The challenge of documentation at the end of a T&E project: a crucial issue that is often overlooked

You’ve just completed your project to implement a Travel & Expense (T&E) solution and you’re faced with a mountain of documentation. Welcome to the nightmare of post-project document management.

Why is documentation so important?

Documentation isn’t just a bunch of digital files. It is the Ariadne’s thread that will guide your Run teams, whether internal or external, through the labyrinth of your project. Without it, maintaining your T&E tool could become a real headache.

Best practices for mastering your documentation:

Gathering essential documents

Here’s what you absolutely must have:

Specifications: Make sure you have the latest version and date it as if your life depended on it. A spec without a date is like a fish without water: quickly out of date.
Exchange documentation: user guides, videos, etc. Here again, keep only the latest version, date it and name it explicitly! This way, your traveller won’t have to open 5 guides before finding the French version.
Visual processes: think traveller-friendly. Clear diagrams of IT connections, approval workflows and the life cycle of travel orders and expense claims in your Self-booking Tool are your best allies when it comes to sharing information (with your users, your TMC-type partners, etc.).
Project contacts: who did what? Keep track of all the people involved (internal, external, suppliers, service providers) with their roles and areas of involvement. You never know when you might need a hand!
Deployment dates: Keep a precise history of deployments to make it easier to resolve any anomalies.
Test books: Make sure you have the version completed by the testers! They will be used to check what has been tested in the event of any anomalies, and to provide a template for the teams in charge of the Run.

The art of storage

Once you have assembled your documentation, you need to store it intelligently:

Create a clear tree structure: Your users should be able to find their way around as easily as they would in their fridge.
Centralise like a maniac: Scattered documentation is as useful as an umbrella with a hole in it. Put it all in one place.
Secure, but not too secure: Store in a secure place, accessible to outsiders if necessary, without turning access into a quest for the Holy Grail.

Availability: the art of sharing (but not too much)

Manage access with the precision of a Swiss watchmaker: only authorised people should have access to sensitive information.
Train your teams: Teach your staff how to use this documentation. It’s like teaching them to fish rather than giving them a fish.

Updating: your best friend

Up-to-date documentation is the key. Out-of-date documentation can be more dangerous than no documentation at all. Update it regularly, as if the fate of your project depended on it (because it does).

Managing documentation at the end of a T&E project may not be the most glamorous part of your job, but it is crucial to the sustainability of your efforts. By following these best practices, you can turn this potential nightmare into a smooth transition to the maintenance phase.

Laure de la Lande, Axys Odyssey