Single-sourcing became popular technical communication practice in the 1990s, as technical communicators' professionalism (and salaries) increased and the costs of documentation production rose. Single sourcing reuses information from manuals in quick reference guides, training courses and marketing publications. This can mean decreased costs for writing, translation, illustration and document design, but requires specific expertise and software. Today, single-sourcing is often seen as closely related to content management.
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Ten Problems With Single Sourcing 
Though there have been numerous conference papers, articles, and books devoted to the topic of single sourcing, there have been fewer works about potential problems that should be identified before adopting a single-source documentation strategy. This study looks at ten specific problems (including issues of training, productivity, and morale) that can arise during the implementation of a mature single-sourcing model of documentation management. This list of problems, while not comprehensive, does provide some points of reference and a framework within which technical communicators can consider the implications of adopting a single-sourcing documentation model.
Yeats, Dave and Heather Hull. STC Proceedings (2004). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing>Assessment
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Tips and Techniques for Single-sourcing with RoboHelp X5
RoboHelp now offers a rich set of features for delivering multiple customized outputs out of a single project. This article by Matthew Ellison provides some guidelines and tips on using the key single-sourcing features.
Ellison, Matthew. WritersUA (2004). Articles>Documentation>Single Sourcing>Adobe RoboHelp
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Tools and Technology: A Work-Flow Paradigm for Single-Source Publishing
Today's organizations must consider the effect that new tools and technologies are having on work flow. Web technology has raised the importance of information. This change in the customer/supplier market is allowing the company with the best information to have an edge. It is our responsibility as communicators to find better, faster, and cheaper ways to distribute information. An effective work flow can accomplish this. In the most common work-flow scenarios, Web technology is placed on the back end of the production schedule. All of these scenarios are flawed in different ways. Solving Web work-flow problems requires a paradigm shift.
Christner-Vorhes, Jamie and Bill Pollak. STC Proceedings (1998). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing>Workflow
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Tools for Developing One Document for Both World Wide Web and Paper
Printing from the Web is an unsolved, and often unrecognized, problem. Readers need hard copy for many documents they use online, but the Print command from a browser often does not meet their need. Other solutions are for the author to deliver printed documents, to deliver PostScriptJiles, and to deliver PDFJiles. In the nearfuture, Cascading Style Sheets may make the Print commandfrom the browser produce a more usable printed copy. For all of these solutions, the author needs a single source for the online and printed documents and converters for the output forms.
Jackson, Ken and Sonya E. Keene. STC Proceedings (1997). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing
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Transform a Single Source Into Many Designs 
When one layout just isn’t enough, you can easily tag your Adobe® InDesign® document and export the content to an XML file. Different InDesign templates and Adobe GoLive® dynamic Web pages can then import the XML file and repurpose the content. Say goodbye to copy-and-paste and hello to the future of publishing!
Adobe. Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing>Adobe InDesign
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Understanding the CMS Marketplace
An important first step is to gain an understanding of the CMS marketplace. This briefing outlines a few of the practical ways of doing so.
Robertson, James. Step Two (2003). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing
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Using 6 Sigma Methodology and Tools to Design and Implement a Single Source Documentation Process
6 Sigma is a proven strategy to improve quality, economic value, and practical utility to the company and its customers.
Eichholz, Jeannette. STC Proceedings (2001). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing
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Using a Database and SGML to Build Single-Source Documents
SGML and a database can make the document building process more efficient by focusing on data instead of formatting. A database with well-designed tables, forms for data input, and queries can help put a writer’s time to better use by allowing them to focus on content. Data can be reused from project to project by simply querying for topics to change and updating the contents. SGML is used for consistency, flexibility, reliability, and reusability. One of many possible processes of creating online and print documentation using a database and SGML is: (1) Choose a Document Type Definition. (2) Design the database. (3) Export data (queries) from the database as text file. (4) Up-translate a text file to an SGML instance. (5) Down-translate the SGML instance to the desired output.
Nguyen, Tins L. and Teresa A. Sharkey. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing
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Using the Clustar Method for Single-Source Documentation
Most technical communicators create materials that help users perform tasks. Such task-based manuals, help files, web pages, or training materials are often expensive and difficult to write and maintain. Frequently, this is the fault of poor structure and process. Simply Written’s Clustar Method makes it cheaper and easier to create and maintain task-based documentation by emphasizing structure and process.
Altom, Jerilynne and Tim Altom. STC Proceedings (1999). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing
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Using the Single-Source Wizards in RoboHELP 2000 for WinHelp
HTML Help is the Windows Help standard for 32-bit operating systems (for example, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, or Windows 2000). Your users must have Internet Explorer installed on their systems (or at least the necessary core components).
James-Tanny, Char. HelpStuff (2000). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing>RoboHelp
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Using Word Macros as a Single Source Solution
This paper, and my presentation, focus on the how I developed the idea of using Microsoft Word macros as a single source solution. They also discuss the benefits of these macros and their effectiveness.
McHugh, Brian C. STC Proceedings (1998). Articles>Word Processing>Single Sourcing>Microsoft Word
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Virtual Documents: The Challenges of Chunking
Beware the virtual document! It may look harmless. It certainly looks helpful. It will lure you with a siren's song of reusable content components that enhance flexibility and improve efficiency. And then, if you're not careful, it will smash you into pieces upon the rocky shores of complexity.
