It’s been a while since we wrote an entry in our blog. We are starting back with bite-sized tips to help you with documenting your business system. We know you are busy, so we are aiming to give you just enough to digest quickly. We’d love to hear your feedback, including requests for topics.

Microsoft Word tip

To change the case of selected text, use SHIFT+F3.  Each time you press it , the selected text rotates through ALL CAPITALS to all lower case to Initial Capitals. You can also do this with the current word. Just place the insertion point in the word and use SHIFT+F3 to rotate through the cases.

Plain language

Should we ban the word should? Nothing annoys me like the word ‘should’ in work instructions. Should means that you don’t have to do something, or that you hope something will happen.  There is normally no place for this word in a work instruction. A work instruction is a list of commands to carry out a sequence of actions.  People are tempted to use should when they write the work instruction as a narrative instead of as commands. The use of narrative and the word should can make the reader uncertain. When you write work instructions, use commands, not narrative. Here is an example:

Narrative mixed with commands  (Creates doubt in the reader’s mind)	Commands  (Best practice)
Making tea The water should be boiling. The pot should be warmed first. Put the tea in the pot. Add boiling water. The tea should be left to draw for at least three minutes.	Making tea Boil the water. Warm the pot. Put the tea in the pot. Add boiling water. Leave the tea to draw for at least three minutes.

 The nine business areas

When we are analysing a business we normally come up with nine main business areas.  There are some overlaps, but the majority of procedures reside in one only of these areas. They also reflect a typical division of  managers in a larger business.  This could be a way for you to divide up your procedure manual.

10 Management, communication and culture
20 Site and infrastructure—including office services, records, maintenance
30 Marketing—capturing leads
40 Sales—converting leads into customers
50 Operations—what your business actually does
60 Purchasing—including inventory
70 Finance
80 Human resources
90 Safety and environment