What is an SOP?
SOP stands for standard operating procedure. It is a written description of who does a task, in what order, with which tools and with which checks. The goal is that the task produces the same result no matter who performs it.
An SOP is not a policy. A policy states a rule and the reason for it. An SOP states how that rule is carried out day to day, step by step. When a single step inside an SOP is complicated, it gets its own work instruction.
Why do teams need SOPs?
When a task lives in one person’s head, it stops when that person is on leave or leaves the company. An SOP reduces this key-person dependency. It also speeds up training: a new hire opens the document and learns the task at their own pace instead of interrupting a colleague for every question.
- Consistency: the same task gives the same result for every person.
- Easier handover: whoever takes over does not start from zero.
- Audit readiness: there is a written record of how the work is done. Quality systems ask for documented information for this reason.
- Troubleshooting: when something goes wrong you can walk back through the steps.
What sections does a good SOP have?
The number of sections depends on the task, but the eight below cover most SOPs. For a very short task you can reduce some of them to one line. For a ready-made skeleton, use the SOP template.
| Section | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Title and version | Task name, version number, date | Creating a new customer record, v1.2 |
| Purpose | Why the SOP exists and what outcome it protects | Records are created complete and in one format |
| Scope | When it applies and to whom | Individual customers only, sales team |
| Responsibilities | Who performs, who approves, who owns the document | Performs: sales rep. Owner: sales operations |
| Prerequisites | What must be in place before starting | CRM access, signed customer form |
| Steps | Numbered sentences that start with a verb | 1. Click New record. |
| Checkpoints | Where mistakes happen most often | Is the tax ID 10 digits? |
| Revision history | When, who, what changed | 2026-10-20, A. Smith, step 4 updated |
How do you write an SOP, step by step?
The order below starts with observing the work and only then writing. Documenting the process as it is really done, not the one that should exist on paper, decides whether the SOP will be used.
- Pick one task. “Customer service” is not an SOP; “close a refund request in the system” is. Write the trigger, the start and the end in one sentence each.
- Name the owner. One person or role is responsible for keeping the document current.
- Watch the person who really does the work. Record the task while it is being done if you can. The small steps they skip over are often the most valuable information.
- List the steps raw. Write all of them in order first and format afterwards.
- Start every step with a verb. “Click Save”, “enter the amount”, “send the confirmation email”. One action per step.
- Add visuals. For work done in an interface, a screenshot is shorter than a description. See the guide on step-by-step guides with screenshots.
- Test it with someone new. Hand over the document, do not help, and note where they get stuck. Every stuck point is missing information.
- Publish and set a review date. Put the document where people look. Add the date to a calendar and update it when the process or tool changes. See keeping training docs up to date.
What is the difference between an SOP and a work instruction?
An SOP describes a whole task and its general flow. A work instruction shows one step inside that flow, or one short task, in detail. They complement each other; neither replaces the other.
| Criterion | SOP | Work instruction |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | A whole process or task | One step or one short task |
| Detail | Medium: what, who, in which order | High: how, which field gets which value |
| Reader | Someone learning or auditing the task | Someone doing the task right now |
| Length | Usually one to a few pages | Usually under a page |
| Example | New supplier onboarding SOP | Instruction: upload the tax certificate |
What are the most common mistakes when writing SOPs?
- Scope too wide. Many situations in one document produce something nobody reads to the end. Write one SOP per situation.
- Writing what should happen. A document detached from the real process is abandoned in the first week.
- No owner. If nobody is responsible for updating it, the document goes stale within months.
- Interface steps without visuals. Replace “the third tab under the settings menu” with a screenshot.
- Passwords and personal data. Screenshots can show passwords, customer names or ID numbers. Hide them before sharing; see redacting sensitive data in screenshots.
- Untested documents. Everything looks clear to the author. The document is not finished until someone else has tried it.
Which format should an SOP use?
There is no single right format. It depends on how complex the task is and how often the document will change. The comparison below covers format categories in general terms.
| Format | Strength | Weakness | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Text document (Word, PDF) | Everyone can open it, easy to audit | Adding visuals and keeping it current is laborious | Rarely changing procedures without visuals |
| Wiki page | Searchable and linked | Visuals are added by hand, structure drifts | Text-heavy knowledge bases |
| Screen video | Quick to record, shows the flow | Hard to scan, search or update one step | Short introductions |
| Step-by-step guide generated from a recording | Every click becomes a step and an image, editable step by step | Covers only work done in a supported interface | Repeated tasks in a web application |
How do you write an SOP with Izly?
For work done in a web application, the most tiring part of writing an SOP is taking a screenshot for every step and typing the text. Izly lets a recording do that part: you start the Chrome extension, do the task as usual, and every click becomes a step with a screenshot.
- Start the extension and do the task once. The step text is generated from the name of the element you clicked.
- In the editor, fix the text, delete unneeded steps and reorder. Add tip, warning and heading blocks for the purpose, checkpoints and prerequisites.
- Redact areas that show passwords or personal data by hand. Redaction permanently replaces the pixels in the screenshot.
- Share the guide by link or with workspace members, and download a PDF if you need one.
Izly records tasks done in the browser, in Chrome only. It cannot record desktop applications or physical tasks. Title and description suggestions are optional, and a workspace admin can switch AI processing off entirely. See pricing or start free.
Frequently asked questions
How long should an SOP be?
As long as the task needs. An SOP for one task is usually one or two pages. If the document keeps growing, it probably describes more than one task: split it and link the complicated steps to work instructions.
Who should write an SOP?
The person who does the task most often, or a colleague who writes down what that person explains. If a manager writes it, it tends to drift into theory. The best result comes from the doer explaining and a newcomer testing.
How often should an SOP be reviewed?
Use two triggers rather than one fixed interval: update when the process or tool changes, and set a review date for every SOP. Choose shorter intervals for critical processes and longer ones for rarely used ones.
Does ISO 9001 require SOPs?
ISO 9001:2015 uses the term “documented information”, and how much is needed depends on the organization’s size, the complexity of its processes and the competence of its people. Written procedures are a common and useful way to meet that, but do not assume the standard demands a document called an SOP for every process. Ask your certification body about your case.
Is a policy the same as an SOP?
No. A policy sets a rule and explains why. An SOP explains how that rule is applied in daily work, one step at a time.
Related pages
Sources
General information, not legal advice.
Record it once and let the guide write itself
With Izly you do the task once in the browser. Clicks and screenshots become a step-by-step guide that you edit and share by link.