Documenting processes is not just red tape. For small and medium businesses, it's a tool to minimize confusion, accelerate the onboarding of new employees, and ensure continuity, even when team members change. Start with a few key processes, keep it straightforward, and gradually expand your process documentation.
In small businesses, processes often begin informally: employees know their tasks, communicate through emails or verbally, and the work gets done "somehow." However, as the company expands, issues start to emerge:
- Inconsistency: different people may perform the same task in various ways.
- Loss of knowledge: when an employee leaves, their expertise leaves with them.
- Errors and delays: without clear instructions, mistakes recur and incur costs.
- Growth obstacles: it becomes challenging to delegate effectively or quickly onboard new hires.
That's why process documentation is essential: it provides clarity, stability, and a foundation for business growth.
What Does it Mean to "Document a Process"?
Documenting a process involves detailing how work is done so that anyone in the company can follow it. In practice, it doesn't have to be complex – a good process description answers three questions:
- What triggers the process? (When does it start?)
- What are the individual steps, and who is responsible for them?
- What is the outcome? (How do we know it's complete?)
Practical ways to Document Processes
- SOP (Standard Operating Procedures): Essential for the most important processes. These are step-by-step guides including forms, templates, and tools.
- Checklists: Ideal for routine tasks (onboarding, approving time off, daily closures).
- Process Maps (Diagrams): Useful alongside operating procedures. They visualize how steps are connected and how roles or departments collaborate.
- Process Library: Suitable for larger businesses that have organized and documented their processes. It's a central repository of all processes with owners, inputs, outputs, and links to SOPs or maps.
How to start step by step
- Select 5–10 key processes (e.g., sales, hiring, purchasing, customer support).
- Meet with those who perform the process – document their procedure.
- Create a simple description (checklist or short SOP).
- Review with the team – adjust steps, roles, and tools as needed.
- Store in one place – in a central process library, not in scattered files.
- Keep it updated – revise with every change.
Proven tips for small and medium businesses
- Keep it simple – avoid technical jargon, communicate clearly.
- Connect with reality – for each process, include links to checklists or tools that employees already use.
- Start with small steps – even a single page of SOP is better than nothing.
- Ensure accessibility – every employee should know where to find the processes.
How can Aptien assist your business in documenting workflows?
- Explore our guide on utilizing the process library