Using Wiki.js for small-business process documentation

When someone leaves a small business, their knowledge often leaves with them. The monthly report still needs running, the ordering system still needs attention, and the people taking over may have no record of how either works.

Process documentation gives the next person somewhere to start. The software matters, but the first job is deciding which work to document and who will keep it accurate.

Start with the work people depend on

Pick a process that causes trouble when its usual owner is away. Write down what starts it, the steps involved, where the relevant information lives and how to tell that the job is complete.

Useful documentation can help with:

• Covering absences and staff changes without relying on one person's memory.
• Training new colleagues with instructions they can revisit.
• Keeping routine work consistent across a team.
• Finding steps that cause mistakes, delays or repeated questions.

A document needs an owner. If nobody checks it when the process changes, a well-organised wiki will still give people the wrong instructions.

Where SharePoint can become difficult

SharePoint combines document storage, permissions and collaboration tools. That can suit a business already using Microsoft 365. It also creates decisions that a small team may not have time or experience to make.

Check what you already pay for

SharePoint is available through several Microsoft 365 subscriptions, including Business Basic, as well as standalone plans. Business Premium is one option, but it is not required just to use SharePoint. Check Microsoft's SharePoint plans and your existing licences before budgeting for another subscription.

Compare the whole cost of each option: setup, hosting, support, backups and the time staff spend maintaining it. If SharePoint is already included in your subscription, a self-hosted wiki may not save money.

Decide who will set it up and maintain it

A SharePoint implementation may involve site collections, document libraries, permissions and content types. Someone needs to decide how those pieces fit your business and help colleagues use them.

Without that ownership, documents can end up spread across sites, local folders and email. Staff then spend time looking for the right copy or return to asking whoever wrote it. Changing software will not solve that problem by itself.

Before starting, decide who can create and edit documents, how people will find them, and who will review old material. Keep the initial scope small enough to test with the people doing the work.

Using Wiki.js for process documentation

Wiki.js is an open-source wiki for creating, organising and sharing pages. It is worth considering when you need a shared reference for procedures and internal knowledge.

A process page in Wiki.js.

Writing and updating pages

Wiki.js supports Markdown and a rich-text editor. Choose the editor your team is comfortable using, then give them a simple page template. A routine procedure might include its purpose, prerequisites, steps, checks and owner.

Page creation options let the team choose how to write its documentation.

Templates can reduce the work of starting a page. They also help readers find the same information in the same place. Keep them short enough that filling out the template does not become a task people avoid.

The editor is only part of adoption. Put the wiki where staff can find it, link to the relevant pages during training, and make corrections when someone discovers a missing step.

Hosting and maintenance

Wiki.js has no software licence fee, but running it still costs time and money. You need somewhere to host it and someone responsible for updates, access and recovery.

For self-hosting, plan for:

• Backups and a way to restore them after a failure.
• Access controls appropriate to the information stored.
• Software updates and someone to respond when the service stops working.
• A documented handover if the person maintaining the wiki leaves.

Managed hosting is another option. Compare its cost with the work your team would otherwise take on. An inexpensive server is only one part of the decision.

Automating some of the documentation work

We have also explored using AI models and n8n to help prepare documentation from material in Google Drive, then publish it through GraphQL.

An example workflow for preparing and publishing documentation.

Automation can help assemble a draft. Someone who understands the process still needs to check the instructions before the team relies on them. A readable page can contain an incorrect step just as easily as a rough one.

Try one process before moving everything

Start with a procedure that people use regularly. Ask a colleague who did not write it to follow the instructions and note where they get stuck. Use that feedback to improve both the page and the template.

Then decide whether the system fits your team. Can people find the page? Can the owner update it? Is access straightforward? Have you tested recovery? These questions are more useful than a promise to document the entire business in a weekend.

If your existing SharePoint setup can do that with a little attention, use it. If you want a focused wiki and can support it, Wiki.js is worth evaluating.

Email us or book a call if you want help choosing a system or documenting a process that currently depends on one person.