An operations manual for franchising a business in Spain

A successful business does not always have instructions that someone else can follow. Before franchising in Spain, you need to turn your accumulated experience into a useful operations manual, not an idealised description of the company. Its purpose is to help every outlet in the franchise network carry out essential tasks to clear standards, including when problems arise.

1. Define what the manual needs to cover

The manual should explain how day-to-day work is done. It does not replace the contract, training or any specialist advice the business requires. Nor should it become a repository for every company document.

Start by identifying the processes that directly affect service provision or product delivery. For each one, note what triggers it, what outcome it should produce and which mistakes could compromise that outcome.

An initial contents list could be organised into these sections:

• Getting ready for business: opening checks, equipment and materials required.
• Delivering the service or preparing the product: the sequence of tasks and acceptance criteria.
• Day-to-day management: stock, operational records and closing the outlet.
• Handling problems: action to take in the event of faults, disruptions or results that do not meet requirements.
• Reference tools: checklists, forms and visual instructions.

Distinguish the model’s common rules from instructions specific to each outlet. For example, a procedure might require equipment to be checked before use, while its location and the manufacturer’s instructions are included in a site-specific reference sheet. This avoids presenting a solution that only works in your original business as universally applicable.

2. Write procedures that people can act on

Document what actually happens and delivers results. Observe a full working day, speak to the people carrying out the tasks and record common exceptions too. Copying generic instructions can produce a seemingly comprehensive manual that fails to explain how your business works.

Each procedure should answer specific questions:

• When does it apply, and what needs to be ready?
• Who carries out the task, and who answers queries?
• What steps must be followed, and in what order?
• How can someone recognise a satisfactory result?
• What must be recorded, and what should happen if something goes wrong?

Replace vague wording with observable actions. “Get everything ready” gives you nothing to check. “Check the condition of the equipment, confirm that materials are available and complete the opening checklist” provides actionable guidance, as long as each check is explained.

For example, a goods-in procedure sheet might explain how to check a delivery against the order, inspect the condition of packages, record discrepancies and set aside items awaiting inspection. The specific technical requirements will depend on the product and the applicable regulations: do not invent tolerances just to fill out the document.

Use photographs or diagrams when they explain a task more clearly than a paragraph. Keep short checklists for repetitive actions and fuller explanations for decisions that need context.

3. Place the document within Spain’s legal framework

In Spain, franchising is governed by Article 62 of Law 7/1996 on the Regulation of Retail Trade (Ley de Ordenación del Comercio Minorista) and the provisions currently in force of Royal Decree 201/2010 of 26 February. The latter identifies the transfer of the franchisor’s own substantial and distinctive know-how, together with ongoing commercial or technical assistance, as elements of a franchise.

The manual can be a tool for transferring that knowledge, but these rules do not prescribe a mandatory contents list or a minimum number of pages. Its usefulness depends on its content: a collection of obvious recommendations is unlikely to explain what makes your model distinctive.

The royal decree also requires truthful, non-misleading written pre-contractual information to be provided at least twenty working days before the contract or preliminary agreement is signed, or any payment is received from the prospective franchisee. This information includes the characteristics of the know-how and assistance provided. The operations manual and pre-contractual information serve different purposes; providing one does not automatically fulfil the obligations relating to the other.

Seek legal advice on which instructions are mandatory and how they relate to the contract. Procedures must also comply with the rules applicable to the activity, for example those covering safety, consumer protection or data protection. An internal instruction never overrides a legal obligation.

4. Check that it works in practice

Before distributing the manual, ask someone who did not write the procedure to carry out a task by following its instructions, with supervision wherever there is a risk. Do not step in to fill every gap verbally: record where they need help.

Check whether they can find the information, understand the steps and recognise when to stop or ask for advice. Then correct any ambiguous instructions and repeat the test. This evaluates the document, not just the knowledge of the person using it.

Publish a clearly identified version, with a date, a named person responsible and associated documents. Keep a single reference location and remove outdated copies to avoid conflicting instructions.

Practical conclusion: start with critical procedures, test them during real tasks and address every recurring query. A short manual that people can put into practice offers more value than a lengthy one that nobody knows how to use.