Your group purchased an costly enterprise useful resource planning (ERP) system, and it got here with a complete set of documentation together with consumer manuals, coaching supplies, and technical guides. You utilized the documentation and efficiently carried out the system, however how a lot have you ever used the documentation since then?
Know-how is an funding. You need to maximize using the system, together with that the system’s operations are constant and dependable. You repeatedly replace the system for upgrades and patches. It’s essential to ensure your corresponding documentation is updated as a result of it permits staff to be educated concerning the up to date system.
Documentation captures important data preserving that data and making it accessible to all applicable people. If only some particular people know the way the system works, what occurs once they get sick, go on trip, or resign? The answer is to ensure the data is written down and to doc that data.
Consumer-Associated Documentation
Bigstock
Consumer documentation helps onboarding and coaching to make sure staff know learn how to correctly use the system. This enables staff to get aware of the system in order that they’ll leverage it successfully. Consumer manuals present finish customers with tips together with step-by-step directions on learn how to use the system. Safety roles determine what the workers can/can’t do versus what requires a supervisor to override. If you happen to’ve added a module, be sure to add the brand new characteristic/performance particulars in order that the paperwork aren’t incomplete or lacking data.
Coaching supplies (e.g., teacher/pupil manuals, cheat sheets) are used to coach each new and present staff poised for promotions and transfers. Coaching supplies can be utilized for scheduled coaching lessons or for train-the-trainer situations whereby designated trainers (division tremendous customers or material consultants) practice the remainder of the group.
If the documentation isn’t updated, it might confuse or make it troublesome for finish customers to correctly use the system. Permit customers to submit suggestions (e.g., through a service ticket) relating to documentation reminiscent of unclear steps, incorrect display screen print, or lacking data.
IT-Associated Documentation
​Bigstock
For the IT workers, documentation serves as a reference for a way the system is meant for use. This consists of system setup/configuration, system upkeep, in addition to troubleshooting.
Many organizations function 24/7 so it’s essential that the IT workers be capable to reduce any downtime. Some key paperwork are:
1. System structure paperwork – present an summary of the system elements and interfaces which can be interconnected. If it’s essential to migrate your atmosphere from on premises to the cloud, having present structure paperwork can reduce the uncertainty of what elements you’ve gotten and the way they’re related.
2. Knowledge-related paperwork (e.g., information dictionaries and information circulation diagrams) – doc the information constructions. If a desk is dropped, are you aware which processes together with studies can be affected?
3. System upkeep paperwork – did the improve have an effect on the patching course of? Does the nightly processing schedule should be up to date? Or any of the backup schedules (day by day, month-to-month, quarterly, and so forth.)?
4. Troubleshooting paperwork – steering on diagnosing and resolving widespread technical points. Once you upgraded the database model, did you grow to be aware of the brand new system messages and codes prematurely?
When the system has been modified, be sure that the documentation has been up to date to replicate these adjustments. You should utilize a date stamp within the footer and activate versioning to determine when the documentation was final up to date.
Additionally, don’t neglect to replace the catastrophe restoration and enterprise continuity paperwork. Within the occasion of a catastrophe, you need to make sure the group can reduce any enterprise disruption. It may be chaotic when a catastrophe happens, and up-to-date documentation can scale back stress, particularly for workers filling in for absent staff.
For extra data on the significance of preserving system documentation updated, observe me on LinkedIn!
From Your Website Articles
Associated Articles Across the Internet
