How to Document Your Business Processes

 
In our previous blog, “Identifying Your High-Impact Business Processes”, we showed you how to identify the high-impact process to get a clear image of all the required steps.

Having a clear and realistic view of all the steps will allow you to put your finger on all the problems and make the appropriate improvements.

Documenting standard business processes is important for several reasons. First, it helps ensure that everyone in the organization follows the same procedures. This can help to avoid confusion and mistakes. Second, it can help to improve efficiency by making it easier for new employees to learn the procedures and for existing employees to review them. Finally, documenting standard processes can help to improve customer satisfaction by ensuring that they are consistently followed.

In the end, the person best suited for documenting the process should be someone who understands the context of this process from beginning to end and its objective and outcomes.

Take a close look at your business. Evaluate some of your business processes that are not working smoothly.

Choose one, so we can complete the process. Now document your choice.

Create a High-Level Outline

A high-level outline begins by going through the specific process, typically developing a simple bullet point list. This list, per se, is now your high-level outline.

To document this, you are OK to use pen and paper, a whiteboard, or a Word document as your tool.

Document the Details

When you finish outlining the main steps, you can work through the process once again from the beginning.

Document every step using as much detail as you can. Make careful notes of each action and every decision regardless of the size or importance.

Use the tools best suited to your style, such as:

• Pen and paper,
• Whiteboard,
• Sticky notes,
• Mind map,
• Spreadsheet,
• Google docs,
• Powerpoint,
• Or Word docs.

Whichever tool you use, just make sure that it is the simplest and easiest one for you.

Note instances where the activities are sequential and events dependent on other tasks to be completed first.

As well, look for tasks that are parallel and events that can happen at the same time in the process.

Here are some examples of what you need to do:

• Include links to any resources that will be required to complete the tasks. Also include templates, checklists, tools, websites, etc.
• Use Canva or a similar program and create images for social media postings. This will give you an idea of what the specific task or tasks should look like.
• Document all the login requirements so the user can get into programs such as Facebook and Instagram
• Include upfront information such as background stories on why this task is important.
• If an action is to be carried over from one task to another, ensure it is documented.
• Be clear with everyone on who does what, when, and how.

Video Documentation

If possible, have another person video you demonstrate the process step by step.

You can also add audio to the video by having someone discuss the steps as you make them.

Example

An example of a “blog writing” documented process might be as follows:

Title of Process

Blog Post for _____________ (client’s name)

Description

1 x 1000-15000 word blog post(weekly) written for ( clients name and client blog)

(Links to example blog posts)

(Links to any blog post template or checklist.)

Process

Select Topics

• During the 3^rd week of each month, the writer and client brainstorm the following month’s blog post topics on the client’s site Trello board.
• The client selects four post topics from that list for the writer for the following month.
• On a new Trello board for that month, the client lists those posts and the order they should appear.

Write Blog Posts

• The writer completes one 1000-1500-word blog post for each week to be ready for client approval no later than Tuesday of each week. Write posts directly within the Ghost.org publishing editor or copy and paste your draft post into the platform editor.
• The writer formats the post with keyword and topic-relevant headings and subheadings. (Dropbox link to document with client keywords)
• The writer adds any other formatting, including in-post images selected from the client folder on DepositPhotos.

Client Approval

• • At least three working days before the scheduled weekly publication day (Friday), the writer notifies the client by email that the post is in drafts on the Ghost platform. (Client email address for invoices)

• The client approves the post or notifies the writer by email of any edits required. Edits can be requested one time only.
• The writer makes any requested edits. Then, by Thursday of each week, the writer notifies the client by email that all revisions are complete and that the week’s edited post is ready on the Ghost platform. The client is then responsible for scheduling and publishing the article on their blog.

Payment

• The writer sends Pay Pal Invoice to the client after approval of each post.

In conclusion, documenting business processes is important for several reasons. It can help to improve efficiency, identify areas for improvement, and provide a reference for training new employees. Additionally, it can help to ensure that tasks are completed correctly and in the proper order. Taking the time to document business processes can save time and money in the long run.

For more on the benefits of systems in running your business, click here.