Process documentation: what it is and why you should create it
Process documentation: what it is and why you should create it
Tutorials & tips
Tutorials & tips
Tutorials & tips
With more people than ever working remotely, and teams sometimes spread across the globe, communication and documentation are more important than ever. One way to make it easy for anyone in your organization to work together is for everyone to use the same, repeatable processes.
Of course, the best way to do this is to document those business processes, so that your whole team can follow the same procedures. This kind of process documentation will improve efficiency across the board, and make information accessible to everyone.
What is process documentation?
Process documentation is a step-by-step workflow or guide that explains how to complete a business process. It can take many forms — from a technical tutorial explaining how to implement a new API endpoint, to a flowchart or policy focused on your cloud infrastructure. They can even take the form of personnel hiring guides, company handbooks, and meeting structures.
The goal of any procedure document is to record all the steps you need to follow to complete a particular process. The best way to do this is in real-time, noting your steps down as you go — then regularly reviewing the document to adapt the process as your organization evolves.
Why should you document processes?
Documenting business process has several advantages:
Boosting efficiency – When you have a clear, step-by-step guide that explains how to complete a specific task, people don’t have to ask colleagues or search around for information. Instead, they can easily follow a tried and tested process.
Improving processes – Once you’ve documented a procedure, you can (and should) continuously test and adapt it to make sure it’s working at its best. Cut unnecessary steps, adapt parts that aren’t working well, and check your results to help streamline the process.
Defining standards – Good process documentation will explain the expected outcome, giving everyone who uses it a clear indication of what results they should see.
Reducing confusion – Not only does process documentation help new team members onboard faster — it also clarifies exactly who is responsible for something, how it should be done, and what the results should look like. If anyone has any doubts, they can simply check the latest process document.
Procedure analysis – With all the steps — and the expected result — laid out clearly, it’s easier to see how the old process compares to the new one. If the new process isn’t achieving the expected standards, it’s much easier to flag the issue, compare it to the old procedure, and address it with useful data in hand.
Knowledge preservation – What happens when someone with deep organizational knowledge leaves your team? If they haven’t documented their processes, that knowledge is simply lost. Write it down, and anyone can easily follow their same workflows.
Onboarding – Got someone new joining the team? A process document someone makes it easy for them to jump right into an existing procedure, and then make improvements to it based on their own knowledge and experience.
How to document a process
There’s no single right way to document a business process, and a procedure document can take many different forms. You might use flowcharts to create a visual representation of your steps, or just write a document for your organization’s knowledge base. You may even want to use automated tools to help you capture knowledge and convert it into a process document.
However you choose to document your process, though, there are a few steps that are essential to success:
1. Give your process a name
Always start by clearly identifying what your process is for, and then name it appropriately — so it’s clear to anyone looking at your document what it’s about.
2. Set start and end points
What triggers your process? And when does it end? Set boundaries for what will mark its start and end point.
3. Set the scope
What does your process include? And what is specifically not included within it? Make the scope of your procedure clear and write it down in your document. For example, you work may include coding a specific element, but it doesn’t involve design work, which someone else needs to complete before this process can begin.
4. Specify you results
Before you start writing the process, be clear about what marks the end of it. How do you know when it’s done? It could be something like an update that ships to all users, or a QA test that passes with no issues.
5. Record your inputs
What resources do you need to complete the procedure? Whether it’s access to your cloud infrastructure or an IDE or other software tool, list it here. That way, everyone who wants to follow your process later can instantly see whether they have the tools and access they need.
6. Document the process
It’s time to record your process. The best thing to do is run through it yourself, documenting the steps as you go. This will help you test everything in the procedure, so you can note down all the details others will need.
You don’t need to think about structuring your writing too carefully during this initial run-through — just focus on getting the information down. Then come back after you’re done to review your work and formatting it to make it easier to follow.
7. Note down who is involved
Before you finish, make sure to make a note of everyone who needs to be involved in a process. If you need to speak to someone in your security to get access to a specific service or piece of software, or your process spans three teams who all need to be notified, make a note of it now.
8. (Optional) Create a template
The process document you’ve just put together could be useful in another way — the structure might be a great template for other people who want to document a different process in future. Make a copy of your document, then strip out the specific information, leaving a process documentation template that others can use later.