Morville, Peter. Semantic Studios (1999). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing
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That we need to write separate documents for on-line display and the printed page is a technical writers’ axiom, but using a single source has practical advantages. Tools that enable you to write and print with a desktop-publishing program and automatically convert to an on-line format make writing and maintenance easier and keep information consistent. FrameMaker serves as a useful and widely-used desktop-publishing package and WebMaker converts FrameMaker sources to HTML for the World Wide Web.
Jackson, Ken and Sonya E. Keene. STC Proceedings (1996). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing
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What's the Best Content Management System? It Depends...
There are a dizzying number of systems on the market that are or can be referred to as Content Management Systems. Determining which content management system is right for you starts with an understanding of the different types of systems and the range of functionality available. Analyzing your needs is critical to selecting the right system.
Manning, Steve. Rockley Bulletin (2004). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing
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Why Every Small Website Needs a Content Management System
While the web design house did a great job, you don't want to have to go back to them for every change.
Robertson, James. Step Two (2003). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing
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Why Single-Source when you can Multi-Source?
Single-sourcing allows authors to re-use content in different deliverables. This article explores using XML and a CMS (content management system) to take a different approach--multi-sourcing.
KeyContent.org (2006). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing
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Why Start with Analysis and Design?
One of the most common mistakes that we see is a company picking the tool first, then trying to make their content management requirements fit the functionality of the tool. However, analysis of why projects fail identifies that one of the main reasons for failure is lack of analysis and design. This article draws on recent literature to identify the main reasons for why content management projects fail and provides some possible solutions.
Rockley, Ann. Rockley Bulletin (2004). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing
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XML and Content Management Systems
This article explores the role of XML in the context of content management systems, focusing specifically on the business issues.
Robertson, James. Step Two (2003). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing>XML
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Single sourcing your information enables you to create materials for multiple media (paper, online), multiple types of documentation (user documentation, Help, training), multiple users and multiple products. XML is a new information format that supports the creation of single source materials. This session looks at how XML enables you to create single source materials, it is not an XML 'how to.'
Rockley, Ann and Steve Manning. STC Proceedings (2000). Presentations>Information Design>Single Sourcing
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XML and Single-Sourcing with FrameMaker, Word, InDesign, XMLSpy, and More!
Getting software to cooperate reduces the amount of editing you need to do, and creates better documents.
Aschwanden, Bernard. STC Region 7 Proceedings (2003). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing
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Repurposing Content for Multichannel Publishing (Single Sourcing)
It all comes down to managing and reusing source. Recycling content (chapters, graphics, etc.) is not new. What is new here is the common set of back-end structure in XML form and the fact that more than one set of tools — including small, mission critical custom tools — are explicitly focused on the specific needs of a given project. Reusing and repurposing content is all about improving efficiency: automating, accelerating, and merging applications, systems, and processes. In a multichannel publishing environment, it is critical that content development — source development — and its management are as efficient as possible.
Fraley, Liz. Tech Writer Voices (2008). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing
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Does Single Sourcing Content Work?
One of the more popular posts on this blog is titled DITA is not the answer and, whilst things are certainly moving forward, it’s a little sad that it is still valid. A recent comment on that post suggested that it’s not just DITA that is lacking, it’s the working realities of single source that is flawed.
McLean, Gordon. One Man Writes (2009). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing>DITA
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Anticipating the Impact of Content Convergence
The nature of content has been undergoing a profound shift in the past several years, beginning with single-sourcing efforts and continues as the need for portable content increases. The portability of content is not a manufactured need, but an extension of the trend to create, manage and deliver content in more efficient ways. In turn, this shift affects content development and delivery, particularly localization, which feels the impact of source-language changes exponentially.
Bailie, Rahel Anne. Multilingual (2009). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing>Localization
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DITA: The Mechanics of a Single-Sourcing Project
The Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA) is an XML-based, end-to-end architecture for authoring, producing, and delivering technical information. This paper describes how DITA-based documentation was implemented at CEDROM-SNi, one of Canada's leading on-line news content aggregators. The project delivers documentation as diverse as user training materials and Web Services reference guides targeted to programmers. We focus on the benefits, how tos, and lessons learned. Technical documentation has its own unique challenges. Its deliverables range from simple reference guides and educational material to complex, multilingual procedure manuals. Critical success factors of a documentation project are numerous and diverse – usability, deadlines, cost, language, delivery media (paper, online) – all of which have their own purpose and challenges. This paper discusses these issues and provides a framework for future DITA projects.
Baril, France. IDEAlliance (2004). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing>DITA
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Managing Digital and Print Deliverables for Aviation Data
This paper discusses the rationale and design behind Jeppesen’s single-source publishing system. With the business needs to single-source publishing capabilities becoming more acute, Jeppesen partnered with Astoria Software to develop a solution. The result is a system based on commercial-off-the-shelf software, XML industry standards, and open-source tools.
Jones, Matthew and Bob Thomas. IDEAlliance (2004). Articles>Document Design>Single Sourcing>XML
