Organizing your business processes, from tasks to responsibilities, will help you get more from your practice.

Most advisors keep all the details of running their businesses in their heads, says Mark Wardell, president of Wardell Professional Business Development Inc. in Vancouver. But putting the way your business operates in writing is the more professional approach. It will prevent micromanaging, allow you to focus more on generating revenue and increases the goodwill value of your book.

Follow these tips to get a grip on your business practices and create usable systems for you and your staff to follow:

> Start making lists
Divide every necessary task for running your business into sections.

Wardell recommends using these six categories: leadership; management; marketing; operations; finances; and sales.

For example, leadership covers strategic planning while management focuses on human resources. Marketing relates to lead generation and market positioning, while operations focuses on compliance and client services. Sales relates to what has to be done to turn a prospect into a client

> Create systems
Write out a detailed system for each task. Make sure it is easy to follow, whether by you or a team member.

Open a document with three columns, Wardell says. The first column lists the task; the second outlines the standards or details of that task; and the third states the employee position that is responsible for that task.

For example, for a monthly newsletter, the second column would outline standards, such as assigning articles or sending it to clients and prospects. The third column would list who is responsible for that task.

> Organize every document
Make sure each document outlining a system is organized so that anyone on your team can find it.

Create a numbering system for the documents, Wardell says. For example, everything in leadership might be a five-digit number beginning with 10. Management would start with 20, and so on.

If marketing had the number code of 40, for example, the newsletter system document might be labeled as 40-030.

Label each system by including its name, number and purpose at the top of every document.

> Make documents accessible
Place the documents in a filing system from which they can be easily retrieved.

Wardell recommends using a software program like Microsoft Corp.’s SharePoint (www.sharepoint.microsoft.com), which allows employees to easily access the necessary documents from their computers.

> Set up checks and balances
Constantly review your business processes and check in with team members to make sure everyone uses the newly organized systems.

Include a system for conducting an annual review of your business, Wardell says, to make sure the processes are still relevant and useful.

If you find that you or team members are not following a process properly, he says, consider either modifying the system or adding another step to make people more accountable.

For example, team members might use a checklist when completing a task, he says, or they may have to sign a document once a task is completed.