IT Glue documentation: MSP procedures versus client secrets

What does an IT documentation platform hold?

An MSP documentation platform such as IT Glue is where technicians keep how-to articles, runbooks, onboarding checklists, asset records, network notes and password references for each client. It is read constantly and updated after incidents.

That makes it one of the richest sources of procedural knowledge in an MSP, and one of the most sensitive. The line between the MSP's method and the client's environment is the whole subject of this page.

Which parts are the MSP's and which are the client's?

If you remember one rule, make it this: credentials and environment details are never in scope. No procedure is worth putting a client at risk.

Why would a procedure history matter to AI buyers?

AI is shifting from models that answer questions to agents that perform tasks. Agents that handle IT operations need examples of how a procedure is written, followed, corrected and retired. A documentation platform with years of revisions shows that cycle, which is rare on the public web.

See AI agents in IT service management for the broader picture. Documentation context is most useful alongside ticket history, as in the HaloPSA brief.

What do MSPs usually need to sort out first?

1. Separate template articles from client-specific ones, using the platform's own structure.
2. Identify who owns the documentation program and who can authorize a review.
3. Check client contracts for clauses about documentation ownership and confidentiality.
4. Confirm that no secrets sit inside free-text articles, which is common.
5. Agree redaction rules with SourceX before any work begins, if the MSP proceeds.

The question on sharing client data goes deeper on the permission side.

How does a partner spot a documentation-mature MSP?

• 50+ full-time employees at peak (contractors excluded)
• Documentation practice running for several years, with revision history intact
• Templates and standards separate from client records
• A named person who maintains the knowledge base
• Records elsewhere too (PSA, CRM, finance, monitoring), since most strong companies have 10-15+ systems
• A sponsor who will consider an exclusive license for an agreed term

The tech stack audit template shows a simple way to note documentation tools, years of history and export paths without opening any content.

IT Glue versus other documentation platforms

The same logic applies if the MSP uses Hudu or another tool: what matters is not the brand but how long the history goes, how templates are separated from client content, and who can run an export. Do not assume a vendor limit or feature. Ask the MSP what it has kept and confirm with its own administrator.

What are the pitfalls?

What does a documentation review look like for the MSP?

A review is a conversation about structure, not a read-through of articles. The MSP lists its documentation tools, the number of years each has been in use, the share of articles that are templates versus client-specific, and who can run an export.

If the MSP is weak on most rows, its documentation alone will not carry a review, and that is fine. Recommend it work on the basics, and revisit later.

What to say to an MSP owner

When is the timing right?

Raise it when the MSP is already thinking about its documentation: a platform renewal, a switch between documentation tools, a merger with another MSP, or a clean-up before a sale. Each of these forces someone to ask what exists, what it covers and how to get it out. A switch between tools is the most important, because an export taken before the old subscription lapses can preserve revision history that a fresh import may flatten.

How rewards work

Partners earn 25% of the eligible platform fees SourceX actually collects from the referred company's licensing deals, capped at $100,000 per referred company. Rewards become payable only after the buyer pays and SourceX receives its fee; none is guaranteed, and the reward is never deducted from what the MSP receives.

Next step

For MSP owners in your network, register as a partner and make an introduction. Related: referral opportunities for managed service providers, additional revenue streams for MSPs, vertical MSP specialization, the network opportunity finder and who qualifies.