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The key to a profitable business is in it's procedures. A set of well documented procedures will ensure consistency in the business, while undocumented procedures will most likely result in failure - leading to disappointed customers, disgruntled employees and a higher cost of doing business. We all want lower costs, so we'll go over the steps needed to produce procedures in your own online business.

First you need to learn how to do the task you want automated yourself. You'll probably need to perform it a few times over a few days to work out any kinks or quirks that are in the system. Figure out the different flows that may be available and generally become proficient with the procedure.

Second, write down the steps to the procedure. Only use command words: must, shall, is required to, will and should. Do not use words that give options: can, may, or optionally as these words will lead to confusion and ambiguity. It is imperative that you use a numbered list and keep the steps in their correct logical order.

Third, using a screen recording device, such as CamStudio or Camtasia Studio, record yourself performing the procedure. Talk the person who is going to be watching it through every step that they need to do in order to finish the task successfully. Now, package it up on a DVD or put it out on the web and make it available to your interns, contractors or employees.

The last step is to continuously improve the documentation and the procedure itself. Make sure you are getting feedback from those who are actually using the procedure in their day to day work. Once you have that feedback, incorporate those ideas into your system. The more times the documentation and procedure go through a review process the better they will be.