Common situation

Everything stops when one person is away

Key steps live in one person’s head or personal spreadsheet, and nobody else can run them.

What it looks like
- Holidays and sick days are planned around one person.
- There is a spreadsheet full of formulas or macros that only its author understands.
- Nobody has written down how a key process works, step by step.
- New employees learn by watching someone for weeks.
What it costs you

This is a business risk, not just an inconvenience. If that person is ill, on holiday or leaves, invoicing, payroll, ordering or reporting can stop. It also keeps a capable person tied to a routine task when they could be doing more valuable work.
How we fix it

We work through the process with the person who runs it today and write it down. Then we simplify it and move it out of personal files into a shared, structured tool.
Routine steps are automated, and the ones that remain are clear enough for a colleague to take over.

What the solution can look like

These are examples. Every solution is sized to the problem, and sometimes a better process is all it takes.

Process documentation

A clear, step-by-step description of the process with checklists, so a colleague can run it with confidence.
Shared tool

A shared application or database with the right access for each person, in place of the personal spreadsheet.
Scheduled automation

Recurring steps such as reminders, approvals, exports and reports run on their own, whoever is in the office.