How To > Effective operations manuals
Knowledge-only mode
Tallyfy excels at running trackable workflows - but it’s equally powerful as a living knowledge base. Knowledge-only mode lets you publish procedures as reference materials that teams can access without launching formal processes.
Think of it this way: not every procedure needs tracking. Your team needs quick access to how-to guides that they can reference while working - like entering a sales order or handling customer calls. Knowledge-only mode delivers exactly that.
You’ve got two distinct documentation needs in your organization. Some processes absolutely need tracking (client onboarding, compliance audits). Others just need to be accessible and current.
Perfect for knowledge-only mode:
- Sales order entry steps
- Do’s and don’ts for customer calls
- Equipment operating instructions
- Software how-to guides
- Company policies and guidelines
- Emergency response procedures
- Quick reference checklists
These are procedures people reference while doing their work. They don’t need task assignments or completion tracking - they need instant access to accurate information.
Transform any template into searchable knowledge that’s always current. Here’s how:
- Create your procedure template - Document the process just like any other template
- Mark as “Reference Only” - Add a tag or folder designation for knowledge articles
- Set permissions - Allow view access without launch permissions
- Publish internally - Team members can search and view without starting processes
Your team searches for “sales order entry” and immediately finds the latest procedure. No hunting through outdated wikis or shared drives. Simple.
Control who sees what without complexity. Tallyfy’s permission system makes knowledge management straightforward.
View-only access: Grant Light members permission to view templates without launching them. Perfect for contractors or new hires who need reference materials but shouldn’t start processes.
Department-specific knowledge: Use folders to organize procedures by department. Sales sees sales procedures. Operations sees operations procedures. No information overload.
Guest access for partners: Share specific procedures with guests - like your suppliers who need to understand your receiving process. They see only what you share.
Knowledge stays fresh when everyone contributes. Tallyfy makes improvement suggestions effortless.
Every procedure template includes a comment section. When someone spots an outdated step or has a better method, they comment directly on the template. Process owners get notified instantly.
Real example: A warehouse worker notices the receiving procedure references an old dock door number. They comment: “Step 3 should reference Dock 4, not Dock 2.” The template owner updates it immediately. Everyone sees the correct information from that moment forward.
Comments create an improvement culture. People feel heard. Procedures stay accurate.
Finding the right procedure takes seconds with Tallyfy’s universal search. Type any keyword - the system searches across:
- Template titles and descriptions
- Individual steps within templates
- Snippets (reusable content blocks)
- Comments and notes
- Form field names
Search “refund” and you’ll find every procedure mentioning refunds - whether it’s in the title, buried in step 7, or mentioned in a comment. Traditional documentation can’t match this.
Stay informed without information overload. Tallyfy’s watching feature lets you monitor specific templates for changes.
Watch frequencies you control:
- Instant: Critical procedures where any change matters immediately
- Daily digest: Batch updates for standard procedures
- Weekly summary: Low-priority reference materials
You’re the quality manager watching all ISO procedures. Set them to instant notification. When someone updates a procedure, you know immediately. Review the change, approve it, and everyone works from the latest version.
What triggers notifications:
- Template content changes
- New comments or improvement suggestions
- Permission modifications
- Automation rule updates
Build modular knowledge that eliminates repetition. Here’s where Tallyfy shines for documentation.
Real scenario: You have a “Pre-call checklist” template - verify customer account, review history, prepare notes. This checklist applies to multiple processes.
Instead of copying these steps into every sales-related template, you embed the checklist template. Create your “Sales call” template and embed “Pre-call checklist” at the beginning. Create “Support call” template - embed the same checklist.
When you improve the pre-call checklist, every template using it updates automatically. No manual copying. No version confusion. One source of truth.
Common embedded templates:
- Safety checks (embedded in all equipment procedures)
- Data security protocols (embedded in IT processes)
- Customer verification (embedded in service procedures)
- Quality standards (embedded in production templates)
Snippets are your secret weapon for maintaining consistent language across all procedures.
