Standard Operating Procedure (SOP): How to Write One

What Is a Standard Operating Procedure?

A standard operating procedure, or SOP, is a written set of steps for a routine task, so that anyone trained can do it the same way every time. It names the task, says who does it and what is needed, and lists the steps in order.

When You Need One and Who Reads It

Write an SOP for a task that repeats, that a new person must learn, or that goes wrong in costly ways when done differently. Closing the till, onboarding a new hire, processing a refund and backing up files are common ones.

The readers are newcomers, people covering for a colleague, and managers or auditors checking that the work is done properly. They may read it while doing the task, so it must be quick to follow.

What Goes in an SOP

1. Title and Purpose. What the task is and why it matters.
2. Scope. Who it applies to and when.
3. Before You Start. Tools, access, supplies and permissions needed.
4. Steps. Numbered, in order, one action each.
5. What to Check. A sign that each key step worked.
6. If Something Goes Wrong. Who to call and what to do.
7. Owner. The person who keeps it up to date.
8. Review Date. When it will be looked at again.

How to Write an SOP, Step by Step

1. Do the Task, or Watch It Done. Write what really happens, not what you think happens.
2. List the Steps in Order. One action per step, starting with a verb.
3. Use Plain Words. Say what to click or press, and where.
4. Add the Check. For key steps, say how to tell it worked.
5. Note What Can Go Wrong. And who to ask.
6. Name an Owner and a Review Date.
7. Test It. Ask someone who has never done the task to follow it, and fix where they stumble.

A Short Example

This sample is invented.

SOP: Opening the Front Desk Purpose: Get the desk ready by 8:30 a.m. Applies to: Front desk staff. Before You Start: Desk key, building alarm code, the sign-in sheet.

1. Unlock the front door and turn off the alarm within 60 seconds.
2. Turn on the desk computer and phone.
3. Check the voicemail box and write each message on the call sheet.
4. Print today's visitor list and place it on the desk.
5. Put out a fresh sign-in sheet.
6. Unlock the meeting rooms booked for today.

If the alarm does not turn off: Call the facilities line on the card by the door. Owner: Office manager. Review: every January.

Common Mistakes

• Describing the Ideal, Not the Real Task. Watch someone do it first.
• Steps That Hold Several Actions. Split them.
• No Owner. An SOP nobody owns goes out of date.
• Never Tested. The writer always thinks it is clear.

How to Do It with AI Using the Template

The Logic Lab template, "Write a Standard Operating Procedure," takes your rough notes on how a task is done. It sorts them into numbered steps, records a sign that each step worked when your notes give one, notes what can go wrong, and marks every gap it finds, as [to be confirmed], Not stated or No contact stated, instead of filling it in. It adds the owner and review date you supply, or marks them as still to be set.

Checks are built in. Every action is quoted from your notes. Every step has one action, and every action from your notes appears in the order the notes give. Every tool, place, person and number must come from your notes. The SOP ends with a reminder to have a newcomer try it, and that step stays yours.

The template runs in your own AI tool. Logic Lab runs no AI and does not see what you paste. This is a drafting aid, not legal advice. For safety or legal tasks, check the SOP against your own rules and have the responsible person approve it.