The objective of The Solution Log™ is to provide a highly visible status update report for everyone on the Deliverables Team, especially the Trusted Advisor, to be fully aware of every hot issue (significant problem) actively in process for resolution by your Deliverables Team.

The Solution Log™ is a simple spreadsheet designed to track step-by step action items taken by your Deliverables Team Members to resolve any significant problems which arise.  The primary responsibility for The Solution Log™ should be assigned to one internal Deliverables Team Member (such as Administrative Manager), with an assigned back-up individual as well  (such as another administrative support person in the office, if possible, or the Trusted Advisor, if necessary).

For our examples in this section we will assume the Administrative Manager is the primary administrator for The Solution Log™.  The first step is to alert every Deliverables Team Member (internal and external) of the circumstances requiring tracking on The Solution Log™, and establishing the Administrative Manager as the point of contact for the spreadsheet.

The role of The Solution Log™ Administrator is to ensure that every accomplished action item related to a problem being tracked is promptly entered onto The Solution Log™ (target: "within the hour").  Whether the Administrator enters each action item onto the spreadsheet or establishes some method for Deliverables Team Members to enter action items, the responsibility is to ensure that prompt updating of The Solution Log™ gets done.

Features of The Solution Log™ Spreadsheet:

• Is updated with every entry in real time
• Is sensibly "sorted" and easy to interpret (usually with action items related to a single problem together in chronological order of steps taken)
• Is very visible (we recommend you consider having a paper copy prominently posted in a heavily trafficked staff-only area).
• Frequently distributed (we recommend you consider E-mailing it to key external Deliverables Team Members approved by the Trusted Advisor on any day there are action items entered).

Items to track on The Solution Log™:
(Among other things, you may track the following items)

• The name of the problem
• The client affected, if any
• The date and time of each action item (some problems will have several action items in a single day)
• Description of each action taken
• The name of the individual who took action
• Description and date of the "next step"
• Note of whether the client was called with an update (phone calls are superior to E-mail updates for serious problems, but many clients will expect E-mail updates also)
• Note of whether the overall problem was resolved

It is the job of the Trusted Advisor to insist upon consistent use of the Solution Log™ by all Deliverables Team Members, with enforcement backed by the Solution Log™ Administrator.

We offer extensive coaching for establishing and enforcing Solution Log use, as well as to download the Solution Log Template in Module 8.