Imagine you’re nearing the end of a long shift as a restaurant line cook. You can’t wait to go home, but if you don’t close properly, you’ll create extra work for whomever opens tomorrow.
Exhausted, you glance at the laminated checklist hanging from the wall to ensure you’ve completed your closing tasks: emptying the grease trap, disinfecting the cutting board, writing down any items that are running low, and—oh yeah!—you almost forgot to turn off the light in the walk-in fridge. Good thing you checked the list.
Whether using a checklist or a flowchart, any business can benefit from documenting internal processes. Documenting your business operations saves time, prevents mishaps, and ensures the right steps are followed, no matter who executes them. Here’s how to write an effective standard operating procedure document using our free SOP template.
What is a standard operating procedure?
A standard operating procedure (SOP) is a team document containing step-by-step instructions for routine operations or a specific task. For example, forklift operators following the same clear and consistent instructions every time can reduce errors, increase safety, and ensure regulatory compliance.
Standard operating procedure documents work across different roles and industries and are part of the operational plan for many businesses. For instance, as a customer service agent, you may not have a step-by-step guide, but your process documentation can include an opening and closing script and suggested responses for common customer complaints.
Benefits of standard operating procedures
Here are some of the benefits of SOP documentation:
Standardized employee training
A well-written onboarding SOP trains new team members according to an established framework, meaning every person consistently learns the same protocols when they join. As the new employee learns the ropes, they have a document they can refer to.
Workplace safety
SOP documents can include health and safety warnings as well as guidance on how to properly carry out a task. SOPs help maintain regulatory compliance in workplaces like restaurant kitchens, factories, warehouses, and labs where protocols are essential to the safety of employees and customers alike. They’re also useful for protecting employee and customer data in high-stakes technical applications, such as banking software.
Quality control
When you document processes with clear instructions, you can ensure tasks get done the same way each time. Quality control isn’t just for physical products. For example, you might write an approval process for partnering with content creators as part of your social media strategy to ensure all partnerships align with your business goals and values.
Formats for standard operating procedures
- Checklist
- Flowchart
- Hierarchical
There are many ways to create a standard operating procedure, but they often follow one of three SOP formats:
Checklist
A checklist is the most basic SOP format. If a task gets repeated frequently and workers don’t need to complete them in a specific order, a checklist is a great option.
A checklist ensures everything gets done while allowing the person executing the task some flexibility. For example, you might prefer to start with the bathroom when cleaning your home, but it would be fine for someone else to start in the kitchen, so long as the house gets cleaned.
Flowchart
The flowchart SOP format is useful for procedures with multiple possible outcomes, like a customer service phone call. It takes an “if this, then that” format.
For example, a customer service phone script might branch off into different flows depending on the type of query (return, exchange, general question). If the call is about a return, there might be different branches based on when the customer made the purchase and whether or not the item is defective.
Hierarchical
The hierarchical SOP format emphasizes the importance of certain steps over others. Usually, these SOPs describe complex procedures that need to be completed in a specific order.
The SOP for operating a car would be hierarchical because you can’t drive without starting the engine, and you can’t get out of the car until you put it in park.
How to write a standard operating procedure
- Define your objectives
- Understand your audience
- Select your format
- Choose your template
- Draft the SOP
- Solicit and implement feedback
Whether you’re writing an SOP for operating a forklift or creating a data report, the process follows these steps:
1. Define objectives
You’ll have a more focused SOP if you start by clarifying your objectives. Ask yourself: Why does your business need this SOP? To prevent injuries? To ensure legal compliance or meet industry regulations? To improve consistency?
There might be multiple reasons; list them as separate bullet points to ensure your SOP document fulfills all of its objectives.
2. Understand your audience
Your audience shapes your SOP. If your objective is to teach new employees your processes, take time to explain concepts that other staff members are familiar with. For example, if you use the acronym “TMT” to mean “the marketing team,” you should explain that in your written instructions to avoid confusion.
3. Select your format
Based on your objectives and audience, determine whether it would be most helpful to format your SOP document as a checklist, flowchart, or hierarchical format. A checklist is useful for tasks you don’t need to do in a particular order, while a hierarchical, step-by-step SOP is better for complex processes that employees need to complete in a specific order.
Flowcharts can be more difficult to create, but they’re necessary for complex procedures that change based on external variables.
You might also choose a unique format specifically tailored to your needs. For example, a workplace safety SOP might arrange common procedures, their associated hazards, and necessary precautions in a table. This allows for easy review of risks and safety steps.
4. Choose your template
You don’t need to use a standard operating procedure template. However, SOP templates can serve as a handy starting point for the SOP writing process, especially if you use one specific to your needs, like an HR SOP template or a restaurant SOP template. And if your organization requires multiple SOPs, a template will keep them consistent.
5. Draft the SOP
Draft the SOP with detailed instructions for steps and descriptions of checklist items. Based on this draft, create the other elements of the SOP, including a list of definitions of important words, phrases, acronyms, and equipment the SOP covers.
Write a version of the SOP’s objective that communicates to readers exactly what they will learn in this document. For example, “Safely operate a forklift.”
6. Solicit and implement feedback
Share your SOP draft with stakeholders to ensure everyone is on the same page about the steps. Make any necessary changes before sharing the SOP document with its intended audience. Check in with stakeholders at least once a year to ensure the SOP is accurate, up to date, and continues to meet your objectives.
Standard operating procedure FAQ
How should an SOP be structured?
Depending on the specific process, an SOP can be a hierarchical list of detailed steps, a simple checklist, or a more complex flowchart. Usually, a SOP begins by listing its objective and responsible teams, followed by all the details of the specific tasks involved.
What are the uses of SOPs?
Businesses write standard operating procedures for various reasons, from meeting regulatory requirements to standardizing customer service processes. SOPs are useful for repeatable business processes, training new employees, and simplifying task delegation. Most importantly, SOPs improve safety in workplaces that present physical hazards to employees and customers.
What are the main components of an SOP?
Standard operating procedure examples always include key elements like a list of tasks (typically formatted as a chronological numbered list, checklist, flow chart, or table), as well as the SOP’s objectives and any relevant definitions or equipment.
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