In the dynamic world of non-profit associations, where mission-driven goals and community impact take center stage, the importance of documentation often goes unnoticed. But overlooking this crucial aspect can hinder your association’s efficiency and growth.

Creating and maintaining documentation tailored to your association’s internal processes—such as membership renewals, event planning, and day-to-day workflows—is crucial for success.

Hopefully your Association Management Software (AMS) offers a wide breadth of user resources and documentation. But robust documentation of your specific business processes ensures efficiency and smooth collaboration across your team.

From improving team collaboration to reducing errors in workflows, having clear, accessible documentation for your association’s processes is key. Here are four compelling reasons why prioritizing it will keep your association on track to fulfill its mission.

4 Benefits of Association Documentation

1. Enhance employee productivity

Good documentation provides clear, organized, and easily accessible information. This reduce the time employees spend searching for answers and allows them to focus on their tasks. 

Empowers self-service problem-solving

Employees can refer to documentation to troubleshoot common issues on their own, reducing dependence on others for assistance. This self-sufficiency minimizes interruptions and boosts overall efficiency.

2. Improve overall internal collaboration

Well-documented processes facilitate better collaboration among team members by providing a shared understanding of workflows and responsibilities. 

Improve internal communication and reduce misunderstandings

Clear, written guidelines help clarify roles, responsibilities, and expectations, reducing misunderstandings and the need for repetitive explanations. 

Free Association Guide

The Ultimate Guide to Association Software

Do you know the attributes needed to build and optimize your tech stack?  Get the ultimate guide for associations to select and implement the right tech.

Download Your Copy

3. Reduce user errors

Proper documentation ensures that everyone follows the same procedures, leading to consistent outcomes. This uniformity reduces confusion and miscommunication among team members, streamlining collaboration.

Minimize errors and rework

Comprehensive documentation helps employees understand processes, tools, and workflows correctly, leading to fewer mistakes and less need for rework. This is particularly crucial when onboarding new staff or when existing employees tackle unfamiliar tasks.

4. Enjoy faster onboarding

Well-documented processes and procedures make onboarding new employees faster and more efficient. New hires can quickly get up to speed with well-defined guidelines, reducing the need for prolonged training sessions.

Facilitate knowledge retention and transfer

Documentation captures institutional knowledge, preventing critical information from being lost when employees leave. This continuity ensures that productivity is maintained despite staff turnover.

Are you an iMIS user looking for documentation tailored to your organization's processes? 

iMIS Documentation Support Services provides you with personalized iMIS documentation tailored to your exact business processes and workflows. It’s always reliable and up-to-date.