Document Critical Processes Before They Become Problems

You're the only person who knows how to export the monthly sales data. You're the only one who understands the workaround for the vendor portal. When you're out sick, work stops until you return.

This feels like job security. It's actually career risk.

Why this matters now:

Being the only person who can execute a critical process makes you irreplaceable in the wrong way. You can't take vacation without anxiety. You can't move to a better role internally. During layoffs, you might be kept for the wrong reasons or let go because the process seems too complicated to maintain.

Documenting what only you know demonstrates leadership and makes you promotable rather than stuck.

How to identify processes worth documenting:

Look at your work from the last month. Ask yourself:

• What tasks do people email you about specifically?
• What breaks when you're not available?
• What processes did you figure out through trial and error that aren't written down anywhere?
• What would take someone else hours to figure out that takes you ten minutes?

Choose one process that's critical to business operations but not documented. Monthly reporting, data exports, system workarounds, client onboarding steps, approval workflows that require specific timing.

What makes documentation useful:

Good documentation answers: what needs to happen, when it needs to happen, where to find necessary files or systems, and how to handle common problems.

Bad documentation reads like instructions written for yourself. Good documentation reads like instructions for someone doing this task for the first time.

Example of bad documentation: "Export the report, fix the columns, send to distribution list"

Example of good documentation: "1. Log into Analytics Portal (credentials in shared password manager under 'Analytics Access') 2. Navigate to Reports > Monthly Sales 3. Select current month, click Export as CSV 4. Open in Excel, delete columns F-H (system codes not needed for reporting) 5. Save as 'Monthly Sales [Month] [Year].xlsx' 6. Email to sales-team@company.com by 9am on the first business day of each month 7. Common issue: If export fails with 'timeout error,' run report for date ranges of 1-15 and 16-end of month separately, then combine files"

The second version helps someone complete the task without asking you questions.

How to document the process:

Open a new document. Write the process name as the title. List each step in order. Include screenshots if the process involves navigating software. Note where files are stored. Explain any workarounds or common problems.

Write for someone who has never done this before. Don't assume knowledge of your shortcuts or internal logic. If there's a specific order that matters, explain why.

Keep it to one or two pages maximum. If documentation runs longer, the process itself might need simplification.

How to share it with your manager:

Email your manager with the documentation attached. Use this structure:

"I documented the [process name] workflow since I'm currently the only person who handles this. The attached guide covers the steps, timing, and common troubleshooting. This should help if I'm out or if we need to cross-train someone."

You're not announcing you're leaving. You're demonstrating initiative and awareness of business continuity. Managers value employees who think about team sustainability.

What happens after you share it:

Your manager might thank you and file it away. They might ask someone else to learn the process. They might suggest improvements. All three outcomes benefit you.

You've shown you think strategically about operations. You've reduced your own bottleneck status. You've created evidence of your contributions that can be referenced during performance reviews.

What to do today:

Identify one process that only you know how to execute. Write down the steps clearly enough that someone else could follow them. Include file locations, timing requirements, and common problems. Send the documentation to your manager with a brief explanation.

This takes 30 minutes. It protects business continuity and positions you as someone who builds systems rather than hoards knowledge.