In developing the procedures that make policies a reality, remember that procedures, like systems, need to be well-documented in order to be transferrable, and adaptable.
When you break down the process into a set of defined procedures, those procedures become work instructions. The instructions define multiple procedures and the roles of various individuals responsible for those procedures, so when they come together they define a successful process.
What is it that prevents small businesses from successfully implementing useful back office systems? Usually it is the business owner. Small business owners often lack the knowledge, the time, and the help they need to create useful systems and make them work to their advantage. And a lot of business owners don’t think they need systems. That’s where they are mistaken.
The inability to implement a good workflow to track business-critical processes, like accounting, is one the biggest shortcoming we encounter with our clients.