’t keep track of their activities.
Implementing SweetProcess made Amy realize that her initial processes weren’t as effective as she thought they were and that her team members struggled with using them.
SweetProcess changed operations at this company, and things began moving smoothly and forward from then.
Scalability
SweetProcess has been praised for its ability to scale alongside businesses as they grow. It helps in documenting procedures that can be easily updated and expanded upon as the company evolves.
Consistency and Compliance
Companies using SweetProcess have noted better consistency in operations and compliance with established standards. This is really important in industries with strict compliance requirements.
As the president at Next7 IT, a managed services provider, Don Houk saw a problem that could bring his company to its knees. A lack of an effective documentation system was causing his employees to be inconsistent and unaccountable at work. These setbacks were already costing the company when he began the search for a solution.
Among hundreds of other potential solutions, SweetProcess stood out, and according to Don, SweetProcess has not only improved his organization’s operations but has also helped his team deliver great work repeatedly. For Don, attaining consistency in their services with SweetProcess is the biggest game changer in implementing the software.
These are only a few instances of how SweetProcess can turn your company around for the better. You can check out more of them here.
Trainual vs. Lessonly: Which Is Better for Onboarding New Employees?
Trainual and Lessonly are software created to help businesses design materials to train employees. Both do this in slightly different ways and what your company needs will determine what software you should use.
If your company is big, Lessonly will better suit its needs than Trainual. For companies with limited budgets, Trainual fits better. Lessonly offers more comprehensive features, though its integration is limited. Trainual, on the other hand, offers integrations with various tools and has multiple templates to pick from to suit your company’s tone, unlike Lessonly.
When it comes down to picking Trainual or Lessonly, which should you entrust with the delicate job of bringing your new employees into the fold? Both have some excellent perks, true enough, but as you have learned so far, neither of these apps can give you just what you need—not the way SweetProcess gives you exactly what you need. You can quickly sign up for a free trial to have a sneak peek at the onboarding goodness awaiting you.
Trainual offers you what it thinks you want but only as much as you can pay—meaning its tiered pricing style. But SweetProcess, there’s no discrimination. It is a simple package for everyone because we know how important all our features are for a company looking to scale. And that’s what we aim to meet with our customers—obvious scalability.
Remember how Lessonly can be a headache to navigate because of its rather elaborate features? Well, SweetProcess is all about meeting your needs on point. No distractions. All our features are what you’d be using a lot, and they pose no challenges to navigate.
SweetProcess aims to streamline and standardize your business operations by providing a platform for you to create clear, detailed, and accessible procedures. If you’re ready to see consistency in task execution, improved operational efficiency, and simplified employee training, sign up now for a free trial. No credit card is required.