9. Share it with your organization
If you haven’t already, move your document into your internal knowledge base and share it with the rest of your team so they can use it in future.
10. Review and improve
Creating a process document isn’t the end of this journey! Once you’ve shared it with your team it should be a living document that anyone can tweak and improve as the process — and your organization — evolves.
Process documentation software
As we mentioned above, there are a few different kinds of tools that you can use to document a process — from flowcharts and policies to full-blown documentation using dedicated software. Here are a few of the process documentation tools you might want to consider
Knowledge base software
A knowledge base tool such as GitBook lets you pull all your team’s knowledge and information together in a single, central hub — then organize it and give everyone access to exactly what they need. Here are a few of the benefits of using a dedicated knowledge base for your process documentation:
Git-like collaboration – Collaborate using a branch-based workflow. Create change requests, request reviews, and keep a full version history for every page.
Sync with GitHub and GitLab – Set up a two-way sync with a GitHub or GitLab branch. So when you make changes to one, they sync to the other automatically.
A modern, WYSIWYG editor – GitBook’s editor let’s you add code blocks, tables, expandable cards, API references and much more — right in-line.
AI search – GitBook AI indexes your knowledge base, so you can ask questions and get answers based on your team’s information in seconds.
Integrations – Integrate with the tools you use every day and bring other sources into your knowledge base. Plus, you can build your own integrations if you can’t find the tool you need.
Public documentation – Is your process documentation something like API docs that could be useful for users? With GitBook, you can easily publish public docs to share your knowledge more widely.
Flowchart and diagramming tools
Flowchart or diagram software can help you quickly document a process — especially if you workflow has branches. You could try a tool like Lucidchart, or a free option like draw.io. Flowcharts and diagrams are great for breaking down complex ideas into a simple, visual guide, and works best for straightforward processes that don’t need extra details.
Video and screen recording platforms
If your team prefers to watch and listen rather than read, a screen recording tool like Loom may help. As well as capturing your screen, you can also record using your microphone and camera if you like, so you can create full walkthroughs with a personal touch. These videos also make a great addition to written process documentation, as it gives your user the choice to watch or read.
AI tools
With AI quickly changing the way we work, there are a few AI tools that you can use to help you build process documentation, too. With some, you can add a detailed, written prompt and make it write full process documents that you can then export into your knowledge base. While others can capture and document knowledge for you as you complete the process itself!
For example, GitBook’s VS Code integration (currently in closed alpha) lets you capture your actions and your voice right in VS Code. So you can narrate your process as you complete it, and AI will combine your actions and your voice into a summarized, step-by-step document.
With so many advancements in AI right now, we’re sure there’ll be more of these helpful tools in future. So stay tuned for more!
Wrapping up
Repeatable processes are a part of almost every organization. So it makes sense to document the best way of carrying out these procedures, so other team members can work more efficiently going forward. But remember, these are living documents. Don’t fall into the trap of writing one and forgetting about it! The best process documents are those that evolve and improve with your team.
With more people than ever working remotely, and teams sometimes spread across the globe, communication and documentation are more important than ever. One way to make it easy for anyone in your organization to work together is for everyone to use the same, repeatable processes.
Of course, the best way to do this is to document those business processes, so that your whole team can follow the same procedures. This kind of process documentation will improve efficiency across the board, and make information accessible to everyone.
What is process documentation?
Process documentation is a step-by-step workflow or guide that explains how to complete a business process. It can take many forms — from a technical tutorial explaining how to implement a new API endpoint, to a flowchart or policy focused on your cloud infrastructure. They can even take the form of personnel hiring guides, company handbooks, and meeting structures.
The goal of any procedure document is to record all the steps you need to follow to complete a particular process. The best way to do this is in real-time, noting your steps down as you go — then regularly reviewing the document to adapt the process as your organization evolves.
Why should you document processes?
Documenting business process has several advantages:
Boosting efficiency – When you have a clear, step-by-step guide that explains how to complete a specific task, people don’t have to ask colleagues or search around for information. Instead, they can easily follow a tried and tested process.
Improving processes – Once you’ve documented a procedure, you can (and should) continuously test and adapt it to make sure it’s working at its best. Cut unnecessary steps, adapt parts that aren’t working well, and check your results to help streamline the process.
Defining standards – Good process documentation will explain the expected outcome, giving everyone who uses it a clear indication of what results they should see.
