Procedures

Procedures.

A procedure describes a sequence of instructions on how to execute one or a series of activities as part of a business process. It is a step-by-step description that people need to complete routine operations — such as creating a new account record or renewing a contract.

The goal of these procedures is to establish efficiency and uniform high-quality output while reducing inconsistency or preventing compliance failures. A process such as contract management contains several different procedures involving several roles, as the execution of a procedure is often related to a specific role within the organization that requires specific rights and/or privileges.

Within the context of business processes there are a few types of procedures to identify:

• System operation procedures — such as creating new users, deactivating users, recurring housekeeping within the system, etc.

• Business operation procedures — such as creating new accounts, converting leads, renewing contracts, creating cases, handling complaints, etc.

• Service delivery procedures — such as requesting access, requesting changes to a system, etc.

When properly documented, the outcome is consistent and in most cases meets expectations.