PeopleMuster

Standard operating procedure (SOP) template

A standard operating procedure (SOP) is the written, numbered way your team does one repeatable task, so the result is the same whoever does it. The template below covers one task end to end: why it exists, who does each step, what done looks like, and when the document was last changed.

Write an SOP for any task that happens at least monthly, involves two or more people, or goes wrong in a costly way when a step is skipped. Onboarding a new starter, closing month-end attendance and recovering a laptop at exit are typical. A one-off task needs a note, not an SOP.

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE

Title: [SOP TITLE]
SOP number: [SOP NUMBER]
Category: [SOP CATEGORY]
Owner: [SOP OWNER]
Approved by: [APPROVER NAME]
Effective from: [EFFECTIVE DATE]
Next review: [REVIEW DATE]

1. PURPOSE
[ONE SENTENCE ON WHAT THIS PROCEDURE PRODUCES AND WHY IT MATTERS]

2. SCOPE
Applies to: [WHO OR WHAT IT COVERS]
Starts when: [TRIGGER EVENT]
Ends when: [END CONDITION]

3. ROLES
[ROLE] - [WHAT THIS ROLE DOES IN THE PROCEDURE]
[ROLE] - [WHAT THIS ROLE DOES IN THE PROCEDURE]
[ROLE] - [WHAT THIS ROLE DOES IN THE PROCEDURE]

4. BEFORE YOU START
You need: [ACCESS, TOOLS OR INFORMATION NEEDED]

5. STEPS
Step | Action | Owner | Due | Proof of done
1 | [ACTION] | [ROLE] | [TIMING] | [EVIDENCE]
2 | [ACTION] | [ROLE] | [TIMING] | [EVIDENCE]
3 | [ACTION] | [ROLE] | [TIMING] | [EVIDENCE]
4 | [ACTION] | [ROLE] | [TIMING] | [EVIDENCE]
5 | [ACTION] | [ROLE] | [TIMING] | [EVIDENCE]
6 | [ACTION] | [ROLE] | [TIMING] | [EVIDENCE]

6. IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG
Problem: [COMMON PROBLEM]
Do this: [FIX OR ESCALATION]
Escalate to: [ESCALATION CONTACT]

7. RELATED DOCUMENTS
[RELATED POLICY OR FORM]

8. REVISION LOG
Version | Date | Change | Changed by
[VERSION] | [CHANGE DATE] | [WHAT CHANGED] | [EDITOR NAME]

What to put in each blank

[SOP TITLE]
Start with a verb and name one task, such as Onboard a new developer. Two tasks in one title means you need two SOPs.
[SOP CATEGORY]
File it under a group your team already uses, such as HR, IT or delivery. Categories are how people find the right SOP six months later.
[TRIGGER EVENT]
Name the event that starts the procedure, such as a signed offer or an approved resignation. Without a trigger, nobody knows when to open the SOP.
[ACTION]
Write one action per step, starting with a verb. If a step needs the word and, split it in two.
[ROLE]
Name a role, not a person, so the SOP survives staff changes. Put the current person's name in the roles section only.
[TIMING]
Tie each due time to the trigger, such as day 1 or two days before the last day, rather than to a calendar date.
[EVIDENCE]
Say what proves the step is done: a ticket closed, a form signed, an account visible. A step with no proof gets ticked without being done.
[REVIEW DATE]
Set a date within a year of the effective date. Pull the review forward whenever a tool or a role in the steps changes.

Before you send it

  • Test the draft by handing it to someone who has never done the task. Every question they ask is a missing step.
  • Keep steps to what a person does, not what a system does by itself. Automatic actions go in the before-you-start section as facts.
  • Number SOPs once and never reuse a number. Retired procedures keep their number so old records still make sense.
  • Run the SOP as a checklist each time it's used, with the owner ticking steps. The written document says how; the run shows whether it happened.

PeopleMuster turns each SOP into a reusable template, grouped by category, and runs it as a tracked process against a person or a project, with an assignee, an initiator and a count of resolved steps.

Questions people ask about this letter

What are the parts of a standard operating procedure?

A usable SOP has eight parts: title and number, purpose, scope, roles, prerequisites, numbered steps with owners, a what-if section and a revision log. The step table does most of the work, so spend most of your time there.

How long should an SOP be?

One task, usually 5 to 15 steps, fits on one or two pages. If an SOP runs past 20 steps, split it at a natural handover between roles.

What is the difference between an SOP and a work instruction?

An SOP covers a whole task across several people and says who does what and when. A work instruction zooms into one step for one person, such as how to reset a password in a specific tool.

How often should SOPs be reviewed?

Review each SOP at least once a year, and straight away when a tool, a role or a rule in the steps changes. The revision log shows an auditor or a new manager that the review happened.

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