Documentation is a deliverable, not an afterthought. Comprehensive docs:
Project-phase docs:
- Solution Design Document (SDD) — primary blueprint of what's built.
- Discovery Outputs — process maps, requirements catalogue, stakeholder maps.
- Risk Register — known risks with mitigation.
- Test Plans — UAT scenarios, integration test cases.
- Runbook for go-live — step-by-step deployment plan.
- Hypercare playbook — issue triage process during early days.
Permanent docs (live in Confluence / similar):
- Architecture Diagram — data model, integrations, sharing model, deployment topology. Visual.
- Object & Field Catalog — every object/field with purpose, owner, sample data.
- Automation Catalog — flows, validation rules, triggers, with what they do and when.
- Integration Catalog — every integration, source, target, frequency, ownership, troubleshooting.
- Security Model — sharing, profiles, permission sets — visualised.
- Naming Conventions & Standards — for future development.
User-facing docs:
- Quick Reference Guides per persona — 1-2 pages, common tasks.
- Process Documentation — how to handle specific workflows.
- FAQ — answers to common questions.
- Knowledge articles — for both internal and customer use.
Operational docs:
- Admin Runbook — common admin tasks, troubleshooting.
- Release Notes — what's new each release.
- Disaster Recovery — what to do if X breaks.
- Compliance documentation — for audit purposes.
Living docs:
- Decision Log — every significant decision with context. Future-you reads it when revisiting.
- Architectural Decision Records (ADRs) — formalised decision records.
- Change Log — every metadata change with rationale.
Common pitfalls:
- Documentation done at end of project — already stale.
- Documentation never updated — original notes from 3 years ago.
- Documentation in too many places — scattered Confluence + SharePoint + emails.
- Overdocumentation — 200-page document nobody reads.
Senior consultant rule: write the docs you'd want if you joined the project tomorrow. That standard keeps quality up.
Tools: Confluence, Notion, SharePoint, GitBook, Salesforce's own AppExchange documentation tools.