Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

I`ve started a business and it is taking off faster than I expected.  I want to document all the company procedures before it grows more so I can hire staff to carry out daily operations.

Is there software, a web-based system, or other method that you all use to create, maintain and publish company procedures documents?

Thanks!


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Jim Newton
TechShop
www.techshop.ws
Build Your Dreams Here!

TechShopJim,

A man after my heart - SOPs - why successful companies keep trudging along. Process-dependent over people-dependent.

I use to simply use Word to write SOPs for clients but now use Quark, a publishing program that allows one to setup format and insert pages, etc. - but not something I would recommend for a novice. I`m sure there are lots of SOPs programs out there but I can not vouch for any - sorry.

But good for you for getting started on this at an early stage of your business. Years down the road, you`ll be really glad you did. Just keep doing it - don`t stop the practice.

Good luck.

R@

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Richard Arnold · Key Concept Writers · Business Communication: The "Key" To Success· Law of Attraction Blog · Life Ain`t Brain Surgery Blog

Have you thought about hiring an analyste-writer? It`s an investment, but those processes are going to be around for a very long time. Maybe if that person got the ball rolling and set up the current structure, using something like Word, it wouldn`t be that difficult to add in new processes as they come along later? Plus, by then you`d have your employees, one of whom would likely be involved in HR...or at least administrative logistics.

Keycon

What`s a SOP ?
Jeff

 
Hi Jeff...

That would be "Standard Operating Procedure".

I agree with CraigL that this set of documents is highly critical for my new business, but I need to be able to control them.  Imagine trying to explain everything to a stranger!  Maybe that would work, but it would be expensive and frustrating.

I am of the Michael Gerber "E-Myth" school in which you always develop a set of SOPs for your business as if you are going to franchise your business, even if you never actually do.

I am building this business to be a stand-alone business...not a job for me.

More suggestions please!  ;)
 


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Jim Newton
TechShop
www.techshop.ws
Build Your Dreams Here!

Hm....y`know, I have a massive body of notes and information somewhat organized, about to where it needs formatting. Much of it is inter-related, and I needed a way to solve a similar problem to what`s becoming apparent in writing out Procedure manuals like this.

I had an old program from Win 3.x that allowed very fast internal hyperlinking, outline form, and free text searching, etc. It just was too small or light-weight for a large manual or book. So I searched.

Here`s a link to WhizFolders, which I`ve come to totally love! (Yes, I have a testimonial on their site, because I`ve offered various suggestions to the writer/developer, and they`ve improved the product.) I`m not commercially affiliated with them, but here`s the thing:

The program gives me a way to organize topics in an outline form on the left pane. Then, like others, gives me a free-form editor, with formatting, on the right. It also provides very simple tools for hyperlinking; internal, external, and to other files. It`s very powerful, and I not only FIND everything I`ve jotted down when I was half awake, I can also format, export, move around, and play with the arrangement of things. When I`m done, I can export to RTF which of course goes right into Word.

This may be a way  to do this? You can jot your notes on each procedure as you think of them. If you have related notes, make them a subtopic (child topic) right then, or later. You can then organize, rearrange, consolidate, split, or whatever else. You can use graphics or diagrams, and put the whole thing into the same application.

It has a reader you can distribute with a CD and make it an electronic procedure manual, or you can export and format it in Quark or Word. It`s not hard to learn, and is designed especially for gathering written material in a "jumble" then sorting it out.

For the control issue, you can run WhizFolders on local PCs, then open to the manual stored on a server. Or you can distribute a basic manual to each employee, with the hyperlinks referring to the server documents. That way you can change information on the server, and employees can see the current update directly without having to reprint anything.

Thanks, CraigL...I`ll check this out right away!


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Jim Newton
TechShop
www.techshop.ws
Build Your Dreams Here!

 
I just checked out WhizFolders a little bit, but I`m not sure it does what I want.  I guess it would work, but it seems cumbersome.

There must be some solution out there...I can`t be the only one in the world that needs this functionality!

I`m fearful that I will end up having to write my own SOP management software...I have the ability, but I don`t have the time!
 


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Jim Newton
TechShop
www.techshop.ws
Build Your Dreams Here!

CraigL... WhizFolders sounds like a great application. I quickly clicked your link and started reading the page... Maybe you can recommend another thing to the company? Create a Mac version. I was sad to see there is no download option for me.

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Vincent Wilcox (a.k.a. KRAKR)
Drummer
My band: Letters Make Words

Vincent
For a mac, check out Omni Outliner.