Record a software lesson that ends with a completed task.
A polished screen video is only one part of a lesson. The student also needs the same starting state, an exercise, a way to check the result, and files that match the version of the interface. Use this workflow for one practical lesson, such as assigning a support ticket to a teammate.
7-day trial · $49 once · no subscription · Apple Silicon · macOS 14+The short answer
Start with one observable outcome, show the prerequisites, record one complete path on a demo account, and give the student a matching exercise. Deliver the final MP4 with a written brief and any separate captions your platform needs. Check the uploaded lesson as a student, with the sound off as well as on. Qreata records and edits the Mac walkthrough; your learning platform handles enrolment, quizzes, and completion.
Use a screen lesson for one procedure
The learner must perform a task in an interface, rather than simply recognise a concept.
- A new support agent assigns a ticket and confirms the new owner.
- A client updates a product description and previews the saved change.
- A teammate repeats a workflow in the same app version and role.
Keep assessment and administration in the course platform
A video file does not prove that the learner completed the task.
- Put the exercise, expected result, and help route beside the player.
- Use your LMS for enrolment, quizzes, progress, and certificates.
- Qreata does not create a SCORM package or an interactive quiz.
Write the result and the starting state first
Example lesson: “Assign a support ticket to a teammate.” Success means the student can open an unassigned sample ticket, select the right teammate, save, and find the new owner after refreshing. This is a fictional teaching example, not a Qreata customer case.
Prepare a test workspace with two sample agents. State the role and app version in the brief. If students cannot access the same setup, provide an equivalent sandbox task before sending them to the video.
- Outcome: ticket 104 has owner Alex after a page refresh.
- Prerequisites: agent role, sample workspace, teammate Alex available.
- Boundary: cover assignment only; escalation and automation are separate lessons.
- Help route: ask in the lesson thread with the step number and error text.
A compact recording script
These timings are a planning example. Keep the video long enough to show the saved result clearly; do not speed through a slow network response merely to meet a duration target.
- 0:00–0:15 — State the task and show the finished owner field.
- 0:15–0:35 — Show the starting workspace, role, and unassigned ticket.
- 0:35–1:35 — Open the ticket, choose Alex, save, and narrate each action.
- 1:35–2:00 — Refresh and point to the saved owner; show one likely wrong state.
- 2:00–2:20 — Give the learner a different ticket and the expected result.
Record and repair the lesson in Qreata
Capture the app window with a microphone; keep system audio only when a notification or app sound teaches something. Use sample names and check for notifications before the take. Zoom to a small control when necessary, then return to a view that shows the surrounding navigation.
If the walkthrough goes wrong in one range, Replace Take can replace that range while keeping the rest of the project. A replacement must fill the selected duration. Finish cuts, ordering, speed, and narration before preparing the delivery files. Keep the editable project locally so the next interface change can be repaired.
Deliver one versioned lesson package
Use the same version stem for the files: assign-ticket-v1.mp4 and assign-ticket-v1-brief.txt. Keep a subtitle file alongside them if your platform requires switchable captions. Do not treat burned-in words as a separate caption track: the learner cannot turn those pixels off.
Current delivery limit: Qreata burns captions into MP4 but the public beta does not yet export a separate SRT file. For a separate track, prepare and proofread captions in your caption editor or hosting platform after the video is final. Do not promise accessible delivery until the actual uploaded lesson has been checked.
- MP4: final picture and speech, with the version recorded in the brief.
- Brief: prerequisites, written steps, exercise, expected result, help route, owner, and review date.
- Optional SRT: same final duration and edit as the MP4; check the first cue, a cut, a retake, and the last cue.
- Editable project: retained by the author; give students the delivery files rather than the project folder.
Check the result as a student
Upload the final MP4 to the intended course space and test with the permissions a student will have. Follow the exercise without using the author’s account. Confirm that small labels remain readable and that the written steps still make sense with the sound off.
For example, YouTube accepts basic SubRip (.srt) captions in UTF-8 and lets you upload a timed caption file in Studio. That is a hosting step, not a Qreata integration. After any later cut or voice replacement, rebuild the delivery files and check captions again.
Questions worth asking
How long should a software lesson be?
Use one complete task as the boundary. The two-minute script above is an example, not a required duration. Split a lesson when it needs another starting state or a different outcome.
Does Qreata create a course or track student progress?
No. Qreata creates the screen video on a Mac. Use your LMS or course host for enrolment, assessment, progress, and certificates; Qreata does not export SCORM.
Are burned-in captions enough for every course?
No. They cannot be switched off or restyled by the learner. Check the requirements of your platform and audience, and provide a separate caption track when required.
How do I update a lesson after the app interface changes?
Keep the editable project, record the app version, and make a separate backup before editing. Repair the affected range, export a new MP4 and any matching caption file, then replace the hosted files and update the brief.