you hear key on hand (what’s more key on hand) in a meeting. You think you know what it means, but it seems to be used differently than you understand it. That is very likely. Like many other business-related terms, various companies use the term “turnkey” a little differently. We will see the most common ways in which it is understood.

For our purposes, we don’t have to worry about its original meaning as a noun: the person who was the keeper of the keys in a prison. We will go directly to its general meaning as an adjective: supplied, installed or purchased in ready condition for immediate use, occupation or operation. When a product or service is turnkey, it is designed, built and installed complete and ready to go. The idea is that the end user simply turns a key and starts using the product or service.

Usage in this sense may have started in the computer industry. It has been used in that industry since at least 1995. There, it is a term that describes a system that can be put to immediate use. When delivered, the system includes all the hardware and software needed for the customer’s application without any programming or installation of other software. The customer can turn it on (turn the key) and use it.

Like so many useful terms, turnkey has been picked up and used by a wide variety of fields. In the construction industry, it means a building or facility that is functional and ready for occupancy or use when delivered to site. A contractor could deliver a turnkey desalination facility to a customer who can simply turn it on and start producing palatable water. Investment companies use the term to denote a product or service that the buyer can implement in his particular financial operation without any refinement.

A turnkey business, which is often associated with a franchise, is one that includes everything necessary to start selling products as soon as the user obtains it. That could include inventory, equipment, marketing, management systems, and staffing. Just turn the key, open the door, and you’re in business. In training, turnkey is also sometimes used to denote a person whom a company sends somewhere to learn a specific skill and then return and teach that skill to other employees. The turnkey then becomes a trainer who hands out skill keys to others.

Whatever the field, turnkey means all the work has been done by the supplier. The customer, customer or end user does not have to do anything for the product, system or service to work except turn the key.

For example, as a technical writer, you may be asked to produce a turnkey technical document. Before you agree, think about what it implies. The implication is that the client expects you to work without supervision or direction to do the research, write the guide, hire and supervise graphics design and production, and handle printing and distribution. Turnkey involves many expectations and responsibilities.