Types of manuals

A manual refers to a document that works as a guide that has the function of responding to possible concerns about a particular matter or to give step by step a series of instructions on how to do something or get somewhere , to mention Two examples. This manual is part of a product, service or support of something for a person.

It has of course other connotations. For example, from the organizational point of view, within a company, these manuals have the function of serving as a mechanism that allows the members of the corporation to be clear about the administrative guidelines in which all members must develop. .

It also allows the management of the information that circulates inside and outside the company, to be done in an orderly and systematic manner . In this manual are also the organizational policies of the company, the mission and vision of the company, the objectives that are proposed to be achieved together with the goals related to this, together with a series of procedures to be developed.

Manuals are also known as any document related to the demonstration of how a particular object is assembled, with organizational issues and a step-by-step guide on understanding a study area, the latter within a study system. In this sense, the manual is an educational complement.

The formats in which the manuals will be reflected are varied, it can be from paper to digital formats. The type of format used will depend on the needs and qualities of the product or service in question, or on the philosophy of the company that must present these manuals. Also the format of the guide is related to the form of packaging of the product or service in question.

The central purpose of the existence of a manual is closely related to the purpose of being clear about the guidelines that must be followed on the nature of the product that is related. The rules, actions and standards to be implemented by the end user are also established. If necessary, it will have a section that indicates how a problem can occur.

As will be seen in the next section, there is a wide variety of types of manuals, each responding to very specific needs.

Types of manuals

Welcome manual

They are documents that serve to introduce a new member to the organizational field, together with a series of guidelines that allow said person to know the company in its entirety. It contains the background and aspirations of the company, which will allow the new member to get involved with the company’s philosophy.

It is for this reason that in these manuals you will find the mission, vision, objectives, goals, philosophy and other information that gives clarity to the new member of the company’s reasons for being. An extremely important element that this type of manual contains is what is known as the internal regulation of the organization, which gives the guidelines of what to do and not the new member.

It will be possible to fulfill the function of also welcoming and showing relevant company data, providing the new member with a feeling of inclusion in the organization. This will also give you the feeling that you belong to the organization itself. It will be part of a corporate culture and will develop its activities within that idea.

Generally, these types of manuals have information that is presented and developed with clarity, precision, timely and concrete. In visual terms, it must be attractive to the reader, so it is ideal that it has ideal letters for reading accompanied by the text strategically with some images that illustrate what is being reported.

It is of vital importance that the manual be reviewed from time to time so that, if necessary, the information that appears there is updated. The language must be conducive so that the text can be understood by all members of the organization, so technicalities should not be used. All this accompanied by a structure or organizational chart.

Quality Manual

This type of manual focuses particularly on the product or service that the company develops for commercial purposes. The policies that must be achieved at all stages of production and sale of said goods and services are clearly defined; to meet the highest quality standards. Important part that distinguishes companies from direct competition.

Charge Manual

In this case, we have a document that serves to clearly detail the positions that exist within an organization. At the same time, the responsibilities of each occupant to one of each of the existing departments are clearly established. The functions that each element must fulfill are also established.

Responsibility within a line of authority is also clearly established. Also, the communication guidelines, formats and channels that will be given between each of the elements that occupy the departmental positions are established. Being clear about this will allow each one to know how the work as a whole is developing.

Department Manual

In this case, the manuals have the specific function of how the assigned tasks should be carried out in the particular department. It is part of an organizational structure. Said manual clearly stipulates the rules that must be followed in departmental operations, along with the rights and obligations to which a member of the department is entitled.

Specialist Manual

The modality of this type of manual is closely related to the idea of ​​presenting a series of rules in an orderly manner, which show the reader the specific tasks that must be carried out as a specialist in the area to which they were assigned within the organization. In this way, the company will be able to function correctly.

The ultimate goal of this type of manual is to be able to have a training tool for members who are entering these functions and specialized departments. It must be clear that since these are activities with a specialization, the responsibilities are high and therefore errors must be avoided.

