Documentation software systems are a massive advantage for any-sized businesses, never mind how they can help smaller ones scale sustainably and safely. There are tons of features that many of these types of apps come with, and popular examples include Notion, Hudu, and Process Street. However, there are also industry-specific tools designed around specific needs, and they can help with things such as employee onboarding and supporting remote/hybrid work.
Maintaining a Uniform Standard Procedure
Hiring more people can introduce the chance of errors when work is being carried out. To get around this, many companies develop clear and precise procedures to maintain standards and avoid confusion. For example, an expanding janitorial service could invest in cleaning reporting software that allows teams to maintain consistency across departments through properly completed inspections, reducing reliance on verbal updates and scattered paper records.
Documentation Software Systems Help Onboarding
It might surprise you that a whopping 78% of SMBs lack any kind of official onboarding procedure for new employees and rely on manual, non-automated, and outdated processes. However, specific software features can help your business with onboarding for workers:
- All the necessary information an employee needs is available from a single source.
- Learning and productivity are increased through pacing, How-Tos, and visuals.
- Automated workflows, such as onboarding, can help keep HR informed of progress.
Single-Source Data Access
Using a software app and tool to record and store information removes some common problems, such as silos (isolated data). As such, employees at all levels can access what they need from a single source, helping keep things simple for everyone involved. HR, for example, can provide timesheets and pay information using specific tools. However, there are also safety benefits, as specific data, such as company procedures, is only available from a single space.
Protecting Critical Data and Systems
Further to protecting data and information, a single-source software tool can eliminate the potential for sensitive company data to leave the office. When long-term employees leave, they can take specific knowledge with them, obviously causing some concern. However, software that processes documents can help keep data such as client history and project details within the system and prevent any disruptions that can arise from leaks and compromised information.
Documentation Software Systems Reduce Wasted Time
Figures from the UK suggest that the average small to medium-sized British business loses around £121,000 in potential revenue each year due to wasted time. That’s why using software that understands the assignment is a major advantage to any company growing in size.
Instant information retrieval
Rather than searching for data and records in physical cabinets, software can act as a single-source repository of all the information an employee needs to carry out their work.
Automated workflows and approvals
Documentation software is excellent for making sure the right person gets the information they need. This reduces the need to physically place or even email files around the office.
Removing repetitive manual tasks
One of the best tools modern software offers is automation, and it can be valuable for eliminating manual tasks such as version control, manual data entry, and offering templates.
According to a study by Gartner, the right software system and satellite tools can reduce paper-related costs by up to 40%, including manual document preparation. However, companies can also save their employees tens of hours with automated workflows. As the business grows, outdated processes such as paperwork can cause dangerous bottlenecks, reducing workplace performance and making things more challenging when scaling.
Helping with Evidence-Based Decisions
Executives and managers require accurate and up-to-date information to make decisions. And it isn’t uncommon for a decision to be made based on outdated data that causes delays and issues within a company. However, this can be reduced dramatically when there is a source of constantly updated data that people who make decisions can rely on. As such, digitized and organized data can help executives review what they need to instead of relying on guesswork.
Role-Based Data Access Controls
Of course, data can be sensitive and must be protected to maintain control over who can access it. For most companies, this means implementing robust role-based user access controls (RBAC) where privileges are granted at the system level to relevant users. This ensures that data stays where it belongs and only those with the right permissions can access it, helping reduce leaks, staying compliant, and tracking leaks when they actually happen.
Documentation Software Systems Support Remote Work
Remote work is more popular than ever, and around 28% of SMBs have adopted work-from-home and hybrid office policies, with 74% of larger companies also adopting the strategy. Using the right software systems can help with hybrid/remote work in many ways:
- Documentation resolves the lack of synchronous communication with collaboration tools.
- Team members in different time zones can access the data and information they need.
- These two features help projects move forward without the need for a live meeting.
Mapped and Tested Process when Scaling
Errors and bottlenecks are among the most common problems a company can face when scaling. However, scaling a business without breaking it isn’t as hard as some people think, as long as specific processes are mapped, followed, and tested. A documentation system is instrumental in this, and helps make the expansion process much smoother than relying on tribal knowledge and outdated recording policies that are prone to error and time misuse.
Summary
If your business is considering scaling, there are many tools you can use. Standard knowledge bases such as Confluence and SharePoint are excellent for general scaling. However, you can also try IT systems such as IT Glue and excellent process mapping apps like Lucidchart.
Maintaining a uniform standard through easily accessible policies and procedures is one of the most powerful ways that documentation software systems can help a small business scale. A single source of data can also help companies make better use of time through instant data access, automation, and the removal of repetitive, error-prone tasks. Of course, precise documentation also allows businesses to map, test, and roll out processes as they scale.