End-user procedural documents

[Lisa Comeau <COMEAUL -at- CSA -dot- CA>]

I don't know if any of you have ever had this situation crop up, but if you have any comments or suggestions on the best way to do this, I'd really appreciate it.

Here's the situation;

My job description entails end-user training and support, including writing procedures and manuals. I have recently run into a snag becuase my bosses don't want me to concentrate on support right now (I've only been here a month, and I'm not well-versed in the specifics of the way they use their apps yet). 

We outsource all of the troubleshooting, hardware installations, and so on, to a contract company (which takes forever to do service calls) and I am here primarily to work on courses at the moment. But, I am required to do some support for some departments.

Problems are:

I can help some end-users, but not all, and when the onmes I refuse find out I've helped someone else, they get bent out of shape.

Most propblems they outsource for can be solved in 5 minutes, so I do some of those calls, most of them are because of "unregulated software" (people upgrading to the newest version of IE, or some such, that is not in use here and then they wonder why thier system crashes).

I need to come up with a document that I can send out (email, intranet, paper, I don't know which) that tells pepole who they call to do what, and why. The biggest issue here is that this is a political place where using the worng wording can really get you into a jam. 

I also need to have some sort of structure to it. The content would include things like 
*  "System problems that occur as a result of unauthorized software installations will be given the lowest of priorities"
(which just might give people the hint that if they crash thier systems through stupidity, they will have to pay the price)
*  "Any staff training requirements must be put in writing by department heads"
(so we stop getting people in classes who want to learn the software they use only at home)

How do I get stuff that doesn't really relate (other than as procedures) into one chesive document that doesn't tick anyone off?

(Please don't think I am at a total loss here, I would just appreciate your input; some of you may have ideas that I haven't thought of, or some things that haven't worked that I can avoid.)

Thanks in advance!

Lisa Comeau
IS Super-User/Trainer
Certification & Testing Division
Canadian Standards Association
178 Rexdale Boulevard
Etobicoke, ON
(416) 747 2597
comeaul -at- csa -dot- ca