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Electronic Manuals

Background

Like our hard copy O&M Manuals, we base our electronic manual service on the recommendations of the Building Services Research and Information Services (BSRIA) as set out in their publication BG2/2004, 'Computer-based Operating and Maintenance Manuals: Options and Procurement Guide' by Tom de Saulles. This document compares and contrasts the three main methods for producing electronic record documentation:

  •  the PDF approach
  •  the proprietary approach
  •  and the facilities management (FM) approach
We offer the PDF approach as this is the most common option selected by clients and consultants.

There are no dedicated publications from the Construction Industry Research and Information Associated relating to electronic record documentation for Building Fabric Manuals and so we apply the principles above to our BFMs - the same applies to HSE/CITB/CDM and our H&S Files.

Benefits

There are many benefits that an electronic manual has over its paper-based counterpart

  • Space - As project after project is completed, you have no doubt discovered your shelves becoming full with old copies of O&M Manuals. Naturally you can archive such documents, but then you've got to pay for the archiving space and Murphy's Law dictates that as soon as you archive them you'll need to access them. A CD is obviously much easier to store than a whole series of binders. It can be copied onto your own computer system and accessed directly from there. The space saving an electronic copy affords is therefore extensive.
  • Quality - Although the requirement for CD based manuals is much more commonplace than once it was, a manual on disc is still perceived by the end client to be of higher quality than just paper manuals. There are therefore some marketing benefits of providing CDs to your client even when not required by their specification.
  • Fixed Record - This item is of benefit only to the contractor. Whereas a paper manual can be adapted over time for changes that can be undertaken by the client, a CD copy of the manual cannot - it represents a fixed non-changeable record of the project at completion. Therefore there is the chance that you could have to prove that a problem which developed as a result of such a change, was not your responsibility to rectify. A fixed non-changeable record of the project at completion makes such "proof" easier to demonstrate.
  • Damage/Loss - Whereas a paper based manual can become lost, damaged or simply tatty through use, a CD copy of the manual is permanent. Even in the case of loss or damage to the CD itself, its replacement is easy by comparison to reproducing a paper based manual. This becomes particularly beneficial in the case of the inserted items of information (literature etc) which can often be removed for use by the maintenance personnel and then reinserted incorrectly, damaged or simply not returned. All these issues become irrelevant when the manual is on CD as the inserted items cannot be removed, only printed for use which do not then have to be returned.
  • Accessibility - Whereas a paper based manual is issued with a limited number of copies (admittedly true of their CD based counterparts), a CD manual can be easily copied and distributed to all who may need it. With the use of an internal company intranet the content of the CD can even be placed on the network and made accessible to all with sufficient permissions via a standard web browser interface.
  • Navigation - One of the main benefits of an electronic manual is the ability to set up navigation shortcuts by the use of hyperlinks (see full details below). These work in an exactly the same manner as the blue text links utilised to navigate to this page.

Production method

Electronic manuals are produced in the same manner as regular printed manuals, they're just not then printed. As such you should review the production method of our O&M Manual, BFM and/or H&S File sections for further details.

Hyperlinking

One of the greatest benefits of providing the Manual in the industry standard PDF is the ability to hyperlink the O&M Manual to make navigation around the document easy for the end user. There is basically no limit as to how many hyperlinks can be set up, however, our standard practice is for the following:-

  • From the main contents page to each section
  • From each section's contents page to each item*
  • From key words within the descriptions (eg boiler, distribution board) to their associated plant schedules.
  • From plant schedule company names to their address entry on the directory.
  • From plant schedule model numbers to the literature

* this includes both from manual text to manual text (as in the case of the description section) and from manual text to inserted item (as in the case of the manufacturers' literature section).


The above hyperlinks form the basis of our hyperlinking service, however, as stated above there is basically no limit to what hyperlinks can be setup, but of course more hyperlinks = more cost.

Costs

As all our Manuals are computer generated, our basic costs includes for the Manual to be issued electronically with a few CD copies. 


Standard hyperlinks can be included for as little as £50 on small projects, to £250 on large projects. More complex hyperlinks are priced on request, however, their cost can mount up very easily due to the manual way in which they need to be set up. Naturally we have engineered our standard manual to be easily hyperlinked in order to minimise the costs.