Evaluating Vendor Documentation

The documentation provided with an automated system should outline all necessary procedures; answer questions; help with staff training; and provide a comprehensive and detailed view of the purchased system. Good documentation does not offer irrelevant information, nor does it present too much detail when inappropriate, or too little when required. The hazards of inadequate documentation are many—it can be misleading, erroneous, and confusing. Good documentation cannot make up for a poor system; and poor documentation is not likely to result in a good system being rejected by a potential purchaser. However, in addition to training staff and end‐users to effectively use a new system, good documentation can help decision‐makers understand the features, functionality, and advantages of a good system.