Meaning of Manual - encyclopedia - 2023

Content

What is Manual:

A manual is a book or brochure in which the basic, essential aspects of a subject are collected. Thus, manuals allow us to better understand how something works, or to access, in an orderly and concise way, knowledge of a topic or subject.

There are, for example, manuals for the study of mathematics, literature, history, or geography. There are also technical manuals, which allow you to understand the operation of different electronic devices or devices.

Similarly, there are manuals used to describe and explain the operation of a company or organization (manual of procedures, organization, quality, etc.), as well as other types of manuals, also related to the organizational field, such as manuals corporate identity, coexistence or administrative, among others.

The word manual also works as an adjective to designate that which is manageable or that is executed with the hands, that requires skill with the hands or that is easy to do or understand, among other things.

The word, as such, comes from Latin manuālis, which means 'that can be taken by hand', or 'that can be carried by hand'.

Organization Manual

The organization manual is the document in which the functions of the personnel that make up the organizational structure of a company are established and specified. In this sense, the organization manual contains a clear and detailed description of the structure and units that make up an organization and everything related to their responsibilities, tasks, attributions, powers and functions. The purpose of the organization manual is to ensure that there is an adequate functional correspondence between the different positions of an organizational structure and their tasks, responsibilities and powers.

Procedures manual

The procedures manual is a document that contains the description of the activities that a company must follow to carry out its general tasks and fulfill its functions. It contains detailed and descriptive aspects ranging from the sequential order of activities to the succession of tasks necessary to carry out a job. Similarly, it includes aspects of a practical nature, such as the use of resources (material, technological, financial), and methodological, such as the application of more effective and efficient work and control methods. The procedure manuals also help in the induction of new personnel, describe the activities of each position, explain the relationship with other associated areas, allow an appropriate coordination of activities between different departments, etc. Ultimately, they provide an overview of the company, its activities and its functions.

Quality manual

The quality manual is a document where the companies make a clear and precise exposition of the set of procedures to which they adhere to achieve certain quality standards by adopting the guidelines established in the Quality Management System (QMS). In it, the control mechanisms and quality objectives that the company pursues as a rule are explained. Quality standards, on the other hand, must be in line with the procedures and requirements demanded by the ISO 9001 standard, elaborated by the International Organization for Standardization, which dates from 2008, and which precisely aims to regularize this aspect.

Welcome manual

The welcome manual, also called the induction manual, is the document through which a company communicates to a worker all the relevant information related to the company: its history, objective, values, mission and vision, the characteristics that differentiate it from others similar companies, the products or services that it produces or markets. In addition, it offers other important information, such as a company organization chart, the functions of each position and the contacts of other departments. It must be written in a simple, clear and explicit language, since all the information contained therein, such as labor policy, risk prevention and recommendations on conduct, has a contractual value.

User manual

A user manual is known as the book or brochure that contains a set of information, instructions and warnings related to the use of a certain product or service. It uses simple language, and uses texts, images, diagrams, and diagrams. In them, the functions and available options of the device are detailed and explained.User manuals are common, especially in electrical appliances or electronic devices, such as cell phones, tablets, microwaves, televisions, etc.