Reducing confusion – Not only does process documentation help new team members onboard faster — it also clarifies exactly who is responsible for something, how it should be done, and what the results should look like. If anyone has any doubts, they can simply check the latest process document.
Procedure analysis – With all the steps — and the expected result — laid out clearly, it’s easier to see how the old process compares to the new one. If the new process isn’t achieving the expected standards, it’s much easier to flag the issue, compare it to the old procedure, and address it with useful data in hand.
Knowledge preservation – What happens when someone with deep organizational knowledge leaves your team? If they haven’t documented their processes, that knowledge is simply lost. Write it down, and anyone can easily follow their same workflows.
Onboarding – Got someone new joining the team? A process document someone makes it easy for them to jump right into an existing procedure, and then make improvements to it based on their own knowledge and experience.
How to document a process
There’s no single right way to document a business process, and a procedure document can take many different forms. You might use flowcharts to create a visual representation of your steps, or just write a document for your organization’s knowledge base. You may even want to use automated tools to help you capture knowledge and convert it into a process document.
However you choose to document your process, though, there are a few steps that are essential to success:
1. Give your process a name
Always start by clearly identifying what your process is for, and then name it appropriately — so it’s clear to anyone looking at your document what it’s about.
2. Set start and end points
What triggers your process? And when does it end? Set boundaries for what will mark its start and end point.
3. Set the scope
What does your process include? And what is specifically not included within it? Make the scope of your procedure clear and write it down in your document. For example, you work may include coding a specific element, but it doesn’t involve design work, which someone else needs to complete before this process can begin.
4. Specify you results
Before you start writing the process, be clear about what marks the end of it. How do you know when it’s done? It could be something like an update that ships to all users, or a QA test that passes with no issues.
5. Record your inputs
What resources do you need to complete the procedure? Whether it’s access to your cloud infrastructure or an IDE or other software tool, list it here. That way, everyone who wants to follow your process later can instantly see whether they have the tools and access they need.
6. Document the process
It’s time to record your process. The best thing to do is run through it yourself, documenting the steps as you go. This will help you test everything in the procedure, so you can note down all the details others will need.
You don’t need to think about structuring your writing too carefully during this initial run-through — just focus on getting the information down. Then come back after you’re done to review your work and formatting it to make it easier to follow.
7. Note down who is involved
Before you finish, make sure to make a note of everyone who needs to be involved in a process. If you need to speak to someone in your security to get access to a specific service or piece of software, or your process spans three teams who all need to be notified, make a note of it now.
8. (Optional) Create a template
The process document you’ve just put together could be useful in another way — the structure might be a great template for other people who want to document a different process in future. Make a copy of your document, then strip out the specific information, leaving a process documentation template that others can use later.
9. Share it with your organization
If you haven’t already, move your document into your internal knowledge base and share it with the rest of your team so they can use it in future.
10. Review and improve
Creating a process document isn’t the end of this journey! Once you’ve shared it with your team it should be a living document that anyone can tweak and improve as the process — and your organization — evolves.
Process documentation software
As we mentioned above, there are a few different kinds of tools that you can use to document a process — from flowcharts and policies to full-blown documentation using dedicated software. Here are a few of the process documentation tools you might want to consider
Knowledge base software
A knowledge base tool such as GitBook lets you pull all your team’s knowledge and information together in a single, central hub — then organize it and give everyone access to exactly what they need. Here are a few of the benefits of using a dedicated knowledge base for your process documentation:
Git-like collaboration – Collaborate using a branch-based workflow. Create change requests, request reviews, and keep a full version history for every page.
Sync with GitHub and GitLab – Set up a two-way sync with a GitHub or GitLab branch. So when you make changes to one, they sync to the other automatically.
A modern, WYSIWYG editor – GitBook’s editor let’s you add code blocks, tables, expandable cards, API references and much more — right in-line.
AI search – GitBook AI indexes your knowledge base, so you can ask questions and get answers based on your team’s information in seconds.
Integrations – Integrate with the tools you use every day and bring other sources into your knowledge base. Plus, you can build your own integrations if you can’t find the tool you need.
Public documentation – Is your process documentation something like API docs that could be useful for users? With GitBook, you can easily publish public docs to share your knowledge more widely.
Flowchart and diagramming tools
Flowchart or diagram software can help you quickly document a process — especially if you workflow has branches. You could try a tool like Lucidchart, or a free option like draw.io. Flowcharts and diagrams are great for breaking down complex ideas into a simple, visual guide, and works best for straightforward processes that don’t need extra details.
Video and screen recording platforms
If your team prefers to watch and listen rather than read, a screen recording tool like Loom may help. As well as capturing your screen, you can also record using your microphone and camera if you like, so you can create full walkthroughs with a personal touch. These videos also make a great addition to written process documentation, as it gives your user the choice to watch or read.
AI tools
With AI quickly changing the way we work, there are a few AI tools that you can use to help you build process documentation, too. With some, you can add a detailed, written prompt and make it write full process documents that you can then export into your knowledge base. While others can capture and document knowledge for you as you complete the process itself!
For example, GitBook’s VS Code integration (currently in closed alpha) lets you capture your actions and your voice right in VS Code. So you can narrate your process as you complete it, and AI will combine your actions and your voice into a summarized, step-by-step document.
With so many advancements in AI right now, we’re sure there’ll be more of these helpful tools in future. So stay tuned for more!
Wrapping up
Repeatable processes are a part of almost every organization. So it makes sense to document the best way of carrying out these procedures, so other team members can work more efficiently going forward. But remember, these are living documents. Don’t fall into the trap of writing one and forgetting about it! The best process documents are those that evolve and improve with your team.
With more people than ever working remotely, and teams sometimes spread across the globe, communication and documentation are more important than ever. One way to make it easy for anyone in your organization to work together is for everyone to use the same, repeatable processes.
Of course, the best way to do this is to document those business processes, so that your whole team can follow the same procedures. This kind of process documentation will improve efficiency across the board, and make information accessible to everyone.
What is process documentation?
Process documentation is a step-by-step workflow or guide that explains how to complete a business process. It can take many forms — from a technical tutorial explaining how to implement a new API endpoint, to a flowchart or policy focused on your cloud infrastructure. They can even take the form of personnel hiring guides, company handbooks, and meeting structures.
The goal of any procedure document is to record all the steps you need to follow to complete a particular process. The best way to do this is in real-time, noting your steps down as you go — then regularly reviewing the document to adapt the process as your organization evolves.
Why should you document processes?
Documenting business process has several advantages:
Boosting efficiency – When you have a clear, step-by-step guide that explains how to complete a specific task, people don’t have to ask colleagues or search around for information. Instead, they can easily follow a tried and tested process.
Improving processes – Once you’ve documented a procedure, you can (and should) continuously test and adapt it to make sure it’s working at its best. Cut unnecessary steps, adapt parts that aren’t working well, and check your results to help streamline the process.
Defining standards – Good process documentation will explain the expected outcome, giving everyone who uses it a clear indication of what results they should see.
Reducing confusion – Not only does process documentation help new team members onboard faster — it also clarifies exactly who is responsible for something, how it should be done, and what the results should look like. If anyone has any doubts, they can simply check the latest process document.
Procedure analysis – With all the steps — and the expected result — laid out clearly, it’s easier to see how the old process compares to the new one. If the new process isn’t achieving the expected standards, it’s much easier to flag the issue, compare it to the old procedure, and address it with useful data in hand.
Knowledge preservation – What happens when someone with deep organizational knowledge leaves your team? If they haven’t documented their processes, that knowledge is simply lost. Write it down, and anyone can easily follow their same workflows.
Onboarding – Got someone new joining the team? A process document someone makes it easy for them to jump right into an existing procedure, and then make improvements to it based on their own knowledge and experience.
How to document a process
There’s no single right way to document a business process, and a procedure document can take many different forms. You might use flowcharts to create a visual representation of your steps, or just write a document for your organization’s knowledge base. You may even want to use automated tools to help you capture knowledge and convert it into a process document.
However you choose to document your process, though, there are a few steps that are essential to success:
1. Give your process a name
Always start by clearly identifying what your process is for, and then name it appropriately — so it’s clear to anyone looking at your document what it’s about.
2. Set start and end points
What triggers your process? And when does it end? Set boundaries for what will mark its start and end point.
3. Set the scope
What does your process include? And what is specifically not included within it? Make the scope of your procedure clear and write it down in your document. For example, you work may include coding a specific element, but it doesn’t involve design work, which someone else needs to complete before this process can begin.
4. Specify you results
Before you start writing the process, be clear about what marks the end of it. How do you know when it’s done? It could be something like an update that ships to all users, or a QA test that passes with no issues.
5. Record your inputs
What resources do you need to complete the procedure? Whether it’s access to your cloud infrastructure or an IDE or other software tool, list it here. That way, everyone who wants to follow your process later can instantly see whether they have the tools and access they need.
6. Document the process
It’s time to record your process. The best thing to do is run through it yourself, documenting the steps as you go. This will help you test everything in the procedure, so you can note down all the details others will need.
You don’t need to think about structuring your writing too carefully during this initial run-through — just focus on getting the information down. Then come back after you’re done to review your work and formatting it to make it easier to follow.
7. Note down who is involved
Before you finish, make sure to make a note of everyone who needs to be involved in a process. If you need to speak to someone in your security to get access to a specific service or piece of software, or your process spans three teams who all need to be notified, make a note of it now.
8. (Optional) Create a template
The process document you’ve just put together could be useful in another way — the structure might be a great template for other people who want to document a different process in future. Make a copy of your document, then strip out the specific information, leaving a process documentation template that others can use later.
9. Share it with your organization
If you haven’t already, move your document into your internal knowledge base and share it with the rest of your team so they can use it in future.
10. Review and improve
Creating a process document isn’t the end of this journey! Once you’ve shared it with your team it should be a living document that anyone can tweak and improve as the process — and your organization — evolves.
Process documentation software
As we mentioned above, there are a few different kinds of tools that you can use to document a process — from flowcharts and policies to full-blown documentation using dedicated software. Here are a few of the process documentation tools you might want to consider
Knowledge base software
A knowledge base tool such as GitBook lets you pull all your team’s knowledge and information together in a single, central hub — then organize it and give everyone access to exactly what they need. Here are a few of the benefits of using a dedicated knowledge base for your process documentation:
Git-like collaboration – Collaborate using a branch-based workflow. Create change requests, request reviews, and keep a full version history for every page.
Sync with GitHub and GitLab – Set up a two-way sync with a GitHub or GitLab branch. So when you make changes to one, they sync to the other automatically.
A modern, WYSIWYG editor – GitBook’s editor let’s you add code blocks, tables, expandable cards, API references and much more — right in-line.
AI search – GitBook AI indexes your knowledge base, so you can ask questions and get answers based on your team’s information in seconds.
Integrations – Integrate with the tools you use every day and bring other sources into your knowledge base. Plus, you can build your own integrations if you can’t find the tool you need.
Public documentation – Is your process documentation something like API docs that could be useful for users? With GitBook, you can easily publish public docs to share your knowledge more widely.
Flowchart and diagramming tools
Flowchart or diagram software can help you quickly document a process — especially if you workflow has branches. You could try a tool like Lucidchart, or a free option like draw.io. Flowcharts and diagrams are great for breaking down complex ideas into a simple, visual guide, and works best for straightforward processes that don’t need extra details.
Video and screen recording platforms
If your team prefers to watch and listen rather than read, a screen recording tool like Loom may help. As well as capturing your screen, you can also record using your microphone and camera if you like, so you can create full walkthroughs with a personal touch. These videos also make a great addition to written process documentation, as it gives your user the choice to watch or read.
AI tools
With AI quickly changing the way we work, there are a few AI tools that you can use to help you build process documentation, too. With some, you can add a detailed, written prompt and make it write full process documents that you can then export into your knowledge base. While others can capture and document knowledge for you as you complete the process itself!
For example, GitBook’s VS Code integration (currently in closed alpha) lets you capture your actions and your voice right in VS Code. So you can narrate your process as you complete it, and AI will combine your actions and your voice into a summarized, step-by-step document.
With so many advancements in AI right now, we’re sure there’ll be more of these helpful tools in future. So stay tuned for more!
Wrapping up
Repeatable processes are a part of almost every organization. So it makes sense to document the best way of carrying out these procedures, so other team members can work more efficiently going forward. But remember, these are living documents. Don’t fall into the trap of writing one and forgetting about it! The best process documents are those that evolve and improve with your team.
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Play around with GitBook and set up your docs for free. Add your team and pay when you’re ready.