Finance Handbook

It is implemented in a particular way for the correct management of the data and income of a commercial or other type of organization. It is continuously sought to develop a monitoring of the flow of financial resources of the organization and the administration of the assets that are available. The person directly responsible for this management is the treasurer of the same.

Historical Manuals

The main obligation of this type of manual is to collect in a methodical and efficient manner, all possible information that is closely related to the history as it has been developing over the years of a company or other type of organization. The data that will normally be found in these manuals has to do with the beginning of operations, the first members that formed the company, the investment partners, the sales that have been achieved over the years and the transformation of the company. .

Identification Manual

These manuals are governed by a clear definition of how the information should be handled. That is to say, it contains what is known as a key, which is the acronym with which the organization can be referred to, the type of characteristics such as an administrative unit, the social and commercial name of the organization, as well as the logo of the organization. same.

Macro-administrative Manual

In this case, the organizational coverage, unlike the microadministrative manual, covers the entire administration of the company, as well as each of the activities and functions that are carried out within it. It is very important that the information is treated by means of schemes that give clarity of what must be managed in the company for which it is read.

Microadministrative Manual

Basically this type of manual will respond to the needs of a single administrative or organizational structure. The dynamics of the manual is based on proposing to the interested parties in a schematic and general way the information related to the administrative processes of the company. Even when it comes to general handling of information, it must be clear and precise.

Normative Manuals

It is also often called a “political manual”, which is a document that presents in detail a detailed list of the procedures that must be carried out in the event of an eventuality that violates the stability of an organization. It must be clear what to do to overcome a problem along with a strategy defined in said regulations.

Organization Manual

In this case we have a document that clearly specifies how the company should be run. This document defines the objectives and goals to be achieved, the existing departments in an organizational structure. The tasks to be carried out by each department and the positions to be filled by qualified persons.

The operating instructions are the basis of the information that this type of manual must contain. You must know each element of the company, what it must do, at what times and how it must act in the event of eventual contingencies. At the same time, both the responsibilities and the commitments that each one has within the operational set of the company are defined.

When this type of manual is prepared, it is important that those in charge have a well-defined information that it must contain and that it is closely related to the idea of ​​what type of information is relevant to transmit. A key part of this is to be clear about how that information is going to be presented, that is, under what format and how the content will be distributed in it.

Policy Manual

This type of manual has the central objective of regulating in a clear and concise manner the behavior and direction of a political sector or group. In these manuals, the political philosophy of a particular group is clearly typified. It clearly establishes what is the objective of participation in the political life of the society to which it belongs.

Procedural Manual

It is clearly shown in this type of manuals, in a schematic and clear way, the steps that must be carried out when an activity is assigned and executed within the organizational complex of a company. It is important that the person in charge of a certain action is clear about what he must do. That is why the manual must be very clear and simple to avoid misunderstandings.

Systems Manual

In this particular case, what we have is a document that clearly establishes the stages in which a certain system is built within an organizational process, for example, the personnel recruitment system; which specifically specifies the steps that must be carried out. Clearly all the system manuals of an organization must be related.

Techniques Manual

They are manuals that serve to assign specific tasks to each of the members of an organization, in order to know how they should be implemented; It is for this reason that the activities to be carried out will be very detailed. The techniques and procedures for certain tasks are established. All this developed within an organizational synergy.

Sales Manual

Clearly the destination of these manuals is the sales department, in a particular way. This document clearly outlines the procedures that must be executed efficiently to achieve the sales that were stipulated within the objectives and goals in the short, medium and long term. The strategies and techniques to be implemented and continuously evaluated are also clearly established.

Those responsible for direct sales, suppliers, customers, products and/or services of the company, business strategies and organizational policies are clearly related to this type of manual. Clearly the function of this type of manual is to gradually increase the volume of sales with effective response capacity.