Create a snippet for your standard confidentiality notice. Insert it into 50 different templates with two clicks. Need to update the legal language? Change the snippet once - all 50 templates update instantly.
High-value snippets to create:
- Legal disclaimers and compliance statements
- Safety warnings and precautions
- Contact information blocks
- Standard operating conditions
- Common troubleshooting steps
- Glossary definitions
Snippets ensure everyone uses approved language. Marketing won’t accidentally use old taglines. Legal won’t find outdated disclaimers. Consistency happens automatically.
Connect Tallyfy’s knowledge base to any AI platform through the MCP server. Your AI assistant can now search and retrieve procedures on demand.
Employee asks ChatGPT: “How do I process a return?” The AI searches Tallyfy via MCP, finds your return procedure, and provides step-by-step guidance. The AI always references current procedures because it’s pulling directly from Tallyfy.
Setup is straightforward:
- Enable MCP server in Tallyfy settings
- Configure your AI platform to connect
- Set appropriate access permissions
- Test with common queries
Your entire procedure library becomes AI-searchable. Teams get instant answers backed by your official procedures.
Entering a sales order - Your sales team needs quick reference while on customer calls. They pull up the procedure, follow along while entering the order, but don’t need task tracking. Speed matters more than documentation.
Conference room setup - Facilities posts the setup checklist as knowledge. Teams reference it when preparing rooms but don’t need to log each chair placement. It’s guidance, not governance.
Password reset procedures - IT publishes step-by-step instructions. Employees follow them independently without creating tickets for simple resets. Knowledge-only mode reduces helpdesk load significantly.
Expense report guidelines - Finance maintains current policies and examples. Employees reference them while completing reports in your expense system. The knowledge lives in Tallyfy; the task happens elsewhere.
Ready to implement? Here’s your pathway to knowledge management success:
- Audit existing documentation - Identify procedures that need accessibility, not tracking
- Create template library - Build templates for your most-referenced procedures
- Organize intelligently - Use folders and tags like “Reference Only” or “How-To Guides”
- Set watching preferences - Configure notification frequencies based on criticality
- Train on search - Show teams how to find information quickly
- Encourage commenting - Build culture where improvement suggestions are welcomed
- Review quarterly - Check view counts and comments to identify outdated content
Start with your top 10 most-requested procedures. Transform them into searchable templates. Watch your email volume drop as people find answers themselves.
Track whether your knowledge management works:
Usage metrics to monitor:
- Template view counts (high views = valuable content)
- Search queries (reveals what people need)
- Comment frequency (shows engagement)
- Update frequency (indicates living documentation)
A healthy knowledge base shows steady views, regular comments, and periodic updates. Dead documentation has zero views and years-old modified dates.
Success indicators:
- Fewer “how do I…?” emails and messages
- New hires becoming productive faster
- Reduced errors from following outdated procedures
- Positive feedback about finding information easily
Versioned procedures with context - Keep previous versions accessible but clearly marked. Sometimes you need to know what the procedure was last quarter for audit purposes.
Conditional knowledge display - Use automation rules to show different snippets based on user properties. Show region-specific regulations only to relevant teams.
Knowledge analytics integration - Export view and search data to your BI platform. Understand which procedures drive value and which need retirement.
Collaborative knowledge building - Use comments and variables to crowdsource improvements. Teams contribute examples that make procedures clearer.
Keep it current - Set quarterly reviews for critical procedures. Outdated knowledge is worse than no knowledge.
Write for scanning - Use clear headings, bullet points, and bold key actions. People skim procedures while working.
Include examples - Abstract instructions confuse. Concrete examples clarify. Show exactly what good looks like.
Link related content - Connect procedures that work together. If “Process Order” mentions “Handle Returns,” link them.
Verify accuracy - Have subject matter experts review procedures before publishing. Incorrect procedures cause expensive mistakes.
Retire outdated content - Archive obsolete procedures clearly. Don’t let old versions create confusion.
Knowledge-only mode transforms Tallyfy from a workflow engine into a comprehensive operational knowledge platform. Your procedures become living documents that teams actually use and improve continuously.
Templates > Organizing templates
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