The article explains what IETM means and its different levels. IETM stands for Interactive Electronic Technical Manual and is a digital manual that contains technical information and cross references. There are four levels of IETM, with Level 1 being just scanned images compiled together and Level 4 being a database-driven software. The article also explains that IETMs are mainly used in the defense system and are mandatory deliverables by the Indian defense.

1. Benefits of IETM: The Future of Technical
Documentation
Table of Contents
What does IETM stand for?.................................................................................................................3
What are the different levels of IETMs?..............................................................................................3
What is an IETM Viewer? ....................................................................................................................3
Where are IETMs mainly used?...........................................................................................................3
Why are IETMs mandatory deliverables along with actual equipment by the Indian defense?..........4
What makes an IETM different from a regular electronic manual?.....................................................4
The article explains what IETM means and its different levels. IETM stands for Interactive
Electronic Technical Manual and is a digital manual that contains technical information and cross-
references. There are four levels of IETM, with Level 1 being just scanned images compiled
together and Level 4 being a database-driven software. The article also explains that IETMs are
mainly used in the defense system and are mandatory deliverables by the Indian defense.
Hey there, let’s talk about IETM! No, it’s not some secret code or language, it stands for Interactive
Electronic Technical Manual. This is a fancy way of saying that it’s an electronic version of a manual
or book. Even a PDF or scanned file can be called an IETM. Any digital book or document can be
considered an IETM.
Now, why is it called an Interactive Electronic Technical Manual? Well, if you see
a book or manual on a computer or other digital device, it’s called an Electronic Manual. If
that manual is technical in nature, it’s called an Electronic Technical Manual or ETM. And if it’s
dynamic, with multiple references in the form of hyperlinks, hotspots, and other interactive
features, it’s called an Interactive Electronic Technical Manual.

2. IETM — Interactive Electronic Technical Manual Services
So, any digital manual that has technical information and contains cross-references is called
an Interactive Electronic Technical Manual. Simple enough, right?
Now, let’s talk about the different levels of IETM. Level 1 and 2 are PDF files, with Level
1 being just scanned images compiled together, and Level 2 having hyperlinks, cross-
references, and indexing. Level 3 is HTML-based, like a web application, and Level 4 is a
database-based web application, where all the manuals are converted into the MYSQL
database and stored.
To view these different levels of IETM, you need an IETM Viewer, which is a piece of
software used to view the documents and also used for interactivity and switch between topics,
subtopics, cross-references, hyperlinks, and more. Level 4 IETM Viewer is especially powerful and
gives the user quick access to the database.
IETMs are mainly used in the defense system, where they are used for complex systems such
as missiles, defense vehicles, communication and non-communication systems. They’re
used to refer to thousands of documents quickly and efficiently. These days, IETMs are
mandatory deliverables along with actual equipment by the Indian defense, following Indian
defense guidelines, standards JSG 0852:2019.

3. When the electronic revolution started in the 90s, PDF files were used as IETMs, but they
were just scanned images without any interactivity. These are called Level 1 IETMs. Level 2 IETMs
added features like selectable text, images, tables, hyperlinks, and indexing. Level 3 IETMs, which
emerged with the rise of HTML5 technology, are converted into HTML-5 and an IETM viewer is
developed to view the files. And finally, Level 4 IETMs are database-driven software, which
allows ultra-quick navigation for user inputs.
So, there you have it — a brief introduction to IETMs and their different levels. It may sound
complicated, but it’s really just a fancy way of saying that it’s an electronic
manual that’s interactive and easy to navigate.
The list of some Frequently Asked Questions ( FAQs ) About IETM ( Interactive
Electronic Technical Manual ). Few examples are:
What does IETM stand for?
IETM stands for Interactive Electronic Technical Manual. It’s an electronic version of a manual or
book, which contains technical information and interactive features.
What are the different levels of IETMs?
There are four levels of IETMs — Level 1 and 2 are PDF files, Level 3 is HTML-
based, and Level 4 is a database-based web application.
What is an IETM Viewer?
An IETM Viewer is a piece of software used to view IETMs and switch between topics,
subtopics, cross-references, hyperlinks, and more. Level 4 IETM Viewer is especially
powerful and gives the user quick access to the database.
Where are IETMs mainly used?
IETMs are mainly used in the defense system, where they are used for complex systems such
as missiles, defense vehicles, communication and non-communication systems.

4. Why are IETMs mandatory deliverables along with actual equipment by the Indian
defense?
IETMs are mandatory deliverables along with actual equipment by the Indian defense following
Indian defense guidelines, standards JSG 0852:2019 to refer to thousands of documents quickly
and efficiently.
What makes an IETM different from a regular electronic manual?
An IETM is different from a regular electronic manual because it contains technical
information and interactive features like hyperlinks, hotspots, and other interactive features.
For more information visit - https://www.codeandpixels.net/interactive-electronic-
technical-manual-services-levels#featuresietm