Small business policy procedure manual

Begin with the bigger issues, narrowing them down into the smaller ones. For instance, instead of starting with the dress code policy, start the manual with the category of hiring processes or eligibility. Start by writing a clear, and cohesive paragraph that quickly overviews the manual about what your staff expects from the organization, and what the organization expects from them.

Use the blueprint style to create subcategories inside the manual and use a table of contents to allow for quick reference checks. Always keep in mind that you can change the policies and procedures if something goes wrong or add new ones whenever you want. You can make amendments to the manual if you add or remove a service or position.

Your policies and procedures manual is a significant document and should be constantly revised for relevancy. Bit is a new-age documentation and knowledge management tool that provides a common workplace for managers and business owners to collaborate, document, track and share their knowledge, list policies, organize information, set procedures, and implement them together.

Once you are done documenting, you can simply export them as PDFs, Markdowns, Word files, and much more. Some features in a knowledge base solution like Bit. There you have it, folks! It allows people to work together to resolve day-to-day business problems without requiring unnecessary supervisory involvement. The manual should be easily available either in a designated area in each functional location or online using a knowledge and document management system like Bit!

So, what are you waiting for? How to Write an Operations Manual? How to Write a Stellar Instruction Manual? How to Use Document Templates in Bit. With this intuitive, cloud-based solution, anyone can work visually and collaborate in real-time while creating internal notes, team projects, knowledge bases, client-facing content, and more. The smartest online Google Docs and Word alternative, Bit. Editorial Team , 2 years ago 9 min read.

Document , Sales. Related posts. Document , Technology. Explore Products. QuickBooks Blog. QuickBooks Blog Accounting. Start Your Business. Run Your Business. Grow Your Business. Free Tools. Creating a manual eliminates confusion. Training: A manual serves as your primary tool to train new employees, and to cross train workers on tasks.

For example assume that the accountant who is responsible for reconciling the bank account goes on vacation.

Her backup can refer to the procedures manual to reconcile the account accurately. For example, if company growth requires your staff to triple the number of invoices they generate each month, your procedure manual will tell you how long it takes to produce each invoice. You can use that number to hire the staff you need to manage business growth. Save time, increase profits: Perhaps most important, maintaining a procedures manual requires you to continually evaluate your business processes and find ways to operate more productively.

Using the invoice example, you may find a way to save time when you process invoices or locate a software application that allows you to work faster. These efforts can make you more efficient, thus, increasing your profits as you grow.

Where to start when creating your procedure manual Carefully think through every task you perform to operate your firm. Getting input Julie holds a meeting online with her entire staff, and starts by explaining the inventory process from her perspective.

The customer makes a payment by cash, credit card , or debit card, and the payment data is posted to the POS system. Accounting software is linked to the POS system, and the software decreases inventory and increases cost of goods sold. The system also increases sales and cash for the payment. Credit card and debit card transactions are processed through the cash account. When the sale is complete, the employee at checkout removes a security tag from the item, so that the customer can leave the store without triggering the security system.

On a daily basis, the store manager compares the sales in the POS system with the inventory reductions in the accounting system. The dollar amount of sales should match the total sale prices for all items removed from inventory each day. If not, the manager investigates in order to account for differences.

Avoiding problems Using a procedures manual helps Ridgeview avoid problems in every aspect of business. To illustrate the benefits, consider these mistakes that can be avoided and the risks that are reduced by using a formal procedure: Inventory control: Each inventory item is tagged, and the tag is not removed until the item is paid for at checkout.

This helps Ridgeview track every inventory item from the time it is put on the shelf until the item is sold. Purchasing: If the procedure for a customer sale is followed, Julie can generate a report from her accounting software that documents the current inventory levels for each item in the store. Her background also includes B2B sales and marketing as well as firsthand experience as a small business owner.

Louis Cardinals. Make sure to add our address smartapps hrdirectapps. We couldn't sign you up. Please report this error to support hrdirectapps. The rules and norms governing the workplace are changing and employee manuals need to reflect the shifts that are happening.

Having well-written and up-to-date employee policies is more than a good business practice. It also helps put you on firm legal footing. Nowadays, this means addressing gender equality issues, remote working arrangements, technology use, and drug and gun law matters.