If your manual is going to be of any use, copies of it must get into the hands of those people who need the information. Decide who should get copies of the manual, then prepare your distribution list.
Ideally, everyone who might potentially use the manual should get a copy of it. That way, it will be close at hand when it’s needed. However, that may result in the expense and effort of printing and maintaining a large number of manuals, many of which may be used infrequently.
Most organizations try to make sure that manuals are available to the people who need them, but don't necessarily place one on every shelf. Often, copies of manuals are distributed to managers and supervisors who are then responsible for providing their staff with access to the manuals. Also make sure copies go to local area libraries within your organization.
It’s important to maintain a distribution list of manual holders so that future revisions can be issued and obsolete manuals can be recalled. Number manuals to help keep track of them (the easiest way is to get a sheet of dry transfer numbers, such as Letraset).
If there’s a small number of manual holders in one office, the easiest method is to record the individual holders of manuals. If there’s a large number of holders spread over different locations, it’s better to assign all copies of the manual to one office manuals coordinator at each location. The coordinator is then responsible for all manuals at that location, including distributing revisions and requesting additional copies.
You can create the distribution list using either a database program, or your word processor. When setting it up, make sure you can merge your distribution list with covering letters, and keep the information in different data fields.
Your distribution list should contain the following information:
Some organizations like to assign manuals to positions rather than individuals. That way, the manual stays with the position when a staff member leaves or changes positions.
Every year or two, it’s a good idea to check your distribution list to make sure it’s still current.
Some organizations distribute new manuals through their internal mail system, or have someone go around with a cart and deliver them to holders. While this gets them out quickly, many holders will simply put their copy up on the shelf without examining it thoroughly. This is not a good start for a manual.
A better way to distribute manuals is to request that intended manual holders attend a brief orientation session. Keep the groups small so holders can ask questions. One hour is usually enough time.
Give holders their copies of the manual, then cover the following